Next years mite control plan?

[D Coates]

I got two hives in May. They appear to be in good shape for winter. My fingers are crossed. I've been using drone comb and powdered sugar for mite control. I've been removing the drone frames and freezing them (and any mites) as soon they are capped but before they emerge. I've been powder sugaring the hive (they're tastier that way) every week or so when I check them. I put sticky boards under the SBB when I'm powdering them.

The next day I remove the sticky board and the counts fluctuate from anywhere 10 to 40. I think some of the mites are from the bees removing the thawed drones as they appear immature (underdeveloped and very lightly colored). I've read the first year of a hive the mites are usually not something to worry about. The second year and beyond they are a force that must be controlled.

Are these mite numbers indicating I need to do something more? If so what do you recommend. Is anyone else using drone comb and powdered sugar to control mites and how's it working?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[longarm]

..one thousand and one.. one thousand and two.. one thousand and three.. one thousand and four.. etc.

[Finman]

.
I suppose that you have real winter there and brood break in hives. I recommend oxalic acid trickling in this time of year. What you have used are not effective methods and they are quite old fashion, something 15 years old.

http://pix.epodunk.com/locatorMaps/mo/MO_20435.gif

Method: http://bees.freesuperhost.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1136437131

[Finman]

.
Next year mite control means that you must do it now that your mite level is low enough for next year. After 2 months you have brood in hives.

[Dave W]

longarm . . .

Are you actually counting or are you sleeping smile.gif

Have you got a plan for next year?
Do you plan to start 12/8/06?

[Sundance]

Finman....... How cold do you do your OA
trickling???? It must be fairly temperate
there compared to the tundra here. ;)

[longarm]

Dave,
I thought you might bust me on that..
I plan to apply OA to all the hives this week. Just got the gear together last night for a drip application. I hope it isn't the kiss of death to that hive #1 that I have treated this year with both Apistan and Apiguard... on the other hand I can't see leaving the mites in there through next season either.
Dan

[Brent Bean]

Finman:
How long have beekeepers been using oxalic acid in Finland? So far it hasn’t been approved for use in the USA I think its stuck in the agro politics rut. I used the vaporize method in November and was amazed.

[sierrabees]

I have used a variety of treatments this year starting with the benign powderd sugar and drone freezing during spring buildup, and ending up with OA in the fall. I found no differance in brood development in the yards treated with OA and two yards I didn't use the OA in. I did find significantly higher mite problems and one hive with mite associated virus in the untreated yards. I went ahead and used a series of three OA treatments a week apart in those yard and all looked good six weeks later. My gut feeling is that as long as it isn't cold enough for the dribble to chill the bees too much it has little effect on the bees or brood, but a lot of effect on the mites.

[D Coates]

I've done a bunch of searching and reading of posts from everyone on (mostly) this site and others. I've learned a whole lot. This site is great for learning and understanding that there are many schools of thought. Sift through them and make your own decisions. In short I've asked my lovely and patent wife for a Heilyser JB 200 electric Oxalic Vaporizer for Christmas.

If an Oxalic Acid Vaporizer isn't a romantic Christmas gift I don't know what is.

[ December 12, 2006, 01:37 PM: Message edited by: D Coates ]

[Finman]

< To Brent: How long have beekeepers been using oxalic acid in Finland?<

I found our leading researcher's report from 1999 that oxalic acid syrup trickling is under examination.

I have used 4 years.

Vaporazing has been long time.

.

[JohnBeeMan]

>>>for a Heilyser JB 200 electric Oxalic Vaporizer for Christmas.

You may also want to add one of those portable battery boosters. They work great as the power source - not too hevy, last a long time, easy to turn off and on.

Just in case she is in a 'giving mood' ;)

[D Coates]

Already there, I used to use one of those for a boat my family had. We could never find that *&#@ slow electrical leak on that boats wiring. The on off switch, jumper cables, and the easy carry handle on the portable battery booster make it a must.

I do have a question about the oxalic acid though. Does it eventually damage the hive parts?