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Sugar treat mites

3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Michael Bush 
#1 ·
A search on mite treatments did not turn anything up on this TBH forum, though there are many references in other forums.

A friend has two TBHs with natural comb from a wooden center strip which were stocked with feral swarms last year. They have produced bumper crops of honey. Both hives swarmed this year, so there is a new queen in each, and each is full of honey again. These bees are productive....

The queens are atill laying eggs, the drones have not been kicked out yet, and the weather is mild enough to work the hives.

TBH/natural comb with small cell brood chambers are not supposed to have mite problems. Maybe the mite infestation was caused by drifters from failing hives, who knows, and now it has to be dealt with.

Using powdered sugar on the bars may work in a Langsworth but without a bee space that will not help a TBH.

How have other TBH beekeepers dealt with mites?

What was used and how was it applied?

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
>TBH/natural comb with small cell brood chambers are not supposed to have mite problems. Maybe the mite infestation was caused by drifters from failing hives, who knows, and now it has to be dealt with.

All hives have Varroa mites. Do you have some kind of quantification of the problem? Mite count from natural drop? From a sugar roll?

>Using powdered sugar on the bars may work in a Langsworth but without a bee space that will not help a TBH.

You could just pry each bar over and sift some sugar in and move to the next.

>How have other TBH beekeepers dealt with mites?

I haven't treated my TBHs at all. But you could probably do Oxalic acid vapor.

http://bwrangler.bravehost.com/bee/goxa.htm
 
#3 ·
Maybe your bees are not fully regressed yet and are still building some large cells?

It would be interesting to know how high is the varroa population...
I intended seriously to give a go at TBH next year but may think again...

do other beekeepers using tbh have big problems with varroa or is it the real solution against varroa?

are treatments still to be applied when using the tbh ?
 
#4 ·
>Maybe your bees are not fully regressed yet and are still building some large cells?

In my experience it takes about one full turnover of comb to get regressed enough to get the Varroa under control. It takes another turnover or two to get "fully regressed".

>It would be interesting to know how high is the varroa population...

More than interesting. It's essential.

>do other beekeepers using tbh have big problems with varroa or is it the real solution against varroa?

You will need to work to have the center of the brood nest 4.9mm or smaller. If you start with "normal" enlarged bees this will probably take one turn over of comb before the smaller bees are building even smaller comb. I would monitor the Varroa at least until you find the population of mites has stabilized at a low level.

>are treatments still to be applied when using the tbh ?

I would monitor with sugar rolls or possibly put a sticky board in or a try (depending on the design of the hive). If the numbers are way too high you can decide what to do. Powdered sugar is doable. Drone trapping is doable. OA vapor is doable. I would never take it on faith that the mites are under control.
 
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