How many mites can a hive survive?

[Solomon Parker]

I've been called worse. I admire your motivations. I'm trying grafting this year. If you haven't done it, I recommend it. If not doing something new, then do something better. I wish you success.

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

My hive has been evicting drones and worker bees left and right for the last three days crawling on the lawn. Yesterday I was stung, and the bee left a mite on my shirt. Today I pulled two workers from the lawn and they had mites on them. I wonder how long they can last. Strong hive, lots of activity...even honey going into the super.

[camero7]

This hive is collapsing and will be infecting all the hives nearby. Glad I'm not near you.

[Solomon Parker]

All hives are infected.

[camero7]

All hives are infected.

True, but when a hive collapses and starts to get robbed the mite count in the robbing hives grows exponentially and they also will collapse. Still glad I don't have him next to my hives.

[Solomon Parker]

I have seen no evidence of this. If what you say is true, then I should be experiencing periodic major collapses since I keep many of my hives very close to one another.

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

This hive is collapsing and will be infecting all the hives nearby. Glad I'm not near you.

To my knowledge, I have the only hive in the immediate 1 mile radius.

[Rick 1456]

If you stop/prevent the robbing, you at least allow the hive being overwhelmed to potential deal with the mites. If they are tossing the "bad" bees out, maybe they are. How do you know this behavior has not "evolved" in some way. You will never know if you do not allow it to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Z8W10T4Gg

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

True, but when a hive collapses and starts to get robbed the mite count in the robbing hives grows exponentially and they also will collapse. Still glad I don't have him next to my hives.

So this hive is doomed without any kind of treatment?

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

If you stop/prevent the robbing, you at least allow the hive being overwhelmed to potential deal with the mites. If they are tossing the "bad" bees out, maybe they are. You will never know if you do not allow it to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Z8W10T4Gg

That is what I figured.

[Rick 1456]

Our posts crossed in cyberspace
IMHO, that is not a given!!!!
Watch the previous posted video and read the comments.
There are those that say, it is doomed with treatments JMHO

[NDnewbeek]

I generally don't worry about mites until I see other evidence, such as DWV. If I catch it early enough in the spring, I pull the queen and let them raise another. This breaks the mite brood cycle. Otherwise, they are pretty much on their own. This spring, I had one (so far) out of 19 that showed DWV. I did a powdered sugar roll - the mite count was 243 for 300 bees. That must be 100% infection. Still, except for the DWV, the hive was bringing in nectar, brood patterns were good, etc. We will see what happens in a month.

[Rick 1456]

Will be interested in hearing about it. That's amazing!

[camero7]

I generally don't worry about mites until I see other evidence, such as DWV. If I catch it early enough in the spring, I pull the queen and let them raise another. This breaks the mite brood cycle. Otherwise, they are pretty much on their own. This spring, I had one (so far) out of 19 that showed DWV. I did a powdered sugar roll - the mite count was 243 for 300 bees. That must be 100% infection. Still, except for the DWV, the hive was bringing in nectar, brood patterns were good, etc. We will see what happens in a month.

Bet you'll have some nice drawn comb to start a new hive with next spring.

[NDnewbeek]

The affected hive is over 2 years old and that is surviving North Dakota winters. I am sure that they have carried mite loads before. To treat my operation for varroa in spring and fall would run me over $500/year in medication (15-20 hives), consume a ton of my time, contaminate my combs with the chemicals and probably cost me honey. I can put together 8 nucs ($15/frame of bees and brood + $16 queen) in the spring for that kind of money (and that doesn't include splitting off from my winter survivors or hiving swarms).

If it survives and makes it through winter - great, I have some good genetics that I can then make a queen or two from. If it doesn't, that is fine too - it is cheaper for me to replace it in the spring anyway and maybe try a new strain of queen. Plus, as you said, I have the drawn comb - so the new hive will take off.

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

Well, turns out the hive swarmed. My neighbor noticed a cloud of bees between the houses last Wednesday. I checked the hive today and found a queen cell chewed open. I checked for any capped brood (new or old) and saw nothing! Seemed the old brood deeps were full of honey not yet capped. There is a flow on, I guess the bees are filling in the old brood areas?