[newbee 101]

After a long drawn out wait, I have decided to treat with Apistan. I didnt want to do it, but I am getting aprox. 150 varroa a day on the sticky board. I am also seeing deformed bees, almost everyday. The hive is full of bees, lots and lots of them. Does anyone know how long before I start seeing results?

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

 

[Guest]

The standard test method used to be 24 hours
from the point that the Apistan strips
were inserted.

More recently, it has been realized that
a single 24-hour period was less accurate
than a 3-day period, as weather could
impact the drop, so now one counts the
mites that collect over 3 days, and divide
by 3 to compare to one's prior 24-hour
drop counts.

But if you listen carefully, you can hear
the little bastards screaming right now.

 

[newbee 101]

Between Aug 1 and Oct 1, I have counted 7,938 mites.I fogged them twice with FGMO and treated with oxalic acid for 4 weeks.
I do not want to lose my bees, so the APISTAN went in. After I do the count each day, I scrape the stickyboard and take a propane torch to them, I dont hear any screaming , but they sure do sizzle!

MY COUNT BELOW>>>>>>
Varroa Mite Count
Before treatment , average of 25 to 30 per 24 hours
Aug 1 1st Oxalic Treatment
Aug 2 24 hrs 89 mites
Aug 4 48 hrs 116
Aug 5 24 hrs 85
Aug 6 24 hrs 55
Aug 7 24 hrs 81 2nd Oxalic
Aug 8 24 hrs 165
Aug 9 24 hrs 185
Aug 10 24 hrs 145
Aug 12 48 hrs 243
Aug 13 24 hrs 134
Aug 14 24 hrs 158
Aug 15 24 hrs 129
Aug 16 24 hrs 101
Aug 17 24 hrs 143
Aug 18 24 hrs 136 3rd Oxalic
Aug 19 24 hrs 234
Aug 22 72 hrs 493
Aug 23 24 hrs 175
Aug 24 24 hrs 127
Aug 25 no bottom 4th oxalic
Aug 27 48 hrs 395
Aug 28 24 hrs 244
Aug 29 24 hrs 210
Aug 30 24 hrs 199
Aug 31 24 hrs 117
Sept 1 24 hrs 112
Sept 2 24 hrs 101
Sept 3 24 hrs 110
Sept 4 24 hrs 177
Sept 5 24 hrs 102
Sept 6 24 hrs 134
Sept 9 72 hrs 402
Sept 11 48 hrs 270
Sept 12 24 hrs 151
Sept 14 48 hrs 243
Sept 16 48 hrs 208
Sept 19 72 hrs 277
Sept 20 24 hrs 138
Sept 21 24 hrs 144
Sept 22 24 hrs 175
Sept 23 24 hrs 181
Sept 24 24 hrs 134
Sept 26 48 hrs 243
Sept 27 24 hrs 122
Sept 29 48 hrs 170
Oct 1 48 hrs 185 Install Apistan
total 7938

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"



[This message has been edited by newbee 101 (edited October 01, 2004).]

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Newbee, what method of vaporizing are you using? Top, bottom, electric, crack pipe, brass or copper, and how much. And what kind of BB.

[This message has been edited by BULLSEYE BILL (edited October 01, 2004).]

 

[newbee 101]

The one from canada, hooks up to a battery.
Bottom application and I use a SBB

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

How much acid did you use, how did you measure it, and did you close up the bottom for ten minutes afterwards?

 

[Axtmann]

Newbee when I see your mite count you nicely breed the Varroa during the year, even with FGMO.

So many mites during the long treatment mean your bees had lots of brood and whenever the Varroas hatched the acid killed them.

You should close the SBB during the treatment otherwise the bees blowing lots of acid out of the hive during evaporations.

Give them one or two more OA when there is no brood maybe the end of November and the colony is ok for the next season.

 

[Axtmann]

Make sure there is not a beekeeper with untreated colonies in the neighborhood and your bees coming home with a little backpack.

 

[JWG]

How might one best vaporize oxalic acid when the hive floors only provide a 3/8" space below the bottom set of combs? (For instance, have commercial flat floors with 3/8" entrances.) The commercially available vaporizers require more space than that.

I read mixed reviews about top-of-hive treatments. Also, I have read that passive vaporization without some sort of forced(?) ventilation arrangement does not provide a thorough distribution of the vapor.


?

Thanks.

 

[newbee 101]

I used the scoop that came with the vaporizer and yes I did close the entrance. I also left the sliding board in, on the SBB. the weather is not that warm today so I dont expect a high drop until it warms up tommorow.

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

 

[dickm]

EXCELLENT NUMBERS, I wonder if the Oxalic is less effective after a certain threshold. Or maybe there needs to be more care in the treatment. Of the two hives of mine that were treated with O/A ...one has no (Repeat:NO mite drop) The other is at about 100 and will be treated again. Of my 10 hives in the home apiary, 3 will need a treatment. (Mites over 100) The rest are in the 20 to 40 range.
You can see the high mite drops (In newbee 101) following an O/A tx so it does have an effect.

dickm

 

[loggermike]

Are you continuing to count after putting in Apistan?It will be interesting if there is a big increase in mite fall,but I am thinking the same as Axtmann that the oxalic was getting them as they came out of the brood.Around here there is a lot less brood in the hives than there was several weeks ago.The last 6 weeks have been the 'critical brood raising period' for the winter bees-the critical ones that carry the hive through the winter.If there was a lot of varroa and viruses during that period,the hive has a poor chance of survival.It isnt how many bees are in the hive that is important,it is how many healthy young bees there are.Seeing young bees with DWV at this time of year is a really bad sign.There is a lot of mite damage around the country this year so you arent alone.

 

[newbee 101]

First 48 hrs after Apistan, 586 mites.
I am wondering if I am a beekeeper or a mitekeeper?

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

 

[Martha]

Are these mites counts from just one hive? Wow.

I use nothing - well, I've gone small cell and the largest count I had on one hive in 24 hours was about 75.

I put my trays back in and they have been there 3 days. I'll see what I get then.

My hives are 2 deep with a medium honey super.

Martha in KC

 

[newbee 101]

Mine is 2 deeps and 1 shallow super. If your getting 75 per 24 hr period, I think you should do something to treat them.

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

 

[loggermike]

am wondering if I am a beekeeper or a mitekeeper?

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You are a mitey(mighty?) beekeeper.But I know the feeling...