[Jamie D]

I made a nucleus hive a few weeks ago. They've accepted the queen I gave them a week ago. I checked in on them today, and saw a few capped brood that didn't make it out and were dead. I also saw a deformed worker outside the hive. I assume this is a varroa problem.

I did see a wax moth in there, but was on an undrawn frame. I just took it out and replaced it with the follower board, thinking they weren't quite ready to expand.

Their storage looked a bit slim. I gave them a feeder.

The real question is: Is it ok to do the powdered sugar method on such a small colony?

Thanks in advance.

Jamie

 

[David LaFerney]

I would wait until it is almost too strong to continue being a nuc first. I don't know about powdered sugar but many of the other treatments - especially the stinky ones like formic acid or apiguard (thymol) should only be used on hives that are strong enough to fan very effectively to clear the air.

Usually because of the flow and fine weather conditions in May hives are at the peak of robust health right now and don't need a lot of help in the form of treatments - my experience anyway.

 

[tomkat]

I would keep and eye out for more wax moths too.

 

[Jamie D]

Thanks for the advice, I'll monitor. Any particular tips on deterring wax moths? My other hives seem to ward them off very well.

 

[Axtmann]

I treat all my nucs with thymol strips. One time, a half thymol strip on the bottom of the nucs with an thumbtack so the bees can't remove it. Works great, have never seen any mites in my nucs, the queens do not stop laying.