Low varroa counts

[nemphlar]

Anyone else seeing low varroa drops, could it be the small over winter clusters and the late breeding start

[nellyp]

Treated a colony 2 weeks ago with Apiguard put the 2nd treatment on today, less than 20 mites on the insert. Even with low mite mortality worthwhile completing the course as it is the viruses that do the damage.

[Jon]

Everyone locally is reporting low varroa counts.

I did Oxalic trickle on two swarms which arrived in June a couple of days after arrival and neither dropped more than 10 mites in total.

[The Drone Ranger]

Low counts could be because the non treaters lost all their bees in the long winter

[Jon]

low mite count seems to be quite general this year.
Long winter and cold spring may have set the mites back as much as it killed the bees.

[The Drone Ranger]

Deja Vu
http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?659-2011-varroa-levels&highlight=varroa+counts

[fatshark]

I'm seeing the same thing, or rather not seeing much Varroa. Since Varroa levels are closely related to colony size and build up it suggests that mite levels relative to colony size were particularly low at the beginning of the season. I presume this must be due to longer than usual broodless period.

I for one cursed the long cold Spring. However, those who successfully overwintered their colonies through it appear to have had a generally good year, with good colony health and yields of honey. Perhaps we should welcome lousy weather until late May!

[Jon]

Deja Vu
http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?659-2011-varroa-levels&highlight=varroa+counts

Deja vu all over again indeed but to be honest, I don't think I have had a colony with a critical level of mites in about 4 years.
I read with incredulity those who report drops of 3-4 thousand as I never seem to see more than a few hundred mites per colony.
I treat with Apiguard in August and Oxalic in late December.

The native Irish Honeybee Society is currently planning an all Ireland varroa monitroring project which is in its advanced stages.
I'll post details in a new thread shortly. It involves taking a sample of 300 bees and shaking in icing sugar to dislodge mites once a year between 15 August and 15 September before treatment starts. In addition 100 bees from colonies sampled will be sent to Galway University for DNA analysis.
Some colonies have lower mite counts than others for whatever reason and these ones might be useful for selecting breeder queens.

[nemphlar]

I for one cursed the long cold Spring. However, those who successfully overwintered their colonies through it appear to have had a generally good year, with good colony health and yields of honey. Perhaps we should welcome lousy weather until late May![/QUOTE]

Can't find an accurate lifespan for phoretic mites, mention of several months, I'm pretty sure this winter mine were several months without brood. Might turn the idea of young queen replacements in August laying well into the autumn on its head

[madasafish]

My total mite drop from 9 hives - after treatment with thymol mix- was 30 mites - all from one hive.

[Neils]

I think having low varroa is akin to having mild HIV.

[nemphlar]

I think having low varroa is akin to having mild HIV.

Maybe? But this is the best I've seen them since varroa arrived, a blink of sunshine at the right time and they expanded at a fantastic rate. A wee bonus of 4 nucs bursting with bees. Hopefully the autumn varroa treatment won't give them too much of a reverse

[The Drone Ranger]

To keep counts low next year it is important to treat
Madasafish dropped 30 from one hive with thymol and its likely there will be 10 survivors
They will be multiplying in the brood and by winter could have doubled or trebled twice ie 40 to 60
Oxalic winter treatment will reduce that by 90% to around 5

Getting as many varroa off the bees as possible will give you the best chance of big healthy productive colonies next year
It's easy to think counts are low why bother, but that's the same as saying "there are only a couple of rats in the loft, that's not too bad lets leave them"

[fatshark]

OK if they're both female rats ... but because of their incestuous parthenogenic lifestyle the same doesn't apply to Varroa.

[madasafish]

To keep counts low next year it is important to treat
Madasafish dropped 30 from one hive with thymol and its likely there will be 10 survivors
They will be multiplying in the brood and by winter could have doubled or trebled twice ie 40 to 60
Oxalic winter treatment will reduce that by 90% to around 5

Getting as many varroa off the bees as possible will give you the best chance of big healthy productive colonies next year
It's easy to think counts are low why bother, but that's the same as saying "there are only a couple of rats in the loft, that's not too bad lets leave them"

I have never used oxalic/formic acid.. . Never open a hive in winter.. Hence my low varroa counts :-)