Tropilaelaps & Varroa found

[greig1983]

I checked my bottom board and found Tropilaelaps & Varroa mites. Not too many around 5 of each after a week. I gave the bees Apiguard on the 20th March and none of it has been touched yet.

I am thinking of investing in Varrox to vaporise Oxalic acid crystals as I read that this is one of the best methods to use which doesn't affect honey produce.

Has anyone tried this and let me know can it be used anytime out the year? I would use it once a week for 3 weeks to try and clear the mite cycle.

Thanks

[gavin]

Oxalic acid is best used before there is brood rearing. As there will be quite a bit of brood rearing now you may be better with Apivar from Bridge Vets, or wait a bit until it is warmer and use a thymol method like Apiguard. Of course you could try repeated oxalic, but that isn't something I have experience of.

However if you really do have Tropilaelaps this would be front page news! If you have mites that look a bit like them then perhaps you are just seeing some scavenging mites or even male Varroa.

[fatshark]

However if you really do have Tropilaelaps this would be front page news!

... to put it mildly :eek: ... Tropilaelaps are notifiable as not present in the UK or EU. Beebase has more information (http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=92).

I have treated with OA with brood present with no obvious adverse effects (unless you're a mite). Empirical studies (by Pete L.) suggest that three treatments at 5 day intervals are necessary. However, as Gavin suggests, Apivar or Thymol would be a more standard solution.

[greig1983]

They looked so much like the pictures I've found online. Hopefully not but its the first I've ever noticed them so could well be male mites as I never got my hive and bees until September last year so this is my first year in beekeeping.

[Mellifera Crofter]

... you may be better with Apivar from Bridge Vets ...

Bridge Vets was bought by Ark Vet Centre (http://www.arkvetcentre.co.uk/bees/), Dumfries, but Robert is still there dealing with bees.

Kitta

[gavin]

Thanks Kitta.

Ah that interesting first year! Hope it goes well. Top marks to you anyway for spotting mites that have the look of Tropilaelaps. You could always send a sample to the ladies at SASA, they may be interested. Emma (on here) uses Hive Clean for Varroa control so there's another option.

Fiona's address is on this page: https://www.sasa.gov.uk/diagnostics/entomology

(https://www.sasa.gov.uk/diagnostics/entomology)

[EK.Bee]

There are some good advice leaflets here : http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=167
You'll find within a seasonal guide to pest management which explains a range of chemical & biological
controls you can use (e.g. Apiguard works better at higher temps than we are getting in EK at present)

I vapourise oxalic in Dec/Jan when there is little or no brood present, at that time the mites are living on the bees
& oxalic effectively kills them. There are cheaper alternatives to a varrox which many people use.
Sublimated oxalic is dangerous/potentially lethal if the fumes are breathed in so look into getting the correct PPE for it

your local association (Lanarkshire beekeepers) would be happy to look at your mites & coincidently are meeting this coming Monday
(7.30pm Clydesmill firestation Cambuslang). They are a good source of advice on many aspects of managing bees

[Finno]

They looked so much like the pictures I've found online. Hopefully not but its the first I've ever noticed them so could well be male mites as I never got my hive and bees until September last year so this is my first year in beekeeping.

Your bottom board will always be full of mites and general "creepy crawlies" scavenging in the detritus.

[masterbk]

On the subject of creepy crawlies in Bee hives can anyone tell me if there are any Braula coeca (the so called bee louse) still existing on bees in hives on the Scottish mainland or any on any of the Scottish isles? Has the various Varroa treatments killed them all off ? What about Ireland? I believe there are still some on the Isle of Man.

[fatshark]

I've seen Braula on bees from Colonsay.

[Ruary]

can anyone tell me if there are any Braula coeca What about Ireland?

At the Irish Honey show last year at least one exhibit had Braula tracks

[Jon]

Glencolumbkille is the only varroa free area left in Ireland as far as I know.

[busybeephilip]

Had to look up where that was ! probably the Atlantic gales blow the bees (and mites) out of the hives :p

Got first prime swarm of yellow's in my bait hive - haven't a clue where they came from