Best course of action re treatment now ?

Hi

Wondering what to do now re treatment

3 nationals 1 poly Nuc

All seem ok when checked last Sunday, treated each last late October with 1 strip MAQS

Should I use Oxalic to dribble ? Or vapour Varrox ?

Thanks

Brian

I'm unsure what you mean buy 'fine last Sunday'. Is that the varroa drop if it was checked or that they are still alive? If you need to treat it is up to you which method you use. If you do not have the equipment for vapourising then do the dribble. It doesn't make sense to go and spend 100's of pounds on equipment on a method that has arguably the same effectiveness as oxalic dribbling. At least for a 4 hive owner.

Oxalic trickling ASAP

Thanks , no varroa drop not monitored, did not know the vape outlay ran into undreds ! Will dribble Oxalic

Brian

BrianO said:

Thanks , did not know the vape outlay ran into undreds !

Brian

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it doesn't unless you go seriously overboard

Brian

suggest you trickle OA - it's unusually warm so leave it until they're all back inside

good luck, richard

Many Thanks

BrianO said:

Thanks , no varroa drop not monitored, did not know the vape outlay ran into undreds ! Will dribble Oxalic Brian

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Still worth it in my book. Just consider what it would cost to buy a 5 frame nuc (frames only - no box - usually about £150 or a full hive at near double that) and a Varrox then looks quite reasonable as it lasts forever. A battery from a car breaker is cheap enough too so just a bit of oxalic and off you go. Oh, of course there a 12 volt trickle charger but most people have one anyway or can borrow. Feel any better? Few beeks spend less than 'undreds on loads of other stuff, so what's the problem with something that gives your bees a better life each year, very cheaply after the initial outlay, compared with being soaked with sugar solution with lid off the hive? I'll even let you have some oxalic crystals to get you going if you live near enough and maybe even a demo too - but you ain't near enough so sorry 'bout that.

No mention of monitoring though.. just 'shall I treat or not'?. How about an inspection tray for 2 days to see if a varroa problem.. then decide to OA or not. Why inflict a treatment if your colony may be v varroa light.

Heather said:

No mention of monitoring though.. just 'shall I treat or not'?. How about an inspection tray for 2 days to see if a varroa problem.. then decide to OA or not. Why inflict a treatment if your colony may be v varroa light.

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Why open up hive in winter when varroa will almost certainly be there in abundance? It's already late for oxalic treatment anyway so do it and be content you have done the minimum necessary.

Heather said:

No mention of monitoring though.. just 'shall I treat or not'?. How about an inspection tray for 2 days to see if a varroa problem.. then decide to OA or not. Why inflict a treatment if your colony may be v varroa light.

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CVB

May not be there in abundance so monitoring is a useful tool..
Not too late either as mine have been too active till now (pollen in) but this cold snap of 2 weeks has quietened them and so I will do sublimation next week.

Heather said:

May not be there in abundance so monitoring is a useful tool..

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A very misleading one if the majority of posts on here are anything to go by - how many times have we read about people checking a mite drop and counting next to nothing, still treating (by whatever means) and then conveying their shock and horror at how many dead mites have dropped on the tray.
I think I's rather take the view that after the high September treatment drop (due probably to the fantastic summer) then the protracted mild autumn that there are going to mites there in significant numbers to cause an exponential build up come spring.
There's going to be mites there, so lets ensure there are as little as possible around during the spring build up

jenkinsbrynmair said:

A very misleading one if the majority of posts on here are anything to go by - how many times have we read about people checking a mite drop and counting next to nothing, still treating (by whatever means) and then conveying their shock and horror at how many dead mites have dropped on the tray.
I think I's rather take the view that after the high September treatment drop (due probably to the fantastic summer) then the protracted mild autumn that there are going to mites there in significant numbers to cause an exponential build up come spring.
There's going to be mites there, so lets ensure there are as little as possible around during the spring build up

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That's exactly what I advised - to no avail by the look of it. Some never learn!!!

Ely said:

It doesn't make sense to go and spend 100's of pounds on equipment on a method that has arguably the same effectiveness as oxalic dribbling. At least for a 4 hive owner.

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Agreed, that's why I spent just £7 on an industrial component PMC heater from fleabay rather than pay 20 times that for a functionally identical device that has a fancy handle and a logo. Ok, I had to add a yard of cable and some battery clips myself, but hey, still less than a tenner.

Would you be able to supply a link or provide the sellers id please.

Just search for 'PTC Heater' on the main auction sites,

you'll want one that has a temperature of between 165C and 180C, the one I found was 175C. (oxalic starts to vapourise at 156C)

the seller I bought from was 'pedgington', at the moment he has similar lower temperatuire ones but not the one I bought listed, maybe message him to see if he's getting more stock.

80W 12V PTC Heater Element inside an Aluminium Heating Plate.
Maximum Temperature: Approx 175°C.
Dimensions: 72mm * 21mm * 6mm
"PTC Heaters have a ceramic element whose resistance greatly increases above a threshold temperature that is depend on the composition of the element. This means that PTC elements act as their own thermostat. The heater in this case has a threshold temperature of approx 175°C."

(no connection, just a satisfied customer)

jenkinsbrynmair said:

A very misleading one if the majority of posts on here are anything to go by - how many times have we read about people checking a mite drop and counting next to nothing, still treating (by whatever means) and then conveying their shock and horror at how many dead mites have dropped on the tray.
I think I's rather take the view that after the high September treatment drop (due probably to the fantastic summer) then the protracted mild autumn that there are going to mites there in significant numbers to cause an exponential build up come spring.
There's going to be mites there, so lets ensure there are as little as possible around during the spring build up

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I totally agree with JBM. I treated my hives on Boxing Day. I had little drop before treatment although I had huge drops after the Autumn treatment. The drop after has been relatively small with only a max of 5 mites in one day on one hive. Better to treat and be sure. Also I am glad I did it when I did as the weather is warmer now than it was at Christman

jenkinsbrynmair said:

- how many times have we read about people checking a mite drop and counting next to nothing, still treating (by whatever means) and then conveying their shock and horror at how many dead mites have dropped on the tray.
I think I's rather take the view that after the high September treatment drop (due probably to the fantastic summer) then the protracted mild autumn that there are going to mites there in significant numbers to cause an exponential build up come spring.
There's going to be mites there, so lets ensure there are as little as possible around during the spring build up

Click to expand...

Exactly my experience in the first few years when varroa made its first appearance. In spring my hives were not flourishing, only an odd mite dropping/week. So no worries there, wrong! Treated with Bayvarol, then came the snow storm of mites and away they went, building up as normal.
Now with any indication of mites, the next opportunity to treat is taken according to season.

I keep trying to convince people that sublimation isn't anywhere near as dangerous as some so-called experts suggest. Been using a varrox for 6 years and am delighted with it. What intrigues me is how treatment techniques developed from when varroa arrived UK. Clues please. Must be papers somewhere?