what would you do

[enrico]

Good luck with cutting it up.....very sharp knife across the width I suggest, don't forget the paper is part of the packaging and should be left on!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wouldn't give the nuc anything at all - if they are going to have any chance you don't want to do anything that may put the queen off laying

 

[irishguy]

I wouldn't give the nuc anything at all - if they are going to have any chance you don't want to do anything that may put the queen off laying

Maqs arrived today and am going to treat early tommorow. I know its late but better to treat than not. Knowing my luck, they'll supercedure, not mate and die off Sure well know soon enough.

I've been getting conflicting advice on how many strips to use. Some say 1 and others say 2 and I'm back to being undecided on how many to use now. One even mentioned 1 then another strip 2 weeks later. Tomorrow I'll be going with either 1 or 2 or maybe even use 1 in one hive and 2 in the other. Some say I can still feed even thou instructions say other. Will I remove or keep feeders in

Yesterday I changed one of the brood boxes in one hive. Reason being as it was out of sq(my mate made this one ) and I didn't want it sitting on top of super out of sq when the insulation was on because if any moisture did gather (debatable) I don't want it running down other wall then into super. I moved the frames really quick but noticed there was some drone brood, not much but defo some there. Is this good or bad this time of year. Have to mention, were getting unexpected good weather for this time of year. Its felt like July most days and really warm. Bees are still bringing in a flow

 

[sharonh]

I wouldn't give the nuc anything at all - if they are going to have any chance you don't want to do anything that may put the queen off laying

Agree,
I would just leave them alone now. Feed if not enough stores. Insulation for warmth.

 

[sharonh]

Maqs arrived today and am going to treat early tommorow. I know its late but better to treat than not. Knowing my luck, they'll supercedure, not mate and die off Sure well know soon enough.

I've been getting conflicting advice on how many strips to use. Some say 1 and others say 2 and I'm back to being undecided on how many to use now. One even mentioned 1 then another strip 2 weeks later. Tomorrow I'll be going with either 1 or 2 or maybe even use 1 in one hive and 2 in the other. Some say I can still feed even thou instructions say other. Will I remove or keep feeders in

Yesterday I changed one of the brood boxes in one hive. Reason being as it was out of sq(my mate made this one ) and I didn't want it sitting on top of super out of sq when the insulation was on because if any moisture did gather (debatable) I don't want it running down other wall then into super. I moved the frames really quick but noticed there was some drone brood, not much but defo some there. Is this good or bad this time of year. Have to mention, were getting unexpected good weather for this time of year. Its felt like July most days and really warm. Bees are still bringing in a flow

Personally I would have left treatment. I would wait and do oxalic, trickle at Xmas time.
I would stop going in to brood box this time of year, let them get on with it.
Making sure they have sufficient stores for winter & warmth is what I'd be thinking about.

 

[Bosleeu]

I used MAQS twice this season on hives that had a mite burden during the flow. I followed the instructions to the letter.

It seems to be very good at killing mites, but both queens disappeared within a few weeks after treatment , so I won't be using it in Autumn. A lot of bees died as well. I hold queens very dear, so I am keen to get them through Winter rather than loosing them and uniting.

All my colonies get Apiguard this time of year, I don't use oxalic but that is of course an option as well.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As I've said all along - wouldn't be happy putting MAQS on at this time of year - but that's what your association told you to do..................................

 

[irishguy]

As I've said all along - wouldn't be happy putting MAQS on at this time of year - but that's what your association told you to do..................................

Yeah I know and with following what you've told me to do, I was sitting between a rock and a hard place because getting advice from all angles thou the majority have said to do what you've told me.

I was going to treat with apiguard, chatted to a few in the association and even the guy who sells it suggested it wasn't a good idea going by the temps it needs to be efficient and usually this time of year, its not warm enough for it. I decided not to use it then low and behold, were getting fantastic weather here for this time of year. Its really unexpected and i can't remember weather like this on this date in a long time.

So I went with the maq strips and after phoning a few different members who've used it, I went with 2 strips and put a brood box with frames above the hive. The reason why I did is from others experiences with using it and only one suggested I use 1 strip. We'll just have to wait and see if I've made the right choice.

I've made up the insulation and covered the whole thing in duct tape and some aluminium tape. The reason for this is because there was tears in the insulation so thought best to just cover it all up. Again I was getting conflicting advice on using the insulation because some say it causes damp, one or 2 disagreed and some just didn't know enough to comment on it.

 

[irishguy]

Personally I would have left treatment. I would wait and do oxalic, trickle at Xmas time.
I would stop going in to brood box this time of year, let them get on with it.
Making sure they have sufficient stores for winter & warmth is what I'd be thinking about.

I never knew this was an option. I thought once hive where closed up for winter, they have never to be opened ever until spring.

As for the maqs, I was very reluctant to give them it but I thought if I didn't, I'd have lost the bees without treating. Thinking now, I should have done the sugar test just to confirm how much of a mite problem I have. I never seen any mites when I was in the hive so I'm now wondering I should have held off with treating.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Holy Moses, irishguy!

Oxalic acid at Christmas/New Year is absolutely standard varroa treatment.

Not to mention keeping beekeepers sane by letting them get into the hives in the dark off-season and gets them away from tedious family gatherings at Winterval.

Dusty

 

[itma]

Holy Moses, irishguy!

Oxalic acid at Christmas/New Year is absolutely standard varroa treatment.

…

With that flag on show, I suspect the correct expression might be "Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus" … (however comparative religion isn't my strongest suit) … nevertheless, I'd direct Irishguy to a British Government website, where he can download and study a very useful document entitled "Managing Varroa".
See http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21261 for details.

 

[irishguy]

Holy Moses, irishguy!

Oxalic acid at Christmas/New Year is absolutely standard varroa treatment.

Not to mention keeping beekeepers sane by letting them get into the hives in the dark off-season and gets them away from tedious family gatherings at Winterval.

Dusty

Well if that's the case, I'll be taking 1 strip out each to lessen the aggressiveness of this treatment and treat again in xmass.

 

[sharonh]

I never knew this was an option. I thought once hive where closed up for winter, they have never to be opened ever until spring.

As for the maqs, I was very reluctant to give them it but I thought if I didn't, I'd have lost the bees without treating. Thinking now, I should have done the sugar test just to confirm how much of a mite problem I have. I never seen any mites when I was in the hive so I'm now wondering I should have held off with treating.

I had a cast swarm last year that I hived in a poly nuc in August. I left treatment until Xmas and used the trickle 2 from thorns on them. It was more important for the queen to get laying and getting her numbers up.
Also I just wanted them to settle & get enough stores to survive.
Having the queen laying & building her numbers was important also as wasps would have had an upper hand on a small cast.
I would not have put MAQS in this late as your putting that queen at risk or even off lay when she really needs to build up with both bees & stores.
Your call, hope its works out.

 

[irishguy]

I had a cast swarm last year that I hived in a poly nuc in August. I left treatment until Xmas and used the trickle 2 from thorns on them. It was more important for the queen to get laying and getting her numbers up.
Also I just wanted them to settle & get enough stores to survive.
Having the queen laying & building her numbers was important also as wasps would have had an upper hand on a small cast.
I would not have put MAQS in this late as your putting that queen at risk or even off lay when she really needs to build up with both bees & stores.
Your call, hope its works out.

How long does it take to recover from maqs, say if I pull them off tomorrow, will it have effected the queen much.

 

[sharonh]

How long does it take to recover from maqs, say if I pull them off tomorrow, will it have effected the queen much.

I have never used it as find Apiguard works well for me & I never lost a queen from using it. If you go to the search bar & print in MAQS. You will get alot of other forum members that used it & what they thought of it. Some lost a lot of bees & some their queens, but they used it earlier.
Only difference is that the bees had time to produce another queen as earlier when used, not September, when chance of getting another queen & mated is greatly reduced.
Another member that has used it may be able to answer that question. Maybe start a new topic on it to get an answer.

 

[oliver90owner]

Oh dear, all the good work done by JBM seems to be unravelling. 'Too many cooks' and all that. It will likely end in more disaster than earlier.

Just one point about oxalic. It is not needed if the varroa count is low going into winter with healthy bees. I have not used it for umpteen years now. The one and only thing it does is start the next season with the minimum number of mites, nothing more. If the damage has already been done by allowing the winter bees to be already infected with varroa-borne viruses, oxalic is too late - and may even hasten the demise of a weak or unhealthy colony.

 

[irishguy]

Oh dear, all the good work done by JBM seems to be unravelling. 'Too many cooks' and all that. It will likely end in more disaster than earlier.

Just one point about oxalic. It is not needed if the varroa count is low going into winter with healthy bees. I have not used it for umpteen years now. The one and only thing it does is start the next season with the minimum number of mites, nothing more. If the damage has already been done by allowing the winter bees to be already infected with varroa-borne viruses, oxalic is too late - and may even hasten the demise of a weak or unhealthy colony.

I do understand the frustration but let's deal in facts here, the bees needed treated and it was to late to give the apiguard and only option I had left was to give the maqs which I reluctantly gave. I didn't want to give the maqs but if I'd had choose that, sure the mites would have got a hold on the hive and come spring, there'd be nothing left but dead bees.

Theres the temps back down again here so the apiguard wouldn't have been working. You have to remember, I was advised by some in the association and from the seller of this product that its pointless giving the bees it because it needs the temps to be efficient. I just didn't go, a fcuk it, jbm says this so I'll do the opposite. Who knows, this treatment might just do what's its supposed to do without losing queens and it'll be the right decision but only time will tell. I was even going to pull the strips out today and go with the oxy at xmass but you've now changed my mind with your post about it.

 

[kazmcc]

Have you seen any signs of varroa infestation?

 

[Swarm]

I have never used it as find Apiguard works well for me & I never lost a queen from using it. If you go to the search bar & print in MAQS. You will get alot of other forum members that used it & what they thought of it. Some lost a lot of bees & some their queens, but they used it earlier.
Only difference is that the bees had time to produce another queen as earlier when used, not September, when chance of getting another queen & mated is greatly reduced.
Another member that has used it may be able to answer that question. Maybe start a new topic on it to get an answer.

And some didn't lose queens.

 

[irishguy]

Have you seen any signs of varroa infestation?

None! But was advised by jmb that even thou I can't see them, their defo there.