I'm think of trying Ralph Buchler's* method of caging the queen in a couple of colonies this year, to manage varroa and reduce the use of chemicals. Principle is to create a brood break by caging her for c3weeks, then either following with one oxalic sublimation, or adding one frame of open brood from another colony at the end to trap phoretic mites, then dispose. This is the cage from an Italian supplier
https://www.apimobru.com/?lang=en
Have to think through the best timing, to avoid any impacts on honey flows & make sure there's enough time to build winter bees, so I'm thinking of doing it end of July for 3 weeks as my main honey flow is Aug. Wondered if anyone has tried this technique?
*German Scientist, done a lot of work on controlling varroa through brood breaks - see 2019 Honey Show videos. Also gave a v good lecture via Zoom with Somerset beekeepers this week
https://www.apimobru.com/?lang=en
Have to think through the best timing, to avoid any impacts on honey flows & make sure there's enough time to build winter bees, so I'm thinking of doing it end of July for 3 weeks as my main honey flow is Aug. Wondered if anyone has tried this technique?
*German Scientist, done a lot of work on controlling varroa through brood breaks - see 2019 Honey Show videos. Also gave a v good lecture via Zoom with Somerset beekeepers this week