Deformed wing virus

[HJBee]

I don't have any obvious sign of DWV, but I do have a hive showing higher levels of Varroa drop than I like, and compared to the 4 hives also in the apiary. I could try a formic acid treatment I believe, and after reading this months Scottish Beekeeper and discovering MAQS is formic based, if this could be a potential. However, my concerns are
A) mixing treatments. I've used Apivar for the past / years as my autumn treatment.
B) effect on the queen who is laying well
C) effect on honey products subsequently ( I believe you can leave supers on?)
Any advice? Is my count of a level to be concerned enough to treat? This hive has little capped drone brood as yet.

[gavin]

Hi HJ

You get brownie points for alternating treatments - it is regarded as a good thing as you're less likely to get resistance building up that way. Some say the formic acid methods risk harming the queen but more than likely at this cooler time of year it would be safer. Formic acid is a natural component of honey, so if the treatment leaves traces in the honey you wouldn't notice. If your colony has little capped drone yet then it is probably also not at honey gathering strength yet. That also means that it can be a good time to try drone trapping as discussed above.

How many Varroa were you getting?

G

[HJBee]

About a drop of 20 in 2 weeks, various sizes. The colony is not as strong as the other, both queens hatched at the same time last year, apart from that there is a lack of stores being brought in so I've actually fed them this weekend.

[gavin]

Well, the online calculator suggests that you'll need to treat wthin 3 months if you do nothing now, and that sounds about right to me. This early in the season I don't like to see much of a mite fall.

[HJBee]

That would mean a treatment late July. I will do another count this weekend as a measured control and really look at the bees to see if there is any obvious sign of deformity / mites while the colony us still small to see the frame and larvae and then I need to make a decision. Thanks for the link and advice. H

[snimmo243]

Well, the online calculator suggests that you'll need to treat wthin 3 months if you do nothing now, and that sounds about right to me. This early in the season I don't like to see much of a mite fall.

I used the beebase calculator religiously up until this winter. At my last autumn count the calculator said treat in 11 months, fast forward to December and my natural count was well above the danger threshold and I was getting a few thousand after oxalic so now I'm just using the paper calculations and using 1000 per colony as the threshold

Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk

[HJBee]

I did treat with Oxalic in early Jan already - last September for the Apivar. Don't know if I am being too paranoid. Will give them a further study and a clean 7 day count at the weekend.

[HJBee]

7 day count has confirmed a high drop level - at least 20-25. Treatment time, going to have a look at a method recommended by one if the locals and see if I feel ok with attempting that or will get the MAQS. Other colony, no signs.

[HJBee]

Just a wee update, treated 2 hives with MAQS - 1 because I was worried re the drop count, the other as the treatment came in packs for 2 hives , and I have 2. Treatment was real easy to apply, the count on the hive I had main concern for after 4 days (1/2 way) was in excess if 200, I was amazed and glad I had made the decision to treat. The other hive not so much at all (more concerned re chalk brood increase from - could have been the very wet weather or the treatment). Took the treatment off this Tue, count had not increased significantly. Both hives were hoaching with bees, both still had eggs. Quick check last night slight drop still on the hive that had been affected, none apart from still small signs of chalk brood in the other, brood wall to wall, stores, pollen, no signs of swarming, all's good in the world. They can get on with filling the supers with wax. & nectar now.

[Jon]

HJ
200 mites is not really excessive for this time of year but removing them will do no harm of course.
You probably have 30,000+ brood cells in the colony at the moment so most pupae will not have a mite in the cell.
Doubling mite numbers every month without treatment you could have around 1000 mites by mid August which is the usual time for treatment.
That is just about as high a level as you would want to reach but you would probably get away with in in a strong colony.