Hi - My name is Gordon. I am hoping to establish a small apiary in Hartland VT this spring, and I have a newbie question about managing Varroa mites.
I intend to strive as far as possible, to avoid the use chemical of treatments for managing Varroa mite, but I would not sacrifice the wellbeing of my bees for this principle. From the research I have done, I have seen beekeepers using a variety of non-chemical Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches such as trapping the mites in sacrificial brood comb, dusting the bees with powdered sugar, screened bottom boards etc. and they seem to work pretty well for some.
Are these non-chemical IPM approaches ever sufficient to avoid the use of chemical treatments altogether if applied diligently, or do they only forestall an inevitable explosion of the mite population later in the season, and the requirement for chemical treatments to eradicate them?
If part of the answer to this question depends on where in the country you are keeping your bees, I guess my follow-up question would be "What Varroa management approaches work best in Vermont?"
Cheers,
Gordon
I intend to strive as far as possible, to avoid the use chemical of treatments for managing Varroa mite, but I would not sacrifice the wellbeing of my bees for this principle. From the research I have done, I have seen beekeepers using a variety of non-chemical Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches such as trapping the mites in sacrificial brood comb, dusting the bees with powdered sugar, screened bottom boards etc. and they seem to work pretty well for some.
Are these non-chemical IPM approaches ever sufficient to avoid the use of chemical treatments altogether if applied diligently, or do they only forestall an inevitable explosion of the mite population later in the season, and the requirement for chemical treatments to eradicate them?
If part of the answer to this question depends on where in the country you are keeping your bees, I guess my follow-up question would be "What Varroa management approaches work best in Vermont?"
Cheers,
Gordon
With Varroa resistant stock and not living near low resistant stock you could have a go at it. Personally I wouldn't.
My suggestion is to look into Oxalic acid treatments. The gentlest of all the organic acid treatments. It can be used as a dribble, sublimation or soaked sponge. Try searching Scientific Beekeeping, Randy Oliver's website, for recipes of vegetable glycerin and oxalic for dribble or oxalic and glycerin to soak sponge. The latter is referred to as extended release. It's not effective in reducing high mite counts but will sustain a low mite count. Oxalic is not as effective with brood present and high mite counts. It should be administered on new bees. Numbers kept low. Very effective late fall when bees are nearly broodless. But if you wait until then then it's probably too late. Maintain low mites and you'll be fine.
My suggestion is to look into Oxalic acid treatments. The gentlest of all the organic acid treatments. It can be used as a dribble, sublimation or soaked sponge. Try searching Scientific Beekeeping, Randy Oliver's website, for recipes of vegetable glycerin and oxalic for dribble or oxalic and glycerin to soak sponge. The latter is referred to as extended release. It's not effective in reducing high mite counts but will sustain a low mite count. Oxalic is not as effective with brood present and high mite counts. It should be administered on new bees. Numbers kept low. Very effective late fall when bees are nearly broodless. But if you wait until then then it's probably too late. Maintain low mites and you'll be fine.
Hello, I totally agree with the previous response. Varroa have somewhat become resistant to some of the harsh nasty chemical methods. Also, many of those require a 42 day, plus 2 week, period with NO Supers. If used in the Spring you miss out on a lot of nectar flow.
I use a combination of oxalic acid vapor and the extended (sponges). There is now a product available, Varroxsan, which is used for the OA extended method. (Or you can make your own) Supers can be on with OA methods. Formic pro (acid) is also a popular product. It is temperature sensitive but used properly and at the right time works very well. It is the only product that kills the reproducing mites under the capping's, OA only kills the walking around (phoretic) mites. Formic is used when you have a high mite count.
Also, the alcohol wash method is cruel but much more accurate than sugar shake etc.
You might want to attend workshops available at the West Windsor (south) bee yard. See the VBA web page for details. Good luck. Peter
I use a combination of oxalic acid vapor and the extended (sponges). There is now a product available, Varroxsan, which is used for the OA extended method. (Or you can make your own) Supers can be on with OA methods. Formic pro (acid) is also a popular product. It is temperature sensitive but used properly and at the right time works very well. It is the only product that kills the reproducing mites under the capping's, OA only kills the walking around (phoretic) mites. Formic is used when you have a high mite count.
Also, the alcohol wash method is cruel but much more accurate than sugar shake etc.
You might want to attend workshops available at the West Windsor (south) bee yard. See the VBA web page for details. Good luck. Peter
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