New bee hive question

[jackelope]

Hi guys... I've got a honey bee question for you experienced folks.
We have a new hive that we put a package of bees in last week. So far, so good. What I'm wondering is if someone can give me a straight answer as far as treating for the varroa mites. I don't see any mites on the bottom board in the hive but am assuming they will show up at some point. Is it logical to put the HopGuard strip in the hive at this point or is it pretty much only done when the mites appear in the sampling? I've read numerous places and don't see anyone say to do this, but they don't say not to either. Just seems like maybe a proactive approach would be better?
Thank you in advance.

[jasnt]

Tagging

[heronblu]

Here is my advice for what it's worth. I never treat for mites with anything but powdered sugar. My hive setup is a bit unorthodox as I have all top bar hives. The bees do have mites but with powdered sugar treatments about three times a year they drop a bunch and seem to manage the rest just fine on their own. Just FYI I've got eight healthy hives.

[jackelope]

Here is my advice for what it's worth. I never treat for mites with anything but powdered sugar. My hive setup is a bit unorthodox as I have all top bar hives. The bees do have mites but with powdered sugar treatments about three times a year they drop a bunch and seem to manage the rest just fine on their own. Just FYI I've got eight healthy hives.

ok, I've read some towards that approach as well. Does the sugar kill them or just make them fall off? I'm not familiar with a top bar hive, but in a traditional hive, do you need the screen to separate them from the rest of the hive when they do fall off? As far as the powdered sugar thing goes,  I've read to use that for sampling, I guess I just haven't read far enough to see info about treating them with it.
Thanks!

[nalley112]

use powdered sugar then clean it after they fall.. just makes it look better when the hive is cleaned..you can put the strip in but powder would be my first choice.. we do strips and powder here in the valley.. my uncle and cousin run about 7000 hives and i help out in the spring and fall..

[jackelope]

Do you treat for them even if they're not there?

[skinzner]

I barely ever see mites  on my removable bottom boards but am always surprised how many drop when i treat with an oxallic acid vaporizer. I do several treatments late summer over a 2-3 week period after i pull the supers off.this is only my third year but the vaporizer is the preferred choice for me and a few of my beekeeping buddies after trying a few other options.

[Humptulips]

I don't know what your eyes are like but I cannot see mites on the bees or on the bottom board. The only time I can see them is on brood. Break open a drone cell where you have black on white and I can see them. Otherwise it ain't happening for me. I think you just have to assume every colony has varroa.
If you are going to treat I see no problem in treating a package. After all they are not making surplus.
Personally I have not treated for quite a few years. I have had problems with swarm survival the last two years as have some other beeks I know. They have been going down hill, becoming queen less and dying in the fall. I am planning on treating the swarms as I get them. I'm thinking treatment at the same time as a break in the brood cycle might solve my problems with swarm survival.

[nalley112]

Yes we treat for mites even if not there.. Better safe than sorry is what my uncle and cousin say.. They would rather spend the money on keeping them up than trying to catch up and fix them back up..

[quadrafire]

Thread Jack

I'll bet I killed off half a hive worth of bees this weekend traveling I-90. They are all over my windshield. I was just east of Moses Lake, looking over and admiring all the hives about 50 yrds off the freeway when splat.......... Tons of bees heading from the fields on the south side of the hwy to the hives on the north side.
With all the freeway travel it has got to put a dent in those hive numbes. no???

Maybe putting up some bee crossing signs would be helpful 

[go4itlab]

Treat in the fall, Practice is lower number of bees the greater number of mites. Your hive should be growing in numbers and healthy enough to not need treatment at this time. I use certified organic strips" Mite Away Quick-Strips". After I have harvested my share of the honey and in the fall ( don't forget to leave plenty of full trays behind for you hive to survive the winter). They say its safe for human consumption still after you treat but......You will see a slight die off but not to worry.

[Idabooner]

The 6th of May I treated 3 strong hives, all double brood boxes, with "Mite A Way Quick Strips".  I followed the directions to the T.  The slight die off they tell you will happen got the queens in two hives.  I had to buy two new replacement queens.  There is just now starting to have capped brood in those two hives.  6 weeks without any brood hatching will really set those two hives back, there won't be any honey to harvest this year.  Never again will I use quick strips. 

[jackelope]

No sign of excessive mites for us yet. I am a little concerned. The neighbors got pissed because I think a new hatch made an orientation flight a week or so ago and the neighbors saw them and thought it was a swarm. They don't like the idea of the bees being there. We might have to try and move the hive. Not sure how that will go. 2 deep boxes now and waiting for the time to put a super on it.

[go4itlab]

Idabooner, That sucks I had great results with mine last fall. All 4 wintered great and are alive and very healthy. I've been considering trying out tea tree oil or other essential oils out this summer if I see any spike in mites.

[JimmyHoffa]

Today/tomorrow (solstice) should be the maximum size of your brood.  The worker populations should still build for a bit, but their replacements will be less and less.