Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

[Norm]

My IPM

With the knowledge that, left untreated, varroa numbers more or less double every month, my Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system to control Varroa Destructor comprises of:-

Small cell, well natural cell really but my starter strips are now either all plain or 4.9mm.

[biobee]

That seems comprehensive and sensible to me.

The only item I differ on is drone culling, which I only carry out if I suspect that other methods may not be enough for a particular colony. As a general principle, I like to let the bees decide how many drones they need, but I also appreciate that varroa tend to be attracted to drone cells - possibly because of their size, and possibly because they are generally on the outer (cooler) edges of the comb.
_________________
The Barefoot Beekeeper www.biobees.com

[Norm]

[biobee]

Interesting - I am willing to be persuaded. Do you have any citations I could read up?
_________________
The Barefoot Beekeeper www.biobees.com

[Norm]

biobee wrote:

Interesting - I am willing to be persuaded. Do you have any citations I could read up?

Phil,

start by looking up fig 49 in:-

http://beebase.csl.gov.uk/pdfs/managing_varroa.pdf

The colouring block of the method of Drone Brood removal is on a par with chemical miticide in effectiveness.

Quote:

In this context, light control means using biotechnical methods or varroacides that have a relatively low efficacy and therefore have a fairly limited effect on the mite population. Effective control means using varroacides or biotechnical methods that are very effective and greatly reduce the mite population.

_________________
Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[gunther]

hi everybody
my first steps for varroa control were:
1. made entrance slot 5" off the floor, inserted greased paper, counted 6 mites/24h.
2. 1 tray of apiguard for 4 weeks
regardless of mite count i will dribble with 3.5 % oxalic solution end of december(hope this is broodless time )
next may i want to smoke down queen, remove brood box (after letting nurse bees letting climb back through queenexcluder), let them breed emergency queen. treat with oxalic once broodless. if they are not happy with new emergency queen, let them supersede her.
original colony also gets oxalic treatment once broodbox removed.
then in august thymol again, or maybe 1ml wintergreen oil in syrup, then winter treatment with oxalic again.
how does that sound?

[Norm]

IMO too dependant on chemicals! Natural chemicals maybe but I feel we should be trying to wean our bees off these and to select for mite tolerant bees. Even though you will probably keep your colonies healthy and comparitively mite free, the continued use of these acids will eventually have a weakening effect.
The only reasonon I may be going to trickle oxalic late this year is because I have only just got them. I dont yet know their mite loading. In the next few weeks, I will be doing some mite monitoring and if I find the mite level quite low, I wont be trickling oxalic. Next year, I will be following the procedures outlined above from May till August then just sugar dust later. I will certainly not be using any of these compounds thereafter. Any bees who cannot survive with this IPM are not worth keeping anyway. Here the genetic component comes into play.
_________________
Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[gunther]

very much appreciate your honest opinion. in the past i have only used apivar, so using soft chemicals is a step forward for me at the moment. my british national is now growing into warre size boxes, instead of drone brood cutting, i want to use warre's pioneering method, only next year i would use the brood for increase, a lot will depend on the mite count i guess. i do have:
natural comb
varroa floor( see hollow tree hive)
pioneering method before main flow, which on its own might garantee survival.
only if the mite count would suggest reinfestation in autumn, would i have to fall back to winter treatment with oxalic.
the wintergreen oil in syrup might be a very gentle alternative(no opening hive in winter)

cheers gunther

[Gary]

I agree 100% with you Norm and would like to add this IPM method used in conjunction with seasonal comb size monitoring and culling are exactly the combination needed to get colonies to a SELF sustainable status where concernes such as Phil's in relation to Drone comb culling can also be satisified!!!!!
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!

There are good men willing to do evil things to protect you from evil men doing evil things in the name of good.