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Author Topic: Mite treatment schedule  (Read 1497 times)

Offline Old Goat

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Mite treatment schedule
« on: April 08, 2021, 08:04:11 pm »
     I used Apivar last August 2020 then 1 treatment of OAV in December 2020 and 1 in January 2021. I still lost too many over winter to mites. There was a good bit of mite frass in the frames of the deadouts. In light of the new regulations that say we can use OAV with supers on I have already treated today. My question is what schedule should I follow from here? I have heard 5 treatments 5 days apart, and 4 treatments 7 days apart as well as some schedules that I did not see the logic behind.
 Some advise would be appreciated.

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2021, 09:12:30 pm »
I have found that shorter periods between OAV treatments increases the effectiveness of the oxalic acid. I treat every third or fourth day for six or seven total treatments three times a year. The general consensus is that the crystals are removed from the hive in about two days so longer periods between treatments like 5 or 7 days only exposes the matriarchal or breeder mites to an effective dose for a very short time as they move from brood cell to brood cell. The matriarchal mites are only out of the brood cells for about 30 hours during their 10 day life cycle so a treatment every five days will only hit 20% or less of the matriarchal mite population as they move around . Since 80% of the mite life cycle are breeders protected in the capped brood cells targeting them is paramount for proper mite control.  Shortening the period between treatments increases the residual oxalic crystals in the hive and increases the exposure of the matriarchal mites to it as they move around which is a good thing.

  A shorter period between treatments also will increase the oxalic acid exposure to the phoritic mites found on the workers and greatly increase the knock down rate of the mites since not all the worker bees will be present during a treatment.

  It's been my experience that a single OAV treatment doesn't do much but is good for performing a mite count if the hive is equipped with a screened bottom board and sticky board underneath.
 
  I'm a little outside the generally accepted treatment plan using OAV but if you research my advice I hope you will come to the same conclusion I have that shorter time between treatments give a much better mite kill.

  One of the bigger drawbacks of performing multiple treatments is the time needed to treat multiple hives multiple times. I treat my hives through the screened bottom board using a metal sheet to lay the wand on but it still takes five minutes to treat a hive.

Hope this helps.

Ed

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2021, 09:12:50 pm »
> I used Apivar last August 2020 then 1 treatment of OAV in December 2020 and 1 in January 2021.


As far as Apivar is concerned, (August), method and time schedule as described is also what one of the professionals that I have studied and appreciate, has described in his methods. Mr Binnie also has experienced a decline in Apivars  effectiveness as you have described. 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline rast

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2021, 10:03:39 pm »
Beeboy01 and I treat just about the same with OAV. I do every 3 days 7 times in August and January. I will hit them once a month Sept - Dec.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
    --Paramahansa Yogananda

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2021, 10:08:53 pm »
Beeboy01 and I treat just about the same with OAV. I do every 3 days 7 times in August and January. I will hit them once a month Sept - Dec.


Rast, in my opinion, as far as OAV, I think you and beeboy01 are right. Keep in mind, I still have much to learn but from what I understand you are on target with 3 day treatments.
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline rast

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2021, 10:43:14 pm »
  An acquaintance, now a friend, a first year beekeeper had me come over to inspect his hive with him last Oct. 2 minutes into it I thought it was doomed, DWV in 50% of the bees at least. Queen looked ok, I marked her for him. We did a sugar shake, full of mites. I explained the severity of the situation to him. With nothing to lose i had him do the 3 days 7 times with double the dose. Sugar shake in early Dec, better but. Treated again. Jan. Still DWV but better, fewer bees also. February, wax moths, pulled and froze some frames and tore out some worm damage on frames with brood in them. Had him order some Xentari. He mixed at 1 tsp in a gal, shook the bees off and sprayed the comb, brood and all. We inspected this past Tuesday and one would not think it is the same hive, repaired comb, little to no DWV, lots of capped brood and bringing in pollen and nectar. He also has the same marked queen which should have burnt antenna and all kinda bad things wrong with her from all that OA I'm told.
 Now I have to gently explain to him that the honey he so proudly gave me from those frozen frames using the crush and strain is mostly sugar water.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
    --Paramahansa Yogananda

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2021, 10:50:37 pm »
Good job rast!!
If I remember correctly, Beeboy01 had a real mite problem in one of his hives a couple years ago.  I learned a lot from him and his shared experience, as  far as mite treating with OAV is concerned. Good stuff when understood. Is my memory close to correct Beeboy01?
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2021, 11:56:16 pm »
Ben, you have it right as always. Four years ago I had a hive with a massive mite infestation and spent most of a summer treating it with OAV and counting the daily mite drop on a sticky board. Last year I sent a copy of the graph over to Randy Oliver just so the data wouldn't get lost and maybe make it out to the rest of the beekeeping community. He appreciated the data and said he would try to use it in one of his papers. Feels like a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then and I'm still up on the soap box promoting 3-4 days between OAV treatments ;)

Offline Old Goat

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Re: Mite treatment schedule
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2021, 08:05:53 am »
     This is what I was looking for. I did not understand why some said every 3 or 4 days. Thank you for the detailed explanation Beeboy, and thank you all for your comments!