New bees / Varroa ? Gray Bee

[djgriggs]

Hey everyone , should I be concerned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

came home walked out to set and watch the bees. I noticed a bee walking on the concrete.   I thought how odd. it does not seem to be able to fly.. I put my hand down the bee walks on..

The be is gray.. Powdery gray and it has a varroa mite on it.  .. Concerned,, Did both of my boxes come with bees and varroa or is it just this one hive ? How bad is it ? What is up with the Gray bee ? Please all thoughts . I am at a loss.

Thank you

DJ

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

When bees first emerge, I am talking minutes, the bees are kind of gray, almost slick as it takes time for the hair to dry and fuzzy out.  There is a grey strain of honey bees: Caucasian honey bees, very gentle bees.

Meet Varroa.  I would expect varroa in almost every hive.  Talk with your supplier and determine his treatment, if any and advise us.

You may have to decide on wether you treat or not to treat.  NOTICE, I did not tell you which method to choose. That decision is yours, I don?t want to bias.  I, myself stand with one foot in each door of the treat and the no treat crowd.
Blessings

[Acebird]

It would be highly unlikely that your bees didn't come with varroa even if they were treated.  I can't speak for the gray bee.  It could just be a gray bee.

[beepro]

It doesn't matter if your bees are gray or yellow.  They all have the mites in the hives.  On bees emerging days you can do
a visual inspection to see how many mites are there.  It will give you an idea of how many bees got infected and with DWV too.
The yellow bees will allow you to see the mites better than the gray bees.   If the infestation is severe you might have to do some
kind of IPM.   I have a method of IPM that will reduce the mite level in each hive.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Beepro, are you talking about drone brood removal?  A good method.

[MikeyN.C.]

I've not tried drone (cell frames) for vm management.
Would love to here some statistics? How effective is this method?

[djgriggs]

Everyone ????

sense this is the first time that I have done beekeeping I am asking for advice.. i am aware that there are many thoughts on this but I have read much and still cannot decide.

I have seen a video of a gentleman in Europe that is raising Honey bees , apparently his bees should be dead,, What I mean by that is that his bees are full of varroa, however he has never treated his bees and over 20 now they are immune to the type A virus that the Varroa cause, However they do contain the type B virus which apparently prevents the Type A which causes all the issues and Death.

My point and thought on this.. I wanted to keep everything natural hence I went with one hive foundation-less "more or less to gauge progress with foundation hive" any way . I am torn on this hive to use Oxalic acid or the Mite away Quick strips. and then which ever I go with , would be used on the alternate hive.  I may not have a choice in the matter anyway as it has in the mid 80's.. I see 90's maybe later this summer.

[Acebird]

No one can make that decision for you. 

[djgriggs]

No one can make that decision for you.

I am not looking for someone to make that decision or any decision for me. What I am looking for is options and thoughts that may lead me to considerations that I have not previously considered.

Thank you
DJ

[eltalia]

No one can make that decision for you.

I am not looking for someone to make that decision or any decision for me. What I am looking for is options and thoughts that may lead me to considerations that I have not previously considered.

Thank you
DJ

Not new to b'keepn yet I myself have had to sort through a lot, and I mean "vast"  amount of science
and opinion on the topic of mites. VD/J has not been confirmed in Australia but it is coming.
The whole deal is very polarised right down to the actual doing.
You treat - that camp breaks down into How and When.
You do not treat - that camp breaks down to maybe three set views
1. Do nothing. Allow bees to evolve (theoretical).
2. Design management to utilise bees believed to carry immunity.
3 Allow Varroa to exist using management to deny losses.

So it is in both camps there exist subgroupings of experience and theory
which surely would for someone entirely new to b'keepn be a mountian most steep to scale.
I may get it wrong also, first time. Yet unravelling all the scenarios and reports I will be going with
three steps when I confirm Varroa in a colony of mine.
OA vapour applied immediately.
Drone rearing impemented.
Brood break before our Wet Season - the equivalent to Northern winters.

None of which really helps you DJ, but by simply publishing my findings after 10 months of research
should illustrate to any reader mite management is neither a simple decision nor wholly guranteed
whichever path taken.

Those grey bees are newly hatched, and when found outside have been rejected by the colony.
I would contact your supplier to consult. They may own strategies  you could then compare to your research.
Lucks to your bees.

Bill

[Acebird]

What I am looking for is options and thoughts that may lead me to considerations that I have not previously considered.

If you do not have the passion to not treat you eventually will.  The decision to not treat has nothing to do with bees it has to do with mother earth.

[Dustymunky]

Hi dj. The decision to treat or not to treat has to be made by you. Its almost like asking if you should vote democrat or republican. Alot depends on your world view. Do you generally believe man fixes things with science or nature finds a way? This is a very passionate subject for beekeepers on both ends of the spectrum. Web searches on treatments and treatment free beekeeping will give you hours of reading and viewing on the subject.

Decide how you want to keep bees, make a plan and execute it. The plan will change over time most likely. Take more hives than you want into fall because almost everyone loses some hives overwinter. Im a treatment free guy myself. Michael Bush and Tom Seeley both have written books that are full of great infornation. They say new beekepers kill more bees than varroa does. Good luck dj!

[djgriggs]

Hi dj. The decision to treat or not to treat has to be made by you. Its almost like asking if you should vote democrat or republican. Alot depends on your world view. Do you generally believe man fixes things with science or nature finds a way? This is a very passionate subject for beekeepers on both ends of the spectrum. Web searches on treatments and treatment free beekeeping will give you hours of reading and viewing on the subject.

Decide how you want to keep bees, make a plan and execute it. The plan will change over time most likely. Take more hives than you want into fall because almost everyone loses some hives overwinter. Im a treatment free guy myself. Michael Bush and Tom Seeley both have written books that are full of great infornation. They say new beekepers kill more bees than varroa does. Good luck dj!

Yes, I have been reading a lot on this subject of late. "I think my head is about to explode from all the input" I can tell you at this moment I am a little torn on making an immediate decision.
Half of me says to treat and the other half states not to that the bee will eventually evolve and adapt.. however on that same thought the evolving and adapting may take years. :)

[Acebird]

however on that same thought the evolving and adapting may take years. :)

No different than the amount of time it takes to kill you eating food with pesticides.  Or more important to me is how you go out.

[cao]

"I think my head is about to explode from all the input" I can tell you at this moment I am a little torn on making an immediate decision.

To be quite honest, that is one of the reasons why I don't treat.  I feel that if you are going to treat than you need to know what to look for so you only treat what is necessary and not treat when it is not needed.  As a new beekeeper 6 years ago I decided that my time and energy was better spent learning to manage the hive.  It can be a steep learning curve in the beginning.  Installation, inspections, building equipment(foundation vs foundationless), deeps vs med vs shallow boxes, 10 frame vs 8 frame, swarm prevention, honey harvesting, SHBs, wax moths is enough for someone to learn.  Then if you add treatments for mites it can get to be a nightmare wading through all the pros and cons.  I just decided to wait and see.  I haven't treated yet and don't plan on it anytime soon.  I started with 3 nucs 6 years ago and had 29 make it through this winter.  With splits so far this spring, I have bees in over 50 boxes now.