When I fist started just a short over a decade ago... I treated the fist year because in the class I took the extension agency stated to everyone treat, In particular for AFB and Apistan for mites. A couple years later they changed their stance on AFB treatment. I did not treat for about 6 years after that first year. I thought I had a good thing going... about have my hives made honey. Four years ago everything crashed? I have since tried to replace stock in particular with VSH queens/ swarms (I have bought no packages - bought about 4 nucs) and still I did not treat till I used OA vap last year. I am still struggling to pull things back together???
This is my 13th season and by far the worse. I did not do much mite monitoring over the years because I did not plan to treat, I said why bother. I guess that is a mistake... I thought live and let die. I did check drone brood and never saw a real issue. I have never seen any DWV to speak of or any mite feces in comb etc. So I did look/ monitor I guess I just did not do washes or sugar shakes.
One major issue I have fought has been pesticide kills 3 years in a row before this year. My whole issue could possibly be pesticide related and getting an agency to help check for pesticides, I have found, is next to impossible. I live in strong ag country, peaches, and they are heavily sprayed constantly. I move my hives Northward out of peaches and I have seen to hit an area of home gardeners and sevin dust.... at least at this time I suspect.
Splits I made with swarm queen cells died off... most mated but queens seemed to dwindle. supercedure or just simply seemed to disappear??? I still have hives fresh off local queens supercedeing as I type this and drones are getting low. It has been tough... I just added some more VSH queens from the VP line and certified Russians from the Coy's.
I will monitor mites closer and go from there. Time will tell?????