BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > DISEASE & PEST CONTROL
OAV treatment advice needed ...
CoolBees:
I'm new here ... so thank you in advance for your help/advice/guidance/thoughts/suggestions, etc:
My question: How far do I need to go with OAV treatment?
Heres the details:
5 hives - 75% foundationless currently (used 50% foundation to get proper layout - slowly phasing out foundation). Each hive had (11/28) appox 70% of 1 frame of capped brood. Small qty's of DWV observed in each hive.
H1 - 10 frame deep, currently 6 frames of bees. Started from 1 frame of eggs & 1 of capped brood, & 1 of stores, 2/11/18. Source of bees - friends 4 yr old TF hive - Queen, open mated from egg. SBB.
H2 - 8 frame medium, currently 5 frames of bees. Started from 1 frame of eggs & 1 of capped brood, & 1 of stores, 3/23/18. Source of bees - friends 6 yr old TF hive (his "best" hive ... diff genetics than H1) - Queen, open mated from egg. SBB.
H3 - 3/28/18 - source, split from H1 - 5Med x 5Med x 5deep Nuc. Quite full of bees. Solid BB.
H4 - 4/15/18 - source, split from H1 - 5Med x 5Med x 5Med Nuc. Maybe 70% bees. Solid BB.
H5 - 5/25/18 - Split from H2 - currently untested/untreated - at different yard
Alcohol wash counts 12/6/18 - H1 22 mites / H2 - 42 mites / H3 - 32 mites / H4 - 38 mites
OAV applied (provap 110)
H1 - 12/6 - 3 day mite drop 214 - sticky board
12/9 - 3 day mite drop 418 - sticky board
12/12 - 3 day mite drop 245 - sticky board
12/16 - 4 day mite drop 218 - sticky board
12/19 - 3 day mite drop in process (a lot so far)
H2 - 12/6 - 3 day mite drop 87 - sticky board
12/9 - 3 day mite drop 398 - sticky board
12/12 - 3 day mite drop 205 - sticky board
12/16 - 4 day mite drop 187 - sticky board
12/19 - 3 day mite drop in process (over 100 so far)
H3 - 12/6 - 12/9 - 12/12 - 12/16 - 12/19
H4 - 12/6 - 12/9 - 12/12 - 12/16 - 12/19
Based on the data - Any advice on how many more treatments I should do?
CoolBees:
For clarity, I should add the Total Mite Drop count:
H1 - over 1,200 so far
H2 - over 1,000 so far
TheHoneyPump:
Suggestion:
If they are brooding, eggs and larvae present; treat every 4 days for 24 days. 6 treatments <-- that is the minimum. Go more/longer if the data indicates after the 6th.
If they are not brooding, no eggs no larvae, likely only 1 more treatment at 4 days from the last one you did. Reapply OAV until the mite drop onto the boards reduces significantly from the previous treatment. The heavy drop will be day 2 after the treatment. compare the day 2 numbers from each application. When that reduces significantly, you are done.
Your alcohol wash numbers are very high. Is that the raw count or is that after division by 3 ?
CoolBees:
Thank you for your response HP - It is much appreciated.
--- Quote from: TheHoneyPump on December 21, 2018, 03:32:54 am ---Suggestion: If they are brooding, eggs and larvae present; treat every 4 days for 24 days. 6 treatments ...
--- End quote ---
Ok. This Sunday will be the 6th treatment. Mite drop counts have been dropping - but not as much as I would have thought.
Every hive does have brood - not a lot, but some. Temps here have been in the 40's (nights) to mid 60's (day). Pretty typical this time of year. I don't think we get a true "brood break" here.
--- Quote from: TheHoneyPump on December 21, 2018, 03:32:54 am --- ... Your alcohol wash numbers are very high. Is that the raw count or is that after division by 3 ?
--- End quote ---
That is the raw count.
Last year the main Nectar Flow started on Jan 15th - and went till mid May. My goal is to get them into late January in healthy condition, and then let them "bulk up" the hives all next season.
TheHoneyPump:
Ok. Based in that additional info, imho you are right on track. Hive/mite numbers are typical. You are doing the right things at the right time. Good work!
Suggest to do alcohol wash 3 days after that 6th treatment. See what the numbers tell you about whether to keep treating or if they are then good to go.
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