Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: Hethen57 on October 26, 2009, 05:54:51 pm
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My first year hives seem very strong, but my screened bottom board trays indicate that they have Varroa. I have vaporized with several rounds of Oxalic to try to knock them back and noticed significant drop. I was just wondering how the remaining Varroa survive the winter if your queen quits laying?...do they just winter on the bees, or do they leave dormant eggs in the cells, or ? Just curious.
-Mike
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I believe I read, someone correct me if I'm wrong, that the mites winter on the bees,the cluster keeps them warm. This is hard on the bees and affects there surrival rate !
Probably a lot more to it than that tho.
Remember to take all info. on Inter-net boards with a grain or two of salt.
Oh, I'm in the process of makeing a torch heat vaporizer for next year.
Good Luck
Bee-Bop
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My homemade vaporizers worked great. I made 2, so one could be cooling, while I treated another hive. They are just half inch copper pipe (like the ones posted on the internet), administered through a hole in the back of my SBB or Slat Rack (which I keep corked when not treating). They seem to be worst on my strongest hive, but hopefully I can knock them back. I did not treat 2 of my hives that were mid-summer splits, seem strong and are full of honey, so I will be curious if there will be any correlation to which ones survive (if any :?).
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I'd love to see pics of ya'lls vaporizers if you have them! I've just made one only I used 3/6" tube (flattened a little) for the distributor end so that I could just stick it in the entrance. I haven't tried it yet to test how hot/how long to torch it.
Scott
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Varroa reproduce in capped brood, so the answer to your question is no. Not only do they reproduce only in capped brood but they mate before emerging - with their brother. So if a female fails to produce both male and female offspring then they will emerge unmated and unable to reproduce.
Check out this video from the USDA - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6024598650924341952&hl=en&emb=1#docid=-7304562435786960616
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I don't have a picture handy, but it's not that complicated...1/2 copper cap, then 3-4" of copper pipe, a 45 degree angle, then another 2-3" length of pipe. The joints are sealed with teflon tape and held together with set screws. I use (2) 1/2" copper pipe caps full of crystals for a double deep and they seem to be gone after heating for about 60-90 seconds with a propane torch. You will see the smoke vapors come out any cracks and you know it has vaporized. Be very careful of those vapors, they are very toxic to humans. I also flattend the end of one of mine to fit into the reduced entrance in the front..that works pretty well too. I cover the end of the pipe with some metal wire screen to keep bees from climbing down the tube while I am vaporizing.
-Mike
BTW - I just watched that video today...very fascinating, but it didn't answer my question of how they over winter on the bees without being able to reproduce in the brood.
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I made mine out of 1/2 threaded black iron pipe. A 6" nipple, a street ell and a cap. I just screwed mine together lightly and didn't use any thread sealer because I'm affraid that the fumes from burning teflon might be worse for the bees than the OA. Whatever you use you should consider heating it up good and hot before you use it to burn off any residue.
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My first year hives seem very strong, but my screened bottom board trays indicate that they have Varroa. I have vaporized with several rounds of Oxalic to try to knock them back and noticed significant drop. I was just wondering how the remaining Varroa survive the winter if your queen quits laying?...do they just winter on the bees, or do they leave dormant eggs in the cells, or ? Just curious.
-Mike
They only can reproduce on brood, so no, they don't. They do over winter on the bees, and this is hard on the bees. So next spring, whatever mites are left will begin anew next spring when brood rearing starts.
I'd be careful doing more than one or two OA treatments on the bees, that is hard on the bees too.
Rick
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Here is a picture of my homemade vaporizer;
1/2 in copper pipe & fittings
Note if you use copper DO NOT SOLDER with regular plumbing solder, braze or silver solder !
I still need to shorten length, the brass handle is so I can hand tighten real good.
AND a REMINDER - Oxalic Acid Vapor is not to be played with !
(http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/MrMurrell/100_0305.jpg)
Bee-Bop
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Thanks Bee-Bop. That's very similar to the one I made...guess it's time to test it. I plan on only doing 1 treatment per year (unless the mites really get out of control). Here in FL we never get a true break in brood so I'm waiting until we have colder days (most likely Feb.) to see when they at least slow down a bit. It might take two treatments 7-10 days apart.
Scott
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Bee-Bop...I guess I'll just forget about posting a picture of my little pieces of copper pipe fit together with set screws...your garage tinkering is top notch... :-D
I think I will quit with 2 vapor treatments and see how they do. I am also planning on doing an Oxalic dribble on these same hives in December. As with this treatment, I will not treat my mid-summer splits and see if there is a correlation as to which ones survive. They all appear strong and packed to the gills with honey right now.
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Hethen57
Aha, your up on me, never thought about bees crawling down the pipe !
Back to the drawing board !! [ actually scrap paper & broken carpenters pencil ]
Bee-Bop