Mite counts

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:42 pm

<<It will take a few days to do the counts on all my hives but, when I get the counts I will post them. >>

hive# 1- 43 mites ........ hive# 7- 15 mites
hive# 2- 55 mites ........ hive# 8- 93 mites
hive# 3- 2 mites .......... hive# 9-131 mites
hive# 4- 30 mites ........ hive#10-130 mites
hive# 5- 82 mites ........ hive#11- 24 mites
hive# 6- 72 mites

Nuc# 1-10 mites
Nuc# 2- 4 mites

Fall treatment threshold for varroa is 60-190 mites caught per 24 hrs. on count sheets.
As you can see hives 5, 6, 8, 9,and 10 need to be treated. I will treat with Apilife Var.
I will use 10X powdered sugar dusting on the hives below treatment threshold.

Post your counts and treatment strategy.

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:03 pm

I may also treat hive #2 with apilife Var, it's 55 mite count is close to the low end for treatment.

ski · Post by **ski** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:13 pm

Here are my mite counts.
They were done with a sticky board with vaseline petroleum jelly on wax paper on the slide in board for 24 hours.
I am going to start treating hives 3, 5 and 6 with Apiguard.
I am not smiling about the others just yet as I have seen the counts go from 15 to 40 to 100 in 6-7 weeks during the fall.
Ski

hive# 1- 9 mites
hive# 2- 7 mites
hive# 3- 23 mites
hive# 4- 12 mites
hive# 5- 61 mites
hive# 6- 47 mites
hive# 7 - 2 mites
hive# 8 (WB)- 0 mites
Nuc #1 - --- Not checked yet.

ski · Post by **ski** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:19 am

I just wanted to add that there have not been any treatments of any kind performed on these hives prior to the above mite count. But, in the mite world the year is not over.
Ski

tat2guru · Post by **tat2guru** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 am

hive #1 6 mites
hive #2 57 mites

sprayburn · Post by **sprayburn** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:20 pm

Hive #1 - 17 mites
Hive #2 - 0 mites

ski · Post by **ski** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:59 pm

Aug 30 counts................... Sept 21counts
hive# 1- 9 mites.....................16
hive# 2- 7 mites.....................51
hive# 3- 23 mites..................being treated
hive# 4- 12 mites....................51
hive# 5- 61 mites..................being treated
hive# 6- 47 mites..................being treated
hive# 7 - 2 mites.....................21
hive# 8 (WB)- 0 mites................6
Nuc #1 - --- 0........................not checked

sprayburn · Post by **sprayburn** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:10 pm

Sept 20 counts

Hive #1------41
Hive #2------ 4

ski · Post by **ski** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:31 pm

Here are some more mite counts with some thoughts. I will add the count for # 6 and the nuc when I get them. If anyone has any suggestions on doing things better or differently please provide your comments I am open to new thoughts.

Aug 30 counts................... Sept 21 counts...............Oct 11 counts
hive# 1- 9 mites.....................16..............................29
hive# 2- 7 mites.....................51..............................12, 16
hive# 3- 23 mites..................being treated................53
hive# 4- 12 mites....................51.............................134
hive# 5- 61 mites..................being treated................58
hive# 6- 47 mites..................being treated................not checked yet
hive# 7 - 2 mites.....................21.............................50
hive# 8 (WB)- 0 mites................6.............................8
Nuc #1 - --- 0........................not checked...........not checked yet

Hive # 2 The first count was 12. I expected to have a high count but it went down so I did another 24 hour sticky board count and it was 16, I need to go in and check this one to see if there is something else going on.

Hive # 4 its getting late in the season to treat but #4 needs to be treated

Hives # 3 & 5 are a bit high but not high enough to treat this late in the season.

The plan should be to have healthy bees going into winter, low mite counts. Therefore we should take care of the bees that take care of the bees that go into winter. SO healthy bees do a better job of taking care of bees that will go into winter.
So maybe this should be started in July and treatments triggered with lower thresholds so the bees have time to recover and have a few brood cycles before cold weather sets in. Just thinking out loud.

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:25 pm

Ski, I agree with you.

The goal should be to have healthy bees going into winter!

Saturday 10/ 17 the treaments on hives #2, #5, #6, #8, #9 & #10 will be complete.
The rainy weather did not allow 10X powdered sugar dusting on the hives so,
I decided to add 1 ApiLife Var wafer in each of the hives below treatment range to reduce their mite load.

I'm planning to do counts on all the hives & nucs Sunday. I will post the results when I get them.

ski · Post by **ski** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:56 pm

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:41 pm

The weather is cold and very windy here so,
it will be a few days before I get the mite counts.

I will post the results as soon as possible.

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:36 pm

Aug 28 mite counts.................Oct 22 mite counts

Before treatment................... After treatment

hive# 1- 43 mites .................hive# 1- 41 mites
hive# 2- 55 mites .................hive# 2- 2 mites
hive# 3- 2 mites ...................hive# 3- 4 mites
hive# 4- 30 mites .................hive# 4- 15 mites
hive# 5- 82 mites..................hive# 5- 180 mites
hive# 6- 72 mites..................hive# 6- 135 mites

Nuc# 1-10 mites...................Nuc# 1- 0 mites
Nuc# 2- 4 mites....................Nuc# 2 -2 mites

Hives# 7,8,9,10,&11 doing mite count.
The Aug 28 count was a 24hr count. The Oct 22 count was 72hrs divided by 3.

Hives 1,3,4 and both nucs were given only 1 ApiLife Var wafer.
Hives 2,5 & 6 were treated with 1 ApiLife Var wafer a week for 3 weeks!

I do not know why hives 5 & 6 have such high mite counts after being treated!
I do not want 5 & 6 going into winter with these mite loads.
Weather permitting, I will start 10x powdered sugar dusting on the hives.

For information on powdered sugar dusting.
http://www.countryrubes.com/images/Powd ... 09_09l.pdf

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:15 pm

If anyone have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions on a method
that could help bring down the mite loads this time of year,
without harming the bees of course.
Please share!!

Post by **Wally** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:42 pm

I would try fogging with fgmo and thymol. Almost instant results.

ski · Post by **ski** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:51 pm

Norma,
I am not sure about your weather but here the forecast is for daytime lows to be above 60 at least for the next 10 days. Of course that is subject to change without notice. I put a tray of Apiguard in hive number 4 today because of the 134 mite count from Oct 11.
These are not ideal conditions I figure they will not survive that high of a count so any treatment is better then none. If the weather changes I can always pull the tray.
Apiguard is good as long as the day time low is 60 degree F or above up to 105 F.
Hive # 2 that went from a 50 mite count down to 12-16 looks fine they have a small patch of capped brood so maybe with the cold spells we had the queen just cut back laying.
All that I have read and heard is that the powered sugar treatment is the safest and fastest to perform.
Ski

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:00 pm

Thanks Ski,
I don't think I can use the Apiguard this late in the year in my area.
The lows here are well below 60, most nights are 40's to low 50's .
We got down to 30 overnight about a week ago!

Thanks Wally,
I'm considering the fogging method.

another friend suggested doing a short treatment with Formic acid pads, with my temps.
I will have to decide soon!

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:03 pm

Aug 28 mite counts.................Oct 26 mite counts

Before treatment................... After treatment

hive# 7- 15 mites .................hive# 7- 8 mites
hive# 8- 93 mites .................hive# 8- 112 mites
hive# 9- 131 mites ...............hive# 9- 65 mites
hive# 10- 130 mites .............hive# 10- 81 mites
hive# 11- 24 mites................hive# 11- 5 mites

I am doing another count (24 hrs) at this time on hives 5,6,8,9,&10
to confirm the mite load before retreating them.
Haven't decided what to retreat with yet!

_________________
Norma

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:30 pm

I didn't get an opportunity to remove the count sheets today,
it has rained all day.
I will post results tomorrow, as soon as I get them.
NOT impressed with ApiLife Var at this time!

SmithN · Post by **SmithN** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:03 pm

The re-count looks better but, still not great counts!

Aug 28 mite counts.................Oct 22 mite counts.........Oct 28 mite counts

Before treatment................... After treatment.................Re-count
(24 hr count) ....................... (72 hr count)..................( 48 hr count)
........................................... divided by 3................... divided by 2

hive# 1- 43 mites .................hive# 1- 41 mites
hive# 2- 55 mites .................hive# 2- 2 mites
hive# 3- 2 mites ...................hive# 3- 4 mites
hive# 4- 30 mites .................hive# 4- 15 mites
hive# 5- 82 mites..................hive# 5- 180 mites...........hive# 5- 63 mites
hive# 6- 72 mites..................hive# 6- 135 mites...........hive# 6- 45 mites
Nuc# 1-10 mites...................Nuc# 1- 0 mites
Nuc# 2- 4 mites....................Nuc# 2 -2 mites

Aug 28 mite counts.................Oct 26 mite counts .......Oct 28 mite counts

Before treatment................... After treatment...............Re-count
hive# 7- 15 mites .................hive# 7- 8 mites
hive# 8- 93 mites .................hive# 8- 112 mites...........hive# 8- 70 mites
hive# 9- 131 mites ...............hive# 9- 65 mites.............hive# 9- 63 mites
hive# 10- 130 mites .............hive# 10- 81 mites...........hive# 10- 60 mites
hive# 11- 24 mites................hive# 11- 5 mites

_________________

Norma