Mites

[Vance G]

I have been following your oxalic vapor treatment with great interest. I left beekeeping in 1984 and this is my first year back and the mites are a new and frightening aspect of the trade to me. I purchased five frame nucs this spring and was assured that they had been treated and that I wouldn't have a problem until next summer. All summer long I pulled and examined drone pupae and did sugar rolls and found only an occaisional mite. Then when I pulled a foundationless deep frame full of drones starting to emerge, I found more mites than I had seen all summer! So, I went from pretty self assured to worried for the winter! The vapor treatment is not legal here but I am still very interested in the process.

I enjoy following your diary in general and study your ways of doing things as more applicable to me keeping bees in North Central Montana than what I garner from my south of me countrymen. My first stint beekeeping was spent in North Dakota a thousand yards south of where Manitoba and Saskatchewan meet so I can relate to most of what you say. Thankyou for the effort you put into maintaining your site. Vance E. Gilbraith

[Allen Dick]

Hi Vance,

Thanks for posting. Sorry I was a little slow noticing your post. We used to be wide open, but we got badly spammed and now all first-time writers are on hold until I happen to notice there is a message in the queue.

At any rate I appreciate what you say. We corresponded a bit privately, too, and maybe we should post our discussion here so others can comment.

I find what you are doing interesting. Say the word and I'll cut and paste it in.

[Vance G]

Feel free to post our previous conversations. I just corresponded with my nuc supplier and he informed me that he treated with an oxalic syrup drizzle when the bees my nucs came from were broodless. Having spent a winter reading horror stories and having no way to know what mite load I would recieve with my nucs, I fed 1:1 syrup with 15 drops spearmint, 20 drops wintergreen and 5 drops lemongrass oil per US gallon from 15 April to 20 May. Something worked because I sure didn't find many mites all summer.

[Allen Dick]

What is your theory on why the bees don't winter well in newly drawn comb? All my comb was newly drawn this year and that with the most brood cycles is all in the bottom box. They all have adequate stores I think and maybe I wrapped them too early but it's been done for a couple weeks. I am enjoying your mite study. Vance

I really don't know, but I have seen it before. It may be different if all the comb is new, since the Northern Europeans often replace all or almost all their comb annually.

It was one of the first things I learned forty years ago when I wrote to Dr Don Peer about my plans top start with all foundation and he was kind enough to write back.

I've confirmed it to my own satisfaction over the years, but things may be different for you. I have drawn a lot of comb over the years and wintered on it at times. I think that if the hives are strong and the comb is well-drawn success is better, but bees definitely have their preferences.

I tend to worry because I trust experience. But since I just can't do a lot about it short of moving a good portion of the honey below the bees established brood chamber, I am at a loss. Iguess I just get to worry about it all winter as I doubt they would have time to relocate stores now--or would you think they might? We probably have a month of weather yet where they can regularly break cluster at least a portion of most days. As long as you are kind enough to answer, may I impose another question I have. I am running 4.9 mm cell plastic frames and shaved them so 11 fit in each hive body. They have worked fine all summer and the two deep colonies weigh about 135 pound average with light commercial bottom board and cover. I worry that the small spacing may slice up the cluster too much. Do you think that a concern? The purpose is supposedly to allow more bees to cover more cells of brood in spring buildup. When I was a young man I was bound and determined to be a commercial beekeeper and matters out of my control ended that and I went off to other things. This time back in, I am just an old fat hobbyist enjoying learning and trying new things. I appreciate the labor you have involved in establishing and running your site. Vance

I am blundering my way through with the varroa project. As you may have noticed, I learn by making wrong assumptions and mistakes.

I'd say that anything you do now except feed them will do more harm than good. I would not disturb them, because rearranging things now would result in a certain loss.

I think you'll be fine as long as the combs are well drawn and filled. If they aren't then feeding is in order. The hive should ideally weigh 125 pounds or more, including the floor and lid, so I think you are fine and have done all you can until spring.

As for the 4.9 and the spacing, I think it is within the range bees can accept, although I am not convinced that it is optimal. There are good things that can be said about larger cells and wider spacing and also about smaller cells and closer spacing. I tend to think that 5.2mm and 1-3/8" spacing is about right for the bees I run, but have never tried going smaller or that close, so cannot say.

It works for some, but the idea originated in Arizona where the bees are Africanized and smaller. Dee sent me some 4.9 foundation before it went into production and the bees made a mess of it, so we never did go further with it. I accidentally bought a bunch of 5.0mm Mann Lake one-piece frames last year and the bees seem to have drawn it. I notice that it was not all perfect, but will see better in the spring.

I have run 5.35 mm and 9 frame spacing at the same time as 5.25mm and 10 frame spacing and never could see a difference.