Integrated Pest Management 6 ways to slow down mites.
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- Integrated Pest Management of mites is the second part of two videos concentrating on mite control. I discuss 6 methods of slowing down the build up of mites in the hive. Check my website at www.beewhisperer.us
I use a mist bottle with sugar water and propolis mix instead of a smoker or powdered sugar. It helps with mites and helps prevent robbing too. I plant natural treatment plants around hives too. Garlic, leeks, onions, and thyme. Will be planting rhubarb by hives too. I have oxalic acid vaporizer if needed. Some colonies have mites more often than others. Take notes.
I would be interested in how well this management practice works, what is the survival rates for how many hives?
Another great informative video. i got into bee keeping to help pollinate my vegetable garden and fruit trees and for some honey . this is certainly not a cheap hobby to have however i'm committed now to improving my small bee apiary thanks to your advice.
That is awesome!
That was so helpful.
Thank you Peter
Very welcome
Thank you Peter, I found the information you provided on this topic very helpful and well worth the time to listen to it twice. Most beekeepers want to do the right thing when it comes to managing pests such as the Varroa mite and try to find the least invasive measure to do so, but like other treatments if done incorrectly it can lead to loss and potentially the loss of a neighboring hive(s). And as you've stressed, a chemical whether labeled natural or not is still a chemical and should be used as you stated according to the label or the outcome for future hives could be in peril as varroa resistance may result if the treatment is not administered as recommended. It's a tough call when it comes to managing varroa and requires asking questions, doing research and finding a trustworthy source for the most current information - Bee clubs are a great source of information and help ignite critical thinking when it comes to managing bees. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and expertise with your fellow bee keepers 🐝
If you have not discovered Bob Binnie's videos on OA you must!
@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer Thank you for directing me to Bob Binnie's video. This is very encouraging news. I've been beekeeping for 3+ years and have been using oxalic acid OA for treatment of mites, as well as formic acid the results have been mixed mostly, I believe, due to timing in the application of both - the weather doesn't always cooperate with a beekeeper's planned scheduled 🙂 Just imagine if, without causing trauma to the colony (queen and bees), this method of BOA (brood break oxalic acid) can be implemented and be successful. It is another step added to a beekeeper's management, but if successful may be a game changer for hive mortality. I remember when I first learned of OA and then did a google search only to discover it is a chemical found in many (yep, botany) plants around us. In an attempt to use a resource of OA found growing in my yard I took the discarded leaves from the rhubarb and added it to a water source near the two hives I had at the time - of course there was no way to determine success or not, but this is what happens when you become a beekeeper - connections start to form with the world around us that challenge the beekeeper to do more research, ask questions and engage in observation.
If anyone is interested in an OA applicator, a member of the Kennebec Bee Association built an easy to use system, it does require connection to electricity. I upgraded to this system last Fall and found it so easy to use. If interested contact the Kennebec bee Association. The individual who designed the system lives in Herman.
The BOA study was done in Georgia, do you think the time-frame (August) for implementing BOA in Maine would work? The queen may be starting to lay her "winter bees" at that time, will this delay or prevent the laying should cooler weather, lack of resources become an issue? What about Fall honey extraction?
Excellent job!!!! we need to stop all this learning from assumptions and promote teaching of factual information . Go to any bee supplier they sell you a screen bottom board as more treatment , then sell you drone frame as another . Let’s get bee havers to become the keeper of the bees but only factual information will achieve this ! Again thank you great job keep it up !!!! God bless!
Yes those tools help but are NOT treatments!
wow amazing bee🔥
It really is!
This spring (2022) I bought a OHB Sakatraz Queen and she is building up a nice colony, everyone online says they die over the winter. I believe the people having deadouts are not treating in late fall or have food stores not suitable into spring. I had a bumpy spring with the yoyo weather and my apairy is coming along considering I had 6 single brood boxes and have expanded to 20 by rearing queens in early April.
Different strains will suit different management statagies (or lack of statagies!) I don't think there is a starin out there that will stand up to neglect! I have found my Saskatraz bees have really improved my success. with 3 out of 4 winters getting 90% survival.
Thanks for an informative video. Will be using some I’m techniques this season. What are the dimensions of the cage you made? I’d like to make on myself.
Great Info. Mites Must Die! Thank You Bee Whisperer.
...or at least be controled!
Great videos! I made a queen cage like the one in your video but it has small window screen size holes. Would the worker's still be able to feed the queen through the small screen? And I was also thinking of using the screen for queen introduction from a small mating nuc into a large colony if needed. Basically does the screen size matter? I wouldn't want to starve the queen
I believe it would work, but just in case, to be certain, try to find some larger hard wire cloth. If You have an old screen box from bying a package of bees you can cut that up.
Thank you for your videos that are very insightful and helpful. I agree that Saskatraz bees still have some big improvements in hygiene behavior. The Saskatraz bees are a mix of Russian and German bee genetics but are not performing very well as marketed in mite hygiene. Do you think that a Pure Russian would be better in hygiene and honey production or do you think that it is still better to go with Saskatraz bees and be more vigilant in mite monitoring and treatments?
I would say that they perform better re mites than any other bee I have used, though not perfect, and would certainly reccommend them to anyone in a cold climate.
Look up Paul staments on saving the bees using polypore mushroom extracts
I've read about it, promising.
Amazing info from the mushroom guy , I bought his supplements and decided to put one of the capsules into my bee water jug , will let you know what’s happening, I have three hives all new this year , lost three over winter that were three years old , never tested or treated for mites before now , just tested sugar roll this week 0 mites so far 😁
Leslie any update on this??
Good information again. Have you ever tried the B Weaver genetics out of TX. Fred Dunn says they are very good.
What do you think about doing an OAV in early spring? Is it harmful to a stressed hive that has endured a long winter in the North?
I did about 10 years ago. I found 2/6 too hot to handle. I phoned them and they were very good about replacing the queens but open mating in TX can lead to crosses with Africanized bees....so I stopped.
Yes at present there is no brood in my hives and the mite count is zero but it is due to very cold temperature which goes up-to -15 degree Celsius but slowly brood cycle starts in February ie after minimum break of 3 months can we consider these hives in February March are mite free?
It is probably safe to say they will be low, sampling is never 100% accurate but sounds like they will be low enough to give no problems initially.
Can the screened bottom be used as a mite monitor (i.e., so many mites on the cover, time to treat?)
Yes but it is not accurate. I have stopped recommending it as a mite monitoring means.
Disagree with “small cells”. There have been studies done in 1980s in Russia that looked into this and said that the bees that were born much smaller in weight had more issues with mites and resistance to mites. The scientist is Kashkovskiy.
Thank you
If i put a tray of water under a screened bottom board will mites drown when they fall in?
Probably, but they work perfectly well with the tray removed and mites drop to the ground. You are risking fungal issues for the bees with a tray of water there.