>
>What method of mite control do you use and recommend? For how
long?
>
>Sincerely,
>Bob Harrison
>


I believe taking data and understanding the mite load is more
important then the actual method of control. If you can't describe or
understand the problem how can you effectively provide a solution?
Why through Checkmite year after year at a yard with a low mite count?

I also run a medium sized apple orchard and IPM methods are old
news in that circle. We rarely apply any chems without  spore counts
(scab) or insect trap data.

Using sticky boards and ether rolls I treat each yard seperately.  Some
years I do not need to treat at all. (All my hives are wintered here in
central and southern Mn).  Overall  I would say 1 out 3 years I have
been able to not treat at all. Some yards appear to be consistently  low
in mite count and I can go 2 years, seems weather related too.

I used apistan when I can and have occaisionly used checkmite with
high counts and wanting a rotation with apistan.   This season we
have very low mite counts and I will use formic acid or apivar in the few
yards with higher counts

I'd like to move into the russian line of bees .  We run new world
canriolan's predominately and have some bee-weaver allstars too. I
much favor the carniolan for our norhern climate and they have
provided better honey production too. Plus as I mentioned the Italians
seem much more prone to lay drone and worker brood in extracting
supers.

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