> >When using thymol or formic a late fall oxalic acid treatment can be the
> key
> to success.
>

I'm in agreement with Bob.
What surprises me is the number of treatments that you find necessary.
Could be due to your higher humidity, or perhaps you do not split as much as
I do after almonds.  Or could simply be due to less mite-resistant stock.

Here is an item of interest.  Sue Cobey's stock performed well against
varroa in Ohio, but when she moved to California the mite ate them alive.
Was a real surprise to her!

I'm here in Calif, and run a 12-frame average in almonds every year (by
combining, not by being any sort of great beekeeper).  My colonies are full
of drone brood coming out of almonds in early March, so that varroa has
every opportunity to build up.

However, as do all commercial Calif beeks that I know, I keep a close eye on
mite levels.
I split every colony in either late March or early April.  Yesterday I found
the first one (out of about 200 so far) that had a serious mite/DWV
problem.  I brought it home for photos, and will kill it today, for fear
that it has a virulent strain of mites or virus.

My point is, that such a problem is rare for me to see.  Even in late
summer/fall, I no longer see the kind of varroa loads that I saw several
years ago.  I fancy that it is due to better bee stock, but could be wrong.
Every year can be a surprise, but things are getting more consistent with
varroa for me.

Randy Oliver

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