BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Ted Fischer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Date:
Mon, 16 Nov 1998 09:05:59 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (29 lines)
Lloyd Spear wrote:
 
> Scott, in East Tennessee, said "Just went back today to remove apistan and
> have very few
> bees in the hive,1000-2000 maybe, very slow moving,(other hives we were in
> today had  lots of activity) no brood, and a fair number of yellow jackets,"
>
>
> - Your hive was all ready severely weakened by Varroa when you put the
> strips in and could not recover.  The fact that there were many bees and
> they were working well, does not mean the hive was not weakened by Varroa.
> If both worker bees and larvae are heavily infested, the hive can collapse in
> 2-3 weeks, even with strips present.
>
 
I agree that undetected high varroa levels was probably the basic problem.
Yesterday I also went out to remove Apistan strips.  Almost all the hives were
in excellent shape, with heavy honey stores and strong populations (it being
cold, I did not check the brood).  However, one hive had died out and its combs
were already destroyed by wax moths.  Very few dead bees were on the bottom
board, and no dead cluster was between the combs -- this is very typical of
varroa.  I am fortunate this year, because that was the only casualty out of 77
hives checked so far, but every one of them was strong in early September when
they were given the strips. (Yes, I know it has been longer than 45 days, but
at least I got them out.)
 
Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA

ATOM RSS1 RSS2