Bob said: if you wet the varroa with SOE the varroa will die so if
> all bees with varroa  are soaked all varroa are killed.
> The kill is similar to the way soapy water kills bees.

My question is still - if u spray bees on combs,  u only spray their backs.
Some Varroa also stick to bees' undersides - yes?  Do those varroa also get
sufficiently wet?

You wet the bees down pretty  good. Jerry Hayes  said the first time he used
the product he  wondered what he was doing to his bees. I had the same
feeling. Many end up in a ball on the bottom board or in the grass outside
the hive if the frames are removed to be sprayed.
The bees do  recover in about an hour and resume normal hive activity. You
soak/almost drown the bees three times. hard to believe the under belly is
missed but you could be right Robin on a few bees.

I would like to experiment with only using one treatment, only two  and
*most important* only one after all brood rearing has stopped in late fall.

Also check the difference between spring & fall treatments. For me spring
treatments would work best for me. Find out which is the most effective
spring or fall treatments OR no difference.


My business has grown so I am busy all year when I used to be done in fall
and could read etc. all winter. The last two years I have had a hard time
keeping up with everything and instead of having time to enjoy beekeeping I
am always behind it seems. My wife and employees say I am an old grouch.
Hell of a way to talk to the boss! I guess I will have to really retire ( I
retired in 1998) to get the  free time I want  to enjoy beekeeping .
Downsizing  has not helped with free time.

I run on a priority list of things to do which is in my office. I love
experiments but they are so time consuming. I am not one to complain but I
got down in the back in the middle of SOE testing (and other bee work)and
had to ease up for for about a week and a half.

I will be at the National Small farm Today trade show in Columbia, Missouri
this Thur., Fri.& Sat.. The show was advertised in the last issue of *Speedy
Bee* so maybe a few beekeepers will stop by my booth and say "Hi".

We have been doing the show now for ten years I believe.  Located in the
center of Missouri the show is an easy drive from all parts of the state. I
enjoy doing the show and meeting people from the small farm movement!

About Apilife var:
I treated 150 hives with Apilife Var. All treatments (three) were done
correctly and at the right time. After I return from Columbia I will be
testing about 10% of those hives to see what control Apilife var provided.
Will post results later.

I only know of one other beekeeper in Missouri which tried Apilife var on a
few hives and he did so late. In fact I believe he is now doing his last
treatment. Maybe I can find out how well he did.

Bob



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