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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
"D. Murrell" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 11 Dec 2005 23:56:19 -0500
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Hi Guys,

>I'll tell you what.  Those of us who have umpteen
gadzillion dollars locked up in the large cell
foundation and equipment are going to be mighty
indignant if we have to change to the smaller cell
size to beat the varroa....

That's true for sure. My friend, a large scale commercial beekeeper in hix
60's, asked for some advice. He has thousands of migratory hives and tens of
thousands of deep supers filled with large cell broodcomb. And all of that
comb has been exposed to mite treatments for over a decade. His hive
surround mine and have been devastated by mite two times in the past. Yards
with forty hives were left with a couple of very weak survivors.

Now it's happening again inspite of the multiple treatments being used. What
kind of advice could I give him?

Well, I shared how important the clean broodnest is. How much better hives
overwinter, build up in the spring and are more productive. I shared how
small cell allows me to keep my broodnests clean.

I suggested he use a mite treatment, like oxalic, that doesn't contaiminate
the broodnest and would control the mites. And then see if it provides the
kind of mite solution he needs.

And that he should start a few small cell test hives. At some point, when
his other hives are stable again, he will have enough experience to evaluate
whether it's worth the cost of converting to small cell, or a clean large
cell broodnest, or just using something like oxalic and maintaining his course.

I'll bet a beekeeper is more terrified/depressed than indignant when his
hive count go from thousands to hundreds because of the mites. I've met some
of them in California who lost their entire outfits because, after spraying,
fuming, dipping, etc. everything to control the mites, they still lost all
their hives. They are now truck drives, etc. and not working bees at all.

I expected my commercial friend to grab onto the oxalic and push the clean
broodnest options into the future. Treating is just so easy. But he is
interested in a long term solution, as he has been let down by the pesticide
treadmill three times now. And he enthusiastically, wants to start a small
cell test.

Regards
Dennis

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