In a message dated Friday 28, April 1995 Thomas Culliney wrote :
> Could anyone give me a detailed break-down of the drone-trapping method
> of varroa control? I understand that the technique is quite labor
> intensive, but can it be as effective as fluvalinate in controlling varroa?
 
This is described in detail in 'Living with varroa' (IBRA, 1993), in the
chapters 'What future for biotechnical control?' and 'Varroa in cold
climates: population dynamics, biotechnical control and organic acids'.
 
In 'New perspectives on varroa' (IBRA, 1994) there is a detailed account
entitled 'An example of integrated biotechnical and soft chemical control of
varroa in a Danish apiary'.  In 1992 and 1993 the trapping comb technique
followed by heat treatment of the sealed brood for four hours at 44 degrees,
combined with drone brood removal, was sufficient to control the mite
infestation in most cases.  However, the study also showed that even for
skilled beekeepers the contol procedure could cause problems, and combining
the biotechnical method with 'soft chemicals' (lactic acid or formic acid;
soft until you splash some on your skin) after the nectar flow is a viable
option.
 
In the same volume there is a mathematical model described in 'Evaluation of
varroa control methods based on trapping mites in honey bee brood.
 
Both these publications are available from IBRA for 16 pounds (about 26
dollars) post paid world wide.
 
If your German is up to it the trapping comb technique was described by Maul,
V (1983) in Allgemeine Deutsche Imkerzeitung 18: 179-180; 182-183;
'Empfehlungen zur Methodik der Varroa-Elimination mittels Bannwaben aus
Arbeiterbrut.  Some of these methods have been around a while.
 
Andrew
 
 
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