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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bill Greenrose <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 5 May 2011 10:21:46 -0400
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I have mentioned on here before that last fall for the first time I tried the method detailed by Jean-Pierre Chapleau (what he calls the Flash Formic method), and I really liked it.  It involves using a reversed solid bottom board, a tray, a screened bottom board and paper towels.  The FA is applied to a paper towel placed in the tray, and the process is repeated three or four times about a week apart (4 - 7 days).  If your hives are set up that way (and mine just happened to be, which is why I tried it), then it is VERY easy, VERY quick and, from my initial trial, VERY effective.  An added benefit is that, if after your first application you see very few mites, then you have done your assessment and do not have to treat further.  No need to kill bees, no need to go in and disturb the colony, no need to treat unnecessarily.  Since the FA is applied to clean, white (in my case) paper towels, it is pretty easy to count mites, since the towels are not covered in debris.  Across my colonies I had some that showed over 100 mites on the initial drop that fell to less than 10 (only 1 or 2) by the last treatment, and some colonies that were less than 10 mites from the beginning.  Since it was a test, I continued to treat the low count colonies, and their numbers stayed less than 10 or even 0.  A couple of colonies bearded a little around the entrance the day of treatment, but nothing major, and they were all in by nightfall.  I plan to treat again mid-late summer this year and see what I find.  My survivor colonies seem to be very strong this spring (so far).  I took pics and recorded numbers for all colonies (10 treated) and all treatments, but good luck finding the time to compile into a decent report.

Obviously, the check from the first drop is only for Varroa, not for tracheal mites.

Anyway, I hope this info is useful to some.


###################################
Bill 
Claremont, NH
+43° 21’ 25”  -72° 23’ 01”
+43.35687     -72.3835
CWOP: D5065
Weather Underground: KNHCLARE3
HonetBeeNet: NH001

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