Hi all ! On 19-Sep-1994 I wrote ... >> A last word : pay attention ... if a few hives are infected, then ... >> all your hives are infected ! and on 3-Oct Adrian commented ... > Um, I don't have varroa, and I hope I never will, after all, they > havn't reached this continent yet, but I thought that it was not a > good idea to treat for mites unless their presence was confirmed. ...[short cut] > .... I know that the spread of bacterial and viral problems is > controlable through good management...can mites be contained the same > way??? Just curious. > Adrian. Adrian, you are right ! Don't matter about varroa unless this mite is confirmed in your country. Moreover, don't _treat_ against varroa unless it is find in your country close to your hives location(s) (30-50 km). In this case (2-3 years, then treat each year) you must try to _detect_ varroa infection : i.e. 1/ use a varroa grid under the brood to detect natural dead varroas and/or 2/ use apistan strips in one tenth of the hives during only one week (a real treatment requires 6-8 weeks) immediately after the last summer crop. A varroa grid helps the detection ! When Varroa is detected : treat the whole apiary. Hope this help ! Jean-Marie <[log in to unmask]> Local blooming informations ... Long. : 4deg 56' E - Lat. : 50deg 30' N - Alt. : 200 m - North sea : 200 km The last summer crop is terminated for end of July ... Honey in the jars ... Some bees come back with pollen ... that's all ...