Allen asked "What am I missing here?  Can I tolerate a little varroa, like
my European
friends seem to think, or do I have to pull out the heavy artillery and
bomb them into submission,  American style????"
 
I wish we could bomb them into submission!
 
Seriously, Allen, I don't think responsible beekeepers are trying to do
that, at least they are not being successful if they are.  The latest I have
heard, and seen, is that Varroa seems to be on a 2-3 year cycle.
Populations real low some years, and absolutely, unbelievably, high in other
years.  I suspect, and I know others do also, that in cold climates where
there is a reasonably extended period without brood, it is very very unusual
for Varroa to do serious damage until at least 2 years after infestation.
 
In the Northeast US, beekeepers saw little Varroa before 1995 and got
careless about treating.  Speaking only for myself, I don't recall anyone
telling me that the ether rolls only knocked off 50% of the mites, and was
not a very good test for infestation in any case, and I failed to treat
properly in the fall of 1996.  I, like some 90% of beekeepers in a five
state area, lost 75% of my hives that winter.
 
From the winter of 1995/1996 until last year we had few mites, but I think
most of us were much more careful about looking for them and treating when
we found them.  Most beekeepers I know have been only treating in the fall.
We have been taught to look for mites in July and early August, and last
year in mid-August I had one yard where the hives were incredibly strong,
and every drone brood had more than one mite and several have 4-5!  I got
the supers off and treated, and those hives have gone through the winter
just fine.  In 1995/1996 we treated in September/October and by that time
the hives were flying dead!  We just didn't know it until the following
spring.
 
Unfortunately, we do have those to whom Allen refers.  I hope they have not
ruined sensible treatments for the rest of us.
 
Lloyd
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Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production.
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