Yoon,

Now is not the time to raise your hands in the air and think about the
expense of buying more bees in the future nor be tied to the mast with an
albatross  around your neck; all is not lost!  NOW IS THE
TIME FOR IMMEDIATE DAMAGE CONTROL!

Yoon, from what you have described, "many underdeveloped
bees with shriveled wings, more than what I used to observe under a normal
condition, crawl around the grass in front of the hives.  I saw one with a
varroa attached on the thorax" you have a major case of varroa infestation
and it needs to be treated ASAP. I understand that you treated three years
ago with Checkmite and have not treated since.

FWIW this is my recommendation. First, call your appropriate bee inspector
and ask for assistance, you have 50 hives which is a considerable
investment of time, sweat, and money.  If you are not able to get
immediate assistance from either a bee inspector or a very experienced
beekeeper then I suggest that you go into every hive, all 50 each yard at
a time, and inspect each hive for strength, a viable queen assuring the
existance of sparkling white brood in a good pattern, and disease.

Next, combine "like" weak and queenless hives; those hives with disease,
usually having light tan or brown and dying larvae with a spotty brood
pattern, treat with Terramycin and do not combine with disease free hives.
If you have brood that is capped and dead and has all indications of
American Foulbrood my suggestion, depending upon the amount and intensity
of infection, is to either treat for AFB or abate the hive. AFB is indeed
treatable if the strain is not resistant to Terramycin and the case has
not too far progressed.

Sometimes you will need to combine multiple hives in order to assure that
you will have numbers - bees- needed for wintering. Frames of pollen and
honey from diseased hives need to stay with the same diseased hives.  It
would be a good idea in this case to treat all of your hives with
terramycin as a preventative measure; even if you have no signs of
disease - which in cases such as this is unlikely. You will find strong
hives, weak hives, and hives in the middle of the road so to speak, take
in mind that it is almost October and winter will soon be upon us with
cold temperatures and a dearth of nectar and pollen; combine your hives
accordingly with that in mind- the season is almost over!

Now, after you have combined your hives and treated with terramycin treat
for Varroa and trachael mites.  Do not be tempted to bypass treatments for
your strong hives; treat all remaining hives. Now put an entrance reducer
on each hive and wait five days, then repeat terramycin treatments two
more times at 5 day intervals. Feed your bees sugar syrup, it will provide
food for both brood and winter stores as well as stimulate the queen to
lay in greater numbers - going into winter numbers is the goal!  Each time
you go into the hive give a quick check for viability of the brood, look
for sparkling white larvae and fresh eggs in a good pattern. After
completion of three terramycin treatments requeen, if you can, those hives
that were diseased and overly stressed. Treat for nosema if you wish while
you are feeding syrup.

Next spring make splits from those hives that were strong and healthy, and
you may also consider the purchase a SMR queen for breeding purposes.

Yoon, we have watched your progress as you have posted on this List; and I
believe that we are all wishing for the best to come about of your Varroa
problem. It is my opinion to take immediate corrective action, save your
bees, and don't give up the ship! Let us know how you are progressing.  I
wish you well!

Chuck Norton
Norton's Nut & Honey Farm
Reidsville, NC USA

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