The most productive of our hives, seemingly normal a week ago when we pulled off the supers, has crashed, apparently due to varroa.

We noticed much reduction of activity and inspected.  Population much diminished, many bees with malformed wings.  No brood, no queen.  One small capped queen cell.

This colony, like all our others, was treated with Coumaphos strips Jan. 14 - Feb. 26.  Until we took off the crop, it was extremely active and productive.  Then bang.  It crashed.  The next day.

We presume that varroa is the culprit, based on the large number of bees with malformed wings.

Around here (central Louisiana), varroa crashes usually happen in September, so we pull supers in July and put strips in.  We treat again in Jan.-Feb., just before the nectar flow in March.

This is the first year we've used Coumaphos.  We've always treated with Apistan, twice a year.  Lost 40 percent of our colonies last fall, don't know why.  TM, maybe.  But we switched miticides, and used Coumaphos this year, spring and summer.

If this recent crash is varroa-induced, it is disturbing.

Have there been any similar experiences?

Any comments and ideas shall be gratefully received.

Walter Weller
Wakefield, Louisiana