Author Topic: Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus  (Read 5014 times)

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Alklar20

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Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus
« on: August 14, 2021, 01:46:03 pm »
I was planning on combining two of my hives soon. One of them seems perfectly healthy. The other has varroa, but I was planning on having that hive treated with oxalic acid before the combination. This hive has a failed queen and virtually no brood whatsoever (I only saw 1 cell of capped brood during my last inspection), so mites hiding in the capped brood wouldn't be an issue. But here's the thing: this hive also has deformed wing virus. I saw a bee with deformed wings, so this means the infection is probably pretty bad. I think that if I combine the infected hive and the healthy hive, the virus will spread to the healthy hive and infect it, possibly killing it later on. Are my concerns valid? Would the infection spread if I combined the two hives?

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2021, 04:32:22 pm »
I just spent this afternoon treating for mites and I have a couple questions of my own.  But, to answer your question, it might depend upon what you are treating with.  Oxalic Acid vaporization or dribble might work on the colony without brood, eggs, etc.  but it won't work on the other colony.  It's the wrong time of year and there is brood present. 
I just read the Apiguard label and it said to combine weak colonies prior to treating.  So, that means combining your colonies then treat.  I am under the assumption that the different viruses that varroa spread are spread by the mite itself not passed on between the bees themselves.

Alklar20

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Re: Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2021, 09:55:50 pm »
I just spent this afternoon treating for mites and I have a couple questions of my own.  But, to answer your question, it might depend upon what you are treating with.  Oxalic Acid vaporization or dribble might work on the colony without brood, eggs, etc.  but it won't work on the other colony.  It's the wrong time of year and there is brood present. 
I just read the Apiguard label and it said to combine weak colonies prior to treating.  So, that means combining your colonies then treat.  I am under the assumption that the different viruses that varroa spread are spread by the mite itself not passed on between the bees themselves.
"It might depend upon what you are treating with."
Oxalic acid vaporization.

"I am under the assumption that the different viruses that varroa spread are spread by the mite itself not passed on between the bees themselves."
I did a little reading on the internet and found that deformed wing virus can spread from bee to bee. It could happen when they share food, it could happen during grooming, it could happen when they feed the brood. If you want more information, here's a link: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195283.

Offline Jen

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Re: Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2021, 12:31:01 am »
Hi Alklar20, I would say that if the DWV hive is not very big, to let it die out. And if there isn't any capped brood, then ALL of the bees in this hive are sick. Don't think it's wise to send sick bees into a healthy hive. However, if these two hives sit close to each other, the healthy hive will already have some of the virus.

I would get 4 OA treatments on the healthy hive, Pronto!

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Alklar20

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Re: Concerns About Combining Hives; One Has Deformed Wing Virus
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2021, 03:39:51 pm »
Hi Alklar20, I would say that if the DWV hive is not very big, to let it die out. And if there isn't any capped brood, then ALL of the bees in this hive are sick. Don't think it's wise to send sick bees into a healthy hive. However, if these two hives sit close to each other, the healthy hive will already have some of the virus.

I would get 4 OA treatments on the healthy hive, Pronto!
"If these two hives sit close to each other, the healthy hive will already have some of the virus."
"I would get 4 OA treatments on the healthy hive, Pronto!"
Why are you telling me to treat the hive with oxalic acid if it has the virus, not varroa mites? Did you mean that the hive would have mites when you said, "the healthy hive will already have some of the virus"?