Drone Trapping Varroa

[tefer2]

Found this short clip on drone trapping varroa mites. Just place an empty frame into #2 or#9 position.
Though it's in German, a picture is worth a thousand words!

[Perry]

# 1 - A great way to remove lots of varroa if done in a timely fashion.
# 2 - A great way to increase a huge amount of varroa if not done in a timely fashion.
# 3 - Chickens would absolutely love you.

I think it's a great thing for the smaller, well organized beekeeper, but how many of those are there?

[Ray4852]

I tried drone trapping for two years. It helped a little during the drone rearing season, By September my mite load was still to high. It was a pain going in the hive every month removing the drone frame. I still had to treat with the mite away pads. Now I use oxalic acid vapor. Its easier to treat for mites. Every time you open your hive and take it apart. You set the hive back about 3 days.

[tefer2]

To use that method successfully, you would need to be in there more than once a month.
They would have emerged with all the varroa by then.
Most use every 2 weeks for exchange-removal, in line with normal inspections during peak season.
Placing the drone frame at the top on the outside edge, simplifies that task.
This is just one more tool for your IPM method.

[tbonekel]

I have a hive that I put quite a few foundationless frames in and they promptly created drone frames. I had a lot of drones wandering around later and saw mites on these drones. Not only that, I saw a few bees with dw. I never did a mite count but I'm sure it was rather high.  It concerned me, but being the lazy and uneducated keep that I am, did nothing about it. Now, six months later, this hive made it through fine, apparently, and right now is very big and strong.  After reading other posts on mite control, I guess that I am just lucky. But I'm hoping that these bees have found a way to control the situation themselves. Time will tell.

[LazyBkpr]

Do a mite count, and keep an eye on them. If they dont start to crash you may well have found a hive that can manage them. If they do start to crash get some OA or MAQS in there quick.

[pistolpete]

I did a few rounds of drone trapping a couple of years ago.  I decided to stop using it.  The main reason is that it takes the hive a tremendous amount of resources to rear two full frames of drones.  The hive population ends up lower and the result is that the bee to mite ratio pretty much stays the same. 

[tefer2]

We only used a single drone frame in a double deep setup. Using two would become a lot of drones for one hive.
The video is just an example of how many mites one can have in their drone brood.
They still use this method in European countries. Seems more natural for them.

Another method used, remove a deep frame from one of your brood boxes. Replace that deep frame with a medium sized frame. After a couple weeks, the bees will have drawn comb under the medium.
It will most likely be filled with drone and varroa. After cutting the drone comb off, place it back in the hive for another round.

[tefer2]

Here's some reading from Cornell University.
http://www.three-peaks.net/PDF/Drone%20Brood%20Removal%20for%20the%20Management%20of%20Varroa%20destructor.pdf