« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Treating bees  (Read 5404 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline tedh

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1349
  • Thanked: 66 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Henry County, Iowa
Treating bees
« on: March 18, 2024, 08:33:31 am »
Hi, Everyone,
I was planning to treat the bees today for mites using OAV.  The high temp is only going to be 35°F so theyll be in cluster, i believe. Im concerned about disturbing their cluster.  What do you think? Treat today or put it off untill tomorrow when the temps will be mid 50's?  Because of my schedule today would be better for me, but.... thanks, Ted
Logged
Share that which you have an abundance of.  In doing so both the giver and receiver are enriched.

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Treating bees
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2024, 08:46:52 am »
Ted! How you been?!?!?

You will be fine. Although some literature states 37 as coldest, it is agreed anything above freezing will work with no drop off in effectiveness. That tells me those bees were most likely in cluster as well.

https://frankthebeeman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NJBA-volume-34-issue-2-pages-21-23-1.pdf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
« Last Edit: March 18, 2024, 08:48:04 am by Zweefer »
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau
The following users thanked this post: The15thMember

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4574
  • Thanked: 489 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: Treating bees
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2024, 12:10:20 pm »
honeybeehealthcoalition.org has all the info you could ever want on varroa mites and how to treat for them.  This info is updated as new research and info becomes available. You can print this out for free if you want.
Logged
The following users thanked this post: The15thMember

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6150
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: Treating bees
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2024, 06:23:26 pm »
As the temp drops, bees begin to cluster at 55 F. They are in full cluster at 42 F.
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein
The following users thanked this post: The15thMember

Offline tedh

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1349
  • Thanked: 66 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Henry County, Iowa
Re: Treating bees
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2024, 02:06:28 pm »
Thanks Everyone! My thermometer read 34°F, the clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and i changed plans. I just got done treating them and will have lunch with stepmom tomorrow. 

I've been lurking, in the shadows, watching...oh yes, watching....  thanks again, ted
Logged
Share that which you have an abundance of.  In doing so both the giver and receiver are enriched.
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »