Author Topic: Deformed Wing Virus? (Read 21128 times)

Jen · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2014, 02:28:57 pm »

I Would Treat Right Now! Read Later! Seriously!

Hi Ted- When your done celebrating your anniversary, check out the link on 'reply #6' that I sent you. You just can't read enough about different techniques regarding all facets of beekeeping.

Do one of the two methods here: Either Oxalic Acid three treatments, or Mite Away Quick Strips - Formic Acid. They are both easy and quick to use. Which ever you can get your hands on the soonest.

Like Scott says to me when I'm dawdling with a decision "Gogogogogogo!"

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2014, 03:36:22 pm »

LOL.. Wise Man Ted! And Congrats on the anniversary!!

tedh · « **Reply #22 on:** July 22, 2014, 02:38:36 pm »

Oxalic acid. Is there a certain brand I should be looking for? Or, is it all the same? Ted

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #23 on:** July 22, 2014, 02:44:29 pm »

I just order it through Amazon;

http://www.amazon.com/Oxalic-Acid-99%25-bag-C2H2O4/dp/B007HUR0EK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406054369&sr=8-1&keywords=Oxalic+Acid

99% pure. Some of the wood bleach has no information on how pure it is or what else may be in it, so to avoid problems I order the stuff that says 99% pure or better. I know folks who buy the wood bleach off the shelf and use it;

http://www.amazon.com/Savogran-10501-Wood-Bleach/dp/B002NZWY4A/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1406054369&sr=8-14&keywords=Oxalic+Acid

And have not "heard" they are having problems, but being sure makes me feel better.

Jen · « **Reply #24 on:** July 22, 2014, 02:53:38 pm »

Yep, no wood bleach.

iddee · « **Reply #25 on:** July 22, 2014, 04:08:31 pm »

I bought my wood bleach at LOWES and it says 100% pure OA.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #26 on:** July 22, 2014, 06:57:08 pm »

oooh!! I will have to check on that!! TY Iddee!!

riverbee · « **Reply #27 on:** July 23, 2014, 02:02:34 pm »

hi ted, i am just catching up here, you found one mite in the shake, and one bee with a deformed wing?

some here are suggesting that you treat for mites.......i tend to disagree, i am not one to rush to treating my bees unless it is necessary or warrants it, meaning finding one mite in a shake, or one bee with a deformed wing, for me, would not give me cause to treat for mites. ?

tedh · « **Reply #28 on:** July 23, 2014, 06:12:03 pm »

Thanks Riverbee! And CONGRATULATIONS!

I was pretty freaked out at first. I still HOPE I'm doing the right thing. Like you, I'm not sure that one bee and one mite warrant immediate treatment. I'm using this week (yesterday) to order stuff I'm going to need, if not now, eventually. I just received the BT (man that was fast). I've ordered Fumagelin B, oxalic acid, and a vaporizer. I'm going to try holding off on treatment for mites until Lazybkpr treats his hives. As I said, I'm HOPING, I'm making the right choice. Again, thank you, and CONGRATULATIONS! Ted

riverbee · « **Reply #29 on:** July 24, 2014, 03:33:00 am »

your welcome ted, but hmmmm, what am i being congratulated for............?

this is a first year package? one mite and one deformed wing in my world does not equate to treating with oxalic acid. i would not treat those bees for mites UNLESS a treatment for mites is warranted. just my humble thoughts.

i would say this, as younger beeks we tend to get freaked out about things we see and don't understand or to be honest a lot of 'junk' we have read on the interweb to scare the absolute pee out of us and think our bees are or might be suffering from, ie.....afb, efb, mites and associated mite diseases, tracheal mites, nosema apis or ceranae, etc......so we treat 'blindly' with something not knowing exactly what we are treating for or why. we do it just because we have read it or do it because another beek said so and we want to help our bees, but sometimes i think we harm them more by 'overdosing' our bees with treatments of whatever that are or might be unnecessary.....? that is just my two cents, and i hope i made sense?.....

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #30 on:** July 24, 2014, 09:58:59 am »

Not arguing Mrs River, because I agree.. First year packages really shouldnt need anything.. perhaps some fumadil B stored and capped in the fall syrup to help with nosema through the winter... But otherwise the brood break they had should tide them over well...
Ted has 1 hive at the moment, so his danger of having acquired drifting bees with mites is minimal.. however.. I have found that in situations new packages are hived near older hives the danger is greater, and the possibility of a larger mite population is also greater..
Come August.. I treat for those mites with OAV if I think they need it or not, if the Mite drop or sugar shake/either roll indicate it is necessary or not.. Why?
In my case, it is so I do not have to either roll 40 plus hives. OAV does not kill the mites because of ingestion, so the danger of them becoming resistant is null and void.. Fact or fiction? I can only say that from the first time I treated with OAV to now, I have never noticed a drop off in effectiveness. It seems to work with the same overwhelming effect time after time... The bees do not even react to it.. other treatments I have done will have them bearding or crawling all over the outside of the hive, after OAV treatments it is business as usual almost as soon as I remove the entrance blocks.
New colonies do NOT usually have a high mite count their first year, but they DO have mites...
So I guess my question would be... Why wouldn't you treat with OAV to insure low mites and strong bees for winter? Maybe I need to change my method!

efmesch · « **Reply #31 on:** July 24, 2014, 11:16:29 am »

Hey folks, Where are your good wishes to Ted and his New bride of only 14 yesrs? Looong looooong time ago? When you see those 14 triple to 42, Ted, you'll be amazed at how short a time ago it was and how quickly the years passed. Double those 10-12 hours and celebrate properly with the most important person in your life. Congrats and many more happy years together---with the bees in the background.
As to deformed wings---when you find them in a hive it means that you don't need any checking for mites---you already know that they are there, and in numbers!
Don't give any thought to the subject--- your knee jerk reaction should be to treat for mites. I won't give you any recommendations, you've heard them from others. but I'll add my 2 cents to strengthen what others emphasized---treatment should last at least three weeks, only that way do you go through one cycle of brood rearing and make sure that maximum benfit can be achieved. If you add one more week, you'll take care of those mites that might be riding on the backs (or bellies) of developing drones. Oh yes, keep in mind that some treatments should not be given when there is honey for extraction in the hives. Those must be saved for post extraction use. And treat all your hives at the same time---wandering bees can quickly re-inffest a cleaned hive.

Jen · « **Reply #32 on:** July 24, 2014, 02:03:58 pm »

Really Like what Scott and Ef are saying here. Deformed wing virus - it's soo very sad to watch the bees crawl across the ground. and once it comes on, it takes over quickly.

Oxalic Acid is the only way I go. It doesn't hurt the bees, or the wax, or the honey.

tedh · « **Reply #33 on:** July 26, 2014, 07:45:12 pm »

Today was a good day.

Josh and I treated my hive with oxalic acid this morning, the first treatment. Yeah Yeah. I know. I changed my mind again. I decided that while the bees MIGHT be okay, I wasn't! Treating them put me back in a frame of mind where I could look at my hive with the appropriate wonder and awe instead of worry and fear, wondering if they were okay. I will say the VARROX vaporizer appears to get REALLY hot! It seems to have scorched a couple 2 or 3 frames! Is this common? I didn't see a burn on the bottom board but wonder if I just missed it.

Afterwards we went to Josh's house and set up some concrete blocks (getting them nice and level!) and laying 2, 8ft 3x12's across them for his new hives next spring. We're beginning the 2nd week of a two week "hands off" period with Josh's hive. Compared to how busy his hive was 4 or 5 weeks ago it (his hive) was almost dismally quiet. But, we'll know more next Saturday.

Having completed our assigned tasks for the day we went fishing! Caught a few Bluegill and a few Bass! When we got back here we both stretched out and took a nap! Oh man, what a tough life. Thanks, Ted

tedh · « **Reply #34 on:** July 26, 2014, 08:19:57 pm »

I've been thinking about this for a few days now. I've been back and forth, should I, should I not? Should I just keep my mouth shut and go on. Keep my own counsel, think my own thoughts. Heck, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. Mom didn't call me son because I'm so bright. If even I see it, I'm sure others do too! But you know, to he## with that.

Efmesch, you're in Israel! Israel, my friend! The fact that you have even briefly, fleetingly, and however momentarily, thought about MY life, MY anniversary, MY petty little problems with bees absolutely blows me away! I think of the circumstances that surround and fill your life right now and, I'm speechless. For YOU to consider ME is, I don't even know what that word is! I would like to meet you one day. I would be proud to call you my friend. You're the kind of man I hope to one day be. Ted

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #35 on:** July 26, 2014, 11:13:03 pm »

Amazing isnt it Ted? I really dont think there is a regular member of this forum I do not wish to meet some day..
Being like Ef when we grow up is a noble goal!

efmesch · « **Reply #36 on:** July 27, 2014, 02:48:47 am »

Cut the mush fellows----a little more like that and my swollen head won't fit inside of my "iron dome"

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #37 on:** July 27, 2014, 08:42:50 pm »

Seriously Ef.. Keep your head down! and keep us updated!

tedh · « **Reply #38 on:** August 03, 2014, 08:49:00 pm »

Last weekend I treated the hive for the first time with oxalic acid and immediately afterwards did a hive inspection. By the time we were done inspecting it was obvious that the bees were done too. For the next few days they (the bees) didn't seem to appreciate me being near their hive. So, I complied by maintaining my distance. Saturday (yesterday) I treated the hive for the second time with oxalic acid, with no hive inspection afterwards. The bees remain as docile as always. Maybe too much IS too much.

This morning I noticed what I thought/think were dead verroa on their front porch. I took one inside and inspected it under a magnifying glass. Couldn't really tell much other than it was an insect. I could make out legs on one side of it. It appeared as if it died in agony, all curled up. And no, as much as it pains me to say it, I don't feel bad in the least. I counted 14 dead verroa on the porch.

In a strange way this whole episode makes me feel more like a beekeeper. I found a problem, sought advise, made a decision, and took action that appears to be helping. Okay, so yeah, it didn't happen EXACTLY that fast, but, well, it did happen. Thanks Everyone, Ted

Perry · « **Reply #39 on:** August 03, 2014, 09:53:21 pm »

Finding varroa on the porch after a treatment is normal, it means your bees are house cleaning or at least trying to. It can be shocking to see just how many mites are on a bottom board after an initial treatment with Oxalic..
In regards to MAQS, a 7 day treatment is all that's required (they are spent after that anyways). The formic acid is so powerful it penetrates the cappings and kills the varroa that are in capped brood cells, thereby reducing the treatment time. It can and does sometimes halt queens laying for few days. It can also be used with honey supers left on.
Geez, reading this almost makes me sound like a distributor (I'm not). I've just had two years of good success using it.