Ipm Strategies

[dmartin18]

Hi All,

I was wondering what type of IPM ( Integrated Pest Management) strategies that most of you use?

I got my two nucs from Perry, amazing amount of bees all frames were very covered. They are doing great iv had them for about a week. The are on foundationless frames and are drawing the comb exactly where I want it.  Still in awe how amazing it is to finaly become a beekeeper. I have to thank Perry for giving me this opportunity.

Ok so I'm planning for the future as always. I know at one point I will be having to deal with our friendly varroa. I am wondering what most people are using to control these little buggers. I will be putting on screened bottom boards when it gets a little warmer at night. I'm planning on using acid treatments when the mite load is above the threshold. ( I believe its 2 mites per 100 bees in Canada)

Formic acid for when brood is present
Oxalic acid when the colony is broodless
I will try to avoid synthetic pesticides that accumulate in wax

I see that alot of people uses the MAQS and they seem fairly effective if you respect the temperature requirements. The problem I have with them is the cost. You can get 65% formic acid at a fraction of the price. MAQS are about 47%. Has anyone tried making  their own maqs by doing a dilution?  If anyone has some advice on formic it would be great. I saw all kinds of gadgets out there...special drip dispensers..slow release pads that use capillary action... and a simple ziplock bag with a few slits in it, paper towel and formic acid.

For Oxalic Acid I think I will be using the vaporizer method. Its just seems safer for the bees and provided more coverage the the drip method.

This forum is amazing I'm gratefull too have this wonderfull resource filled with all the advice and knowledge.

Thanks All

Dave

[Perry]

Hey Dave:

Glad to hear the nucs are doing well.

Be careful when using anything other than MAQS when honey supers are on. No other product is approved for use with honey supers on, not even regular formic in whatever form you chose. One would think formic is formic, what's the difference, but the big difference is what is approved for use. If you ever sell honey and it is found that you used a product that was not approved.......? Lawyers would love that.

I do not treat in the spring, never wanted to risk possible contamination of an early flow if it happens. I know that some use Apivar (Amitraz) in the spring when the bees only occupy one box and they can get away with only using 2 strips verses 4. They then use MAQS in the fall, but I have had success with just the 1 treatment in the fall.

Same thing with Oxalic Acid, I have read where some folks will treat 3 times over 3 weeks instead of the broodless period in the late fall.
While that might work, it certainly should not be done with honey supers on as it is not approved when they are.

Fluvalinate (Apistan) some residue
Coumaphos (Checkmite) bad residue
Amitraz (Apivar) very little residue

Screened bottom boards are good for doing mite counts and not much else IMHO.

[pistolpete]

I'm glad that you are planning on using the organic acids.  So many new bee keepers I run into these days intend to go chemical free and it's hard to convince them that it's just not possible.   I do three rounds of OAV in the early spring (before pollen or honey is available)  and 2 rounds in late august/early september.   You will have higher mite loads with your foundationless route because you will have much more drone brood than with foundation.

[dmartin18]

I didn't know that MAQS were the only ones approved for treatment with supers on. Its a little strange how the same products ( Formic Acid) is approved for use with a commercial brand and not as a pure substance. I guess someone had to pay for a study.

I might do some drone trapping if I have too many drones, but up to date no drone comb being built, all worker cells.

[Perry]

If you want a couple of those green drone cell frames, I've got a couple you can have. They are too time sensitive for me to be able to use them.

[apisbees]

You will have higher mite loads with your foundationless route because you will have much more drone brood than with foundation.

Not always - the bees will ignore the worker cell imprint and will draw some drone comb. Bees will always have some drone comb in the hive. It is when the mite population gets out of control that it is detrimental to the colonies.

[riverbee]

"So many new bee keepers I run into these days intend to go chemical free and it's hard to convince them that it's just not possible."

true what pete said, many new beeks want to go chemical free.............having no clue.  they want to be 'organic' 'natural', etc. without any education on the varroa mite, or really, new into beekeeping with little to no understanding of all the pests that can affect honey bees. 

i have been treatment free for about 12-15 years, i think i have treated my bees maybe 3 or at the most 4 times?  primarily with apiguard.  i think i used apilife var one year, but would not use this stuff again. 

i keep russian bees/queens. minimal problems from mites, and no need to treat.  solid bottom boards, no drone combs.  some beeswax and waxed plastic foundation/drawn frames mixed together. 

my personal opinion, i think we can overuse treatments for mites..........do only as necessary, and don't do it just blindly or because we have been told to do so.  just my HO.

[Perry]

As well, your location can determine how or what you do as far as treatment goes as well. If you are relatively isolated, you can monitor and stay on top of things. If you are surrounded not so much. If you treat and it is effective, but your neighbour doesn't and has mite factories, your treatment will be useless for the most part.

[dmartin18]

I am new beekeeper and of course I would love to be chemical free as would any beekeeper I believe. No one likes pests that cause your colony to perish and having to buy expensive treatments. I also realize that I will loose my hives to pest if it goes out of control. This is why I am planning ahead and have a plan if my varroa populations do spike. I will be monitoring to make sure I'm on track.
Iv seen the whole treatment free movement and have seen many people on forums fail for this reason ( nature knows best approach) Some people are very convincing and some stuff actualy sounds like it makes sense. I would rather take the scientific aproach. Who knows I might be in a area where varroa population is manageable for the bees.  The threshold test will say so.

What is your preferred counting technic for varroa?
- Alcohol wash
- sugar shake
- mite board count
How often do you check?

[Perry]

Alcohol is the most accurate, but you will lose about 300 bees.
Sugar roll is OK, not as accurate, but you only pee the bees off, not kill them.
Mite board is OK, accurate as long as the hive is clean and mites can fall down to the bottom.
When you crack your top deep of the brood chamber and set it aside, you will almost always disturb any drone brood that has been built there. If you take a quick look you can often see the varroa stand out like crazy on the white drone pupae. Remember that given the choice, mites prefer to climb into drone cells 85% of the time.

[robo]

Has anyone tried making  their own maqs by doing a dilution?

Yes, we use 95% Formic diluted down to 65%.   Have used paper towels,  but now use butcher pads.   We also put a few drops of honeybee health on a small piece of paper towel next to the pad.  It seems to help reduce the formic from masking the queen phermone.

[Bakersdozen]

I just heard Dr. Marion Ellis,retired University of Nebraska, speak on the subject of varroa.  He said he felt ether roll was the most accurate and his preferred method.  He also wondered why he hadn't blown himself up because he usually had a lit smoker between his legs when he did the test.  I personally like a sugar roll.

[Lburou]

If you want a couple of those green drone cell frames, I've got a couple you can have...

FWIW Perry, they hold a LOT of honey! 

[LazyBkpr]

   To be perfectly honest here...   I treat my hives with OAV the three times...   In the spring before I put supers on, and in the fall when I take the supers off.. 
    I checked for mites the first couple years I started using OAV... and I have seldom checked since...   I checked a few hives this spring, just to reassure myself, and yep, it still works as good as it did the first time...   
    When I had fewer hives, it was not a problem to check them a couple times a year...   Now, it would take me two days...    One thing I DO... do....   is when I do inspections, I will pop open the capped drone cells and check for mites on the drone pupae...   If I see mites, I might do an either roll, but using OAV has more or less freed me from the worry.