varroa treatment question

[DebNoble]

So I did an alcohol wash to monitor mite levels and I got between 2.5 -2.6% which is ok i think... but my question is: Since I'm leaving the honey supers on for the bees for the winter (2 meds and a shallow) and IF I did decide to treat with Apivar strips, is it ok to leave those supers on since its all for the bees anyway (its my 1st year)? Would there be any adverse effects next fall if I used those same supers for human consumption (taking them off first before treatment of course)?
... I'm just looking ahead being optimistic that I'll be able to harvest honey next summer!

[CBT]

They have honey in the deep hive body's also. You can have some of that honey. Your neighbors can tell you how much the hive should weight when cool weather comes to carry them through winter I would think but I like honey.

[Perry]

Any frame that is on that hive when treatment is done should be considered contaminated henceforth. The only exception is MAQS which has been approved for use with honey supers on, nothing else.

[DebNoble]

Thanks Perry - I'm leaning towards not treating since the they seem to be just below the threshold for fall @ 6 mites in 240 bees... There was an interruption in the brood cycle with the swarm and the requeening that went on in the 2 hives, and I did the drone comb monitoring in the big hive as well... (Hhmm I'm really undecided whether or not its a good idea to treat or not!) But, I did steal 1 frame of honey a couple of weeks ago and its delicious - I got 4 cups of honey from it so I like CBTs suggestion to take a little more!

[riverbee]

what perry said, it will be contaminated.......don't treat if you will use any boxes left on for the bees that honey will be harvested from in the future...........

i would suggest that you use apiguard rather than the api life var........

if you choose to treat, take the boxes you want to leave for their reserves and your future honey boxes off. treat, and once treatment is complete, you can place them back on. 

it it's your first year, and these are first year bees/queens, mite levels may not be very high, so you may not have to treat. it just depends on where your bees came from and if there are other hives around you.  but that said, be vigilant.  you need them to be strong going into winter months.

good luck!

[Perry]

We don't have Apiguard or Api Life Var available up here, only Apivar.
I always recommend not relying on the "no need to treat in your first year when buying a nuc" idea. I treat only in the fall, never in the spring, so when you get nucs from me they come with mites, I don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I could start treating in spring to make some people happy (others wouldn't be) but why would I if I haven't found it necessary myself?
The only sure way to know your mite loads regardless of any situation is to monitor.

[Bakersdozen]

Thanks Perry - I'm leaning towards not treating since the they seem to be just below the threshold for fall @ 6 mites in 240 bees...

I believe the recent recommendations have been lowered.  Here is a link to a February 2016 PDF file that goes into depth regarding varroa control.  A chart of pg. 8, of the file, details the thresholds for different times of the year.  http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HBHC-Guide_Varroa_Interactive_18FEB2016.pdf
This is a good informative read for anyone wanting to understand varroa and it's control.  Further reading of the guide explains the different ways of control with pros and cons.

[DebNoble]

Thanks for all the tips! The temps have finally come down so I applied MAQS yesterday - followed the directions, too entrance reducers off etc., but this morning there were dozens of dead bees on the landing boards!
Yikes, is that normal or did I really screw up somewhere?! :(

[riverbee]

debnoble,
sorry this is a late reply............i just read your post, dozens of dead bees on the landing boards after treating with MAQS?

[iddee]

Quote from MAQS instruction sheet.

""There may be an increase in adult
bee mortality in the first three days after application.""

[DebNoble]

Thanks, yes the first morning after putting in MAQS there were on 1 hive there were a couple of dozen dead bees, on the others maybe a dozen... then things settled down and they seem ok. I took the spent strips off a week later but noticed less brood than there had been - don't know if thats a result of the MAQS on the Queen or if its a natural slow-down due to the much cooler weather, or a combination...!