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Author Topic: OAV and mites  (Read 4813 times)

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Offline Lastfling

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OAV and mites
« on: January 05, 2019, 02:45:20 pm »
I checked sticky boards on my 2 hives 1/2/19.  Hive 1, the larger had 10 mites, hive 2 had 3 that I counted.  Since temps were in upper 50s overcast and most bees home ( a few flying) I decided to OAV both hives.  Following treatment - 24 hrs - hive 1 had 37 mites on board and hive 2 - 10.  Boards were cleaned and rechecked 48 hrs later. I was going to check at 24 (48 total) but 1/4 was a rainy cool day and I didn’t want to disturb them.  Today ( 1/5/19) my counts were 86 in hive 2 and 37 in hive 2



The pic is the mite count from hive 2.

Based on the above should I continue with additional treatment?  Weather may factor in as I believe cooler days are forecast in the coming weeks.

Today is a touch of spring - bees are flying and my larger hive is bringing in quite a bit of light yellow pollen from somewhere.  I didn t notice my smaller
hive bringing anything in,  but they were flying and orienting.  Or so it appears.

BTW, I took my first sting of 2019 on 1/2.  Veil, check, smoker lit and on standby - check,  vinyl gloves - check. 
Thought I was good to go.  I removed entrance reducer in prep for OAV wand insertion and riled about 20 of the girls up,  one of which proceeded to fly / crawl up the sleeve of my sweat shirt.  I know / should have pulled gloves over or taped sleeve -  hind sight, right haha.  At any rate - she refused to come back out preferring instead to crawl and buzz along my forearm ultimately zapping me on my wrist.  I don’t believe it was a full sting as no stinger was found and bee once I got her out appeared unharmed.  I have to admit it did take my mind off what I was doing for a few moments.


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Offline iddee

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2019, 06:10:47 pm »
With that high a count, I would treat again.
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Offline Lastfling

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2019, 08:08:59 pm »
Thank you - I appreciate the help. I ll plan on giving them another round in a few days


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Offline Jacobs

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2019, 09:28:18 am »
The increased mite drop between day 1 & 2 is what I have read about, but your numbers are eye opening for this time of year in our area.  I don't mean that it is really bad, just surprising.  Please let us know the additional mite counts if you do the second round of OAV.  This information would be really helpful.
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Offline Lastfling

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2019, 02:57:38 pm »
Will do.  I checked sticky again today and low count hive had 7.  High count hive had 37


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Offline Jacobs

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2019, 12:47:49 pm »
I just got off the phone with one of our 1st year beekeepers.  He had treated for mites in the late summer/fall using formic acid.  A little over a day ago he did an OAV treatment and had a sticky board mite count of around 100 afterwards.  He wanted to know if this was normal or if he should consider another round of OAV.  I couln't give him an answer about what was normal, but that if I saw that kind of drop now, I would do a 2nd round of OAV a week after the 1st one and see what the sticky board showed at that point.

I am anxious to know what the next OAV does for you /shows  Lastfling, and if anyone else has done a series of winter/low brood OAV's with pre and post sticky (or even just post treatment sticky board results), I would really like to know what numbers folks are seeing. 
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Offline Lastfling

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2019, 10:17:58 am »
Got the second OAV in this morning before they start to fly.  I’ll do a check and count tomorrow. 

I cleaned boards and counterd before the OAV with 26 and 10 respectively


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Offline apisbees

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2019, 02:13:48 am »
Lastfling, what forum of OVA treatment are you applying? Syrup drizzle or vapor?
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Offline Lastfling

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2019, 07:03:17 am »
Vapor


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Offline apisbees

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2019, 10:13:03 am »
Good to know.
I would do a full brood rotation treatment as you most likely have sealed brood in the hive that will be protecting developing mites. Multiple treatments of OAC vapor is not to harmful on the bees where if OA Syrup is used it should only be used once, when there is no brood in the hive.
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Offline Lastfling

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2019, 10:20:50 am »
Latest count at 24 hrs post 2nd OAV was 42 in stronger hive 1 and 22 in hive 2.

As an added note I had treated with Apivar in early August for the prescribed interval and did an OAV single treatment in late November.  A check of boards at that time yielded 4 and 3 mites respectively.

I’m thinking this screwy spring like winter weather we’ve had is a factor as bees have been flying and bringing in pollen.


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Offline apisbees

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Re: OAV and mites
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2019, 01:38:43 pm »
With your earlier treatments They should have knocked the mite levels down and you should not be seeing levels the height you are now. I think you suffered from infestation from other hives in your area that due to not being treated suffered from colony collapses or what others reefer to as absconding of the bees. when most the bees in a hive abscond and leave a few hundred bees with a queen the rest of the bees beg there way into other hives that are healthier.
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