Newbee question about medicating

15 years ago

This is my first year as a beekeeper and I have a question about medicating, especially for tracheal mites. I inferred from Kim Flottum's book that you can pretty much assume that all bees have tracheal mites to one degree or another, and that varroa mites are quite common as well (I don't have a screened bottom board so I can't easily check). My question is this - should I assume that mites are a problem and treat prophylactically with MiteAway or Apiguard or something? Or wait until a problem is noticed?

A little about my hive - single hive of carneolans. 8-frame hive, with 2 brood bodies and 2 honey supers. They seem to be doing well (to my inexperienced eye), and I'm just really paranoid of losing them this winter. I got them from my father who has been beekeeping for 2-3 years. He lost a whole colony last winter and he's not sure why - I don't want the same thing to happen to mine.

Thanks!

-Diggity

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Comments (2)

cpp6318
15 years ago
Tracheal mites have kind of been put to the back burner in the last few years. They are still out there, but I haven't heard much about losses due to them.
Varroa mites are probably a bigger problem. You DO have them, it's just a matter of how many.
While I would like to say that testing should be done before treatment for anything, (I always test before I treat) it would probably be more realistic for me to advise Mite-away as it will kill both.
Konrad___far_north
15 years ago
Yes, do a Varroa mite count first, everybody seems to have them, I put a sticky board under with a plastic mesh over it so bees won't stick to it and leave it in at least 24 hr.
I usually treat if I see more then 5 mites in 24 hr. using the oxalic acid method, this will kill both.
But make sure you dont' treat with honey super on.
Konrad
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