# Bayvarol resistance in NZ?



## Matt Little (Jan 13, 2010)

Right. Crawlers around the hive again. Thinking its a writeoff. Guess my strong hive is infected also...And it was a big swarm to start with, how annoying... Whats the best way to 'euthanise' a hive? Im guessing just close the entrance? I dont want any robbing from my good hive or any infected bees crossing over.... Half a can of engine start?


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Hi Matt,
I assume its nearing end of summer where you live, Guessing there will be more plants blooming before winter hits.
The mites are there, & I don't believe killing the one hive will solve you're problem.
Have you tried any other mite treatments? Maybe one of the acids. Then re-queen with a resistant queen.

I've heard of people spraying their hives with soapy water too kill the bees.

Good Luck,


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## Matt Little (Jan 13, 2010)

KQ6AR said:


> Hi Matt,
> I assume its nearing end of summer where you live, Guessing there will be more plants blooming before winter hits.
> The mites are there, & I don't believe killing the one hive will solve you're problem.
> Have you tried any other mite treatments? Maybe one of the acids. Then re-queen with a resistant queen.
> ...


Hi Dan thanks for your reply. We are just into the second half of summer here though the last few years we have had extended summers and I suspect this year will be the same, so I think there will be plenty of forage for a while yet.
Its not so much the mites Im worried about but the fact that the hive is doing poorly and I have noticed on two occasions two weeks apart or so lots of deformed wing bees crawling around, despite almost back to back varroa treatments. Reading these forums it seems it is too late for this hive?
I havent tried any of the organic acids but have been researching them furiously (remember I am totally new to this) I have been reading about OA dribbles and formic acid pads above the frames...Still cant figure out where to get OA or FA from we only have two suppliers of bee stuff in NZ and neither of them seem to stock it as most people here are still using bayvarol and apistan... Varroa arrived here in 2000 and has supposedly yet to develop resistance... Anyway will look into further mite treatments and see if I can source some acid.... I rang MAF (our govt dept re animal diseases and such) and am waiting for them to get back to me as there have been no cases of DWV or resistant mites recorded in Auckland as far as Im aware...
Anyway will keep you posted...
Oh yeah and the breeders here are still working on resistant queens but have yet to nail it... Total ban on all bee and bee genetic material imports so we have to work it out for ourselves...

Thanks again,
Matt


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Hi Matt,
That's an interesting situation. US & Europe have been working on resistant bees for 20 years. Its a long drawn out prosses. Hopefully you're gov. will except some help from other countries, as cautiously as possible.

Many people who get the oxolic acid, buy it at hardware stores.
There's a lot of info about it here. www.scientificbeekeeping.com


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## ACBEES (Mar 13, 2009)

Oxalic acid is commonly known as "wood bleach". Ask for it at your hardware store.


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## Matt Little (Jan 13, 2010)

Good to know, thanks ACBEES...
Spoke with a guy today who MAF referred me to sounded like he know his bees...

Reckons I should have left strips in for 8 weeks not six the first time, so will leave current ones in for 8. Also suspects queen from swarm hive may not have been superseded explaining weak hive.
Initial under treatment may have led to large mite numbers, apparently they can nibble on the wings of pupating bees causing deformed wings...
So advice was to leave bayvarol strips in for full 8 weeks and replace queen ASAP.
As far as using organic acids, he felt it wasn't really necessary at the moment given my level of experience+potential causes of my issues...
Dan, there is a guy in Northland, Daykel apairies who I think was allowed to import some drone semen a wee while back from elsewhere in the world and is making progress towards tolerant/resistant bees so thats where I plan to get my queen from...And thanks for the link great stuff!
Hopefully the hive doesn't fail after I re-queen it...Theres plenty of clover around at the moment plus Im in the city so lots of gardens about...
Fingers crossed, will update when I have one...


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## Matt Little (Jan 13, 2010)

Right. Got my new queen today, installed her in a nuc box with a couple of frames of brood/stores. Couldnt find the old queen (typical! I can always find her when Im not looking) although there were a few queen cells + lots of drones so suspect they were about to supercede her anyway. Oh well. New queen should be a whiz bang one if I did the nuc box right and didnt put another queen in there.. As far as mites, did another 24 hour count today results were about the same, 2-3 mites for the strong hive, around 20 for the weak one, this is with strips in...


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## Matt Little (Jan 13, 2010)

Alright, took the strips out last week after 8 weeks in the hives. Just did a 24hr drop count, none at all under one hive, possible two under the other hive although they were a funny color, kinda grey rather than the usual orangy/red. New queen is laying up, its cool to see the transition from yellow to black bees as the old ones are replaced. 
I noticed a whole lot of legs (they look more like shedded leg skin) under the re-queened hive only, maybe they are more hygenic (have SBBs) in clearing out the empty cells?? Havent really seen this before, I know its a new topic, just curious...
Man its amazing how much crap a hive can dump through an SBB in 24 hours must make the hive more efficient purely from a housekeeping perspective....


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