# summer mite populations and crashes



## beekeeper032000 (Apr 25, 2009)

I normally treat my bees against the mites two or even three times a year using various types of treatments. This summer, I've been seeing a lot of mites, and populations dwindling and yet the nector flow is still good with supers 
on the hives. My usual method of treatment is to wait until late Sept. or Oct. when supers are off, then treat with thymal, ect. But this year I'm concerned with the bees making it to Sept. I would be interested in knowing what some of you
successful and long term beeks do with your mite problem during the summer nector flow? This past spring I tried using some thymol that I made up from the previouse fall. That may have lost its potency. Any body have any 
experience with using left over treatment? Best of wishes to you all.

JG


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

beekeeper032000;1133004 I've been seeing a lot of mites said:


> JG, if you want bees alive this winter.... you know what you have to do, if you want a little more honey you know what to do.
> 
> P.S. ANYTIME my mite levels gets over 30 -50 or so this time of year on a sticky board I STOP STOP STOP and fix the mite problem, I BTW, have never had more than a 10% loss over winter, I run most years 3-7%.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

When I first got into beekeeping at the time that the Glenn apiary was closing its operation, I thought
that the hygenic bees are a waste of time and money. Now I got some of those queens and
the grooming is excellent. Just a few days ago when some bees got drowned in the syrup bottle with
their life on the line I put some of them onto the hive entrance. Immediately the flying worker
bees got all over these soaked bees to remove the syrup and clean them up. Many made it 
into the hive still alive. But many are dead over my carelessness. 
I now indorse the hygenic bees both for cleaning up things around the nest and the mites too. So far
I don't see any deformed wings or mites either. Both the Italian and Cordovan got those hygenic gentic now.
What do you think?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

beekeeper032000 said:


> II would be interested in knowing what some of you
> successful and long term beeks do with your mite problem during the summer nector flow?


You have to take care of the mite situation before the flows. Otherwise you will have to slap the mites down during the flow and interrupt production. In my corner of the country, its almost impossible to cease production and treat for mites during a flow. Thats a good way to end up with a baseball sized winter cluster. (consider my area of beekeeping along with the comments)
Here, when they are sent into the flow, fall treatments start after it ends, so send them into the flow in good shape


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## beekeeper032000 (Apr 25, 2009)

Hey thanks Keith and Ian for your response. I do treat faithfully each fall and spring, sometime even twice in the spring. This summer the mites seem to have increased fast, so I will be making up some mite treatments. The negative thing about it is that I will need to take all the supers off, treat, then put them back on sence there is a flow here until about the end of Sept. early Oct. Thanks again.


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## babybee (Mar 23, 2012)

One could use formic acid pads with supers on. It will be too hot no doubt, but I would rather kill a few queens than a whole bee outfit.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

sounds like you need to switch mite treatments


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

beepro said:


> When I first got into beekeeping at the time that the Glenn apiary was closing its operation, I thought
> that the hygenic bees are a waste of time and money. Now I got some of those queens and
> the grooming is excellent. Just a few days ago when some bees got drowned in the syrup bottle with
> their life on the line I put some of them onto the hive entrance. *Immediately the flying worker
> ...


?pro.........Hate to tell you but bees cleaning up a bee doused in syrup is not Hygienic behavior. That's like saying you made friends with a drunk bank teller who just stuffed cash in your purse. When the cash is gone so is the "friendship" Conversely your "hygeinic bees will certainly quit the love affair once the "cash" is gone. The VSH and Hygienic genes are two different dogs although bees might have "los dos." 

Is that pot farm fire in Redding blowing south by chance?


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## Ishi (Sep 27, 2005)

No the smoke is going north and east towards Burney today.
the news said. You could get a faint smell of smoke this morning on the west side of Red Bluff.
Dan


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Ishi said:


> No the smoke is going north and east
> Dan


Sorry "last *****" but the pot thing was my sorry attempt at a bad joke. Somehow I took a venture into guessing the mindset of someone who surmised that when they saw bees licking liquid sugar off of another bee that it was a sure fire guarantee that the "lickers"had "HYGIENIC" genes. I had to assume that the aforementioned must have had a gigantic whiff of something a little stronger than what my old Gramps' used to pour out of his Prince Albert can and into his pipe if they were to come to such a bug eyed conclusion. Something way stronger. 

Since the pot fire was burning with full force I understood why such a conclusion could have been made. If the wind was in the right direction all hypothesis would be plausible. inch: Maybe that's why Pro's bees had the munchies in the first place!!!!! Is there a gene for that? 

Personally not sure whats off the wall farther.... The hygienic assumption or the actions of the nut who started that fire by driving his "garden" truck in the dead grass.

Does anyone know what happens to bees when you put LSD into the syrup at feeding time? Do they get "rainbow" colored honey?


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

Yep its showing up here(near Burney). Maybe getting some lightning in the next day or two. So here it comes...:waiting:

I've used hygienic bees for a long time. Good for keeping chalkbrood and afb under control. Doesn't do a thing for varroa....sorry.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

I think we had this discussion about what is hygienic in the past. I think the conclusion was that cleaning out blue shop towels,formic pads etc, was not the same as uncapping and removing sick brood.Licking up syrup? Any bee will do that.....


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Well yes, cleaning things inside the hive including spilled syrup too.
So far no mites all summer long with their excellent grooming behavior. The seller
said they are hygenic Cordovan so I have to try that to see. I'm happy with
them so far and will graft some for the Fall queens going into Winter here.

Honey: I don't smell anything blowing our way. We're more southward.
Besides, the harvested Nyger seeds got me all 'HIGH' up already without any burning that is. 
So don't need to puff anything foreign either. I'm clean and so are my hygenic Cordovan bees. 
At least they keep the mites at bay. We'll see going into the Fall.
Do you treat for mites also? Or do you saturate your bee area with hygenic drones?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I normally treat my bees against the mites two or even three times a year using various types of treatments

The only time treatments are reasonably successful is during a brood break.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesvarroatreatments.htm


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Michael Bush said:


> The only time treatments are reasonably successful is during a brood break.


Not always true, MAQS for example...


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

I'm in NW Florida and our flow has been over for about a month. We are in full fledged dearth here so I can't imagine that anywhere in Ga is not rapidly approaching the dearth if they aren't in it already. Pull the supers and treat....


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Not always true, MAQS for example... 

I remain a skeptic that any treatment is killing mites in brood unless it's killing the brood.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Michael Bush said:


> >Not always true, MAQS for example...
> 
> I remain a skeptic that any treatment is killing mites in brood unless it's killing the brood.



LOL Have you read all the stories about bees dragging dead brood out after a treatment? I


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