# proven organic varroa mite



## Daniel White (Feb 9, 2009)

Does anyone have a sure fire proven organic treatment for varroa mites?


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## bakerboy (Apr 29, 2008)

*sure fire ?*

Sure, fire.

Unfortunately it also kills the bees.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

There are many discussions on methods of keeping bees with no treatments or keeping bees with treatments that are "more organic". Try reading the threads in the Biological Beekeeping forum.

IMO: http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm


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## Daddy's Girl (May 5, 2008)

Other sites:

http://www.biobees.com/
http://backyardhive.com/
http://www.beeguardian.org/

All have their virtues and vices. Much depends on what you mean by 'organic'.

I relied on powdered sugar and essential oils in syrup for my treatments and thus far I am satisfied with the outcome. Much will depend on the actual health of the hives when I open them fully to decide if I continue those practices.


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## gingerbee (Jul 22, 2006)

I read about and treated with powdered sugar and it was a terrible disruption. I'm not really sure how much of an effect it had overall on varola. Some say essential oils work, other say they don't. I'd like to know what you think about your hives after going into them.

"Much depends on what you mean by 'organic'

What about some of the 'organic' treatments offered by the bee suppliers? So far I have chemical free hives. I need to read and understand the difference in what's in these treatments for comparison with essential oils. Then there's the ideas about not treating and raising naturally resistant bees.

As Kopeck said on another thread- After a few years it's really set in that beekeeping has to be one of the more opinionated hobbies/trade in the world

Thanks for the links too, for sustainable beekeeping. 

Do you keep top-bar hives?


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## Bud Dingler (Feb 8, 2008)

there is no accepted or agreed upon definition of organic beekeeping in the USA. 

formic acid pads and apiguard have significant amounts of research and data to show they work to keep varroa mites below a damaging threshold and do not accumulate in the wax and create any contamination problems with honey or damage the long term health of the bees. they are also legal to use and are accepted by some organic certification houses in use for the production of organic honey. 

i would reccomend these proven treatments over some recipe you find online, on the back of a cereal box or from well meaning beekeepers.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Coming out of the conferences this winter was an encouraging word for formic acid pads and oxalic acid drenches. The former is legal, the other is not.

Then I got to thinking about the thoughts and legalities of "organic" treatments, and quite frankly, hardly any of them are technically "legal."

So does being organic make it all right? If it does no harm to the bees, I'm for it whether or not it is technically "legal."

Just a thought. I wish there were more studies and info on the "soft" chemicals and "organic" methods.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## gingerbee (Jul 22, 2006)

I've been looking for studies too and they seem to be few and far between. Some 'studies' are out there that are seem subjetive and don't take in other factors. 

Here's one, on varolla and tracheal mites, I don't know how good it is. (studies are conducted different ways and they way they are set up can determine the result rather than give objective scientific information). It does suggest a 'homemade' remedy for tracheal mites.

http://maarec.psu.edu/pdfs/TRACHEAL.PDF


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

This weekend, I asked a panel consisting of Jerry Hayes, Dewey Caron and Ed Levi this exact question. The most specific answer came from Dewey Caron, and he recommended this:

1. Use screened bottom boards.

2. Put on frame in the hive with only a half sheet of foundation. The bees will build drone comb below. When you inspect the hive, cut out the capped drone comb and discard.

3. Do powdered sugar treatments.

4. Monitor for mites and iif those strategies don't work, then use thymol. 

I have used screened bottom boards and done four powdered sugar treatments in a row and that seemed to work. I need to do a mite check right now.


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Gingerbee,
I was advised a couple of years ago that using vegetable shortening for tracheal mites did work but in this part of the country (north Carolina) it attracted a lot small hive beetle. The treatment for tracheal mites that has been proven to work is the use of menthol. Also I have been hearing that they are breeding the bees to be resistant to tracheal mites. 
Interesting note, I think its fatbeeman that has a utube video that shows making shb traps with shortening because they are attracted to it so much.
Anyway that was for tracheal mites not so easy in dealing with the varroa.
ski


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## gingerbee (Jul 22, 2006)

Thanks Ski. I've tried it before but the bees didn't take a lot of it from what I remember. Need to take better notes. I have SHB and I don't want to feed them!

Neil, do you find the powdered sugar dusting really disruptive? It took my bees awhile to recover from it. I've read about using drone comb in various applications and have heard that it works but is labor intensive. I have a hive with a SBB and it is doing well, little debris buildup on the bottom board. I may switch the other hives to these when I reverse the deeps.


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Randy Oliver's website has alot of good info on these topics.

http://www.scientificbeekeeping.com/


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## Mountain Gold (Aug 20, 2006)

I'll give a big second to Randy Oliver's site.
Follow the Varroa Management links and specifically look at the "soft" chemical articles.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Randy spoke at a bee meeting last Saturday. I was very impressed, nice guy


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