# Dealing with neighborhood mite bomb



## Bob's Bees (Mar 18, 2015)

I believe there is a mite bomb about a quarter mile from my two hives based on conversations with the owner and his record of failed hives.

I treated my two hives in the spring with hop guard with fair results. I noticed dwv in one hive 3 weeks ago and started treating with oav. I've done three treatments so far with huge 24/48 hour mite drops. 

I'm monitoring with sticky boards and still get regular daily mite drops of 25-40. I just ordered some Apivar to try a one two punch.

Any other suggestions?


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

offer to treat his hives.


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## Bob's Bees (Mar 18, 2015)

I've thought of that but nothing like adding more work to an already packed schedule.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Buy two sets of displaced-entrance robber screens: one for each of your hives, and one for each of his.

You mite counts sound like they could be simply the result of less-than-effective HopGuard, so maybe not the fault of the mite-bomb. But with DWV visible you need to keep up the pressure on your own mites.

Robbing screens will keep the neighbor's bees out of your hives. And robbing screens on his hives will keep your treated girls from helping themselves to the spoils of a failing hive and bringing home more mites as souvenirs.

Robbing screens cost maybe $16 or $17 bucks apiece. Cheap insurance to prevent the loss of mature colony.

Enj.


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

Finish your OAV treatment and prepare for winter as normal so your hives survive. If you neighbors hives crash and your hives get re-infested then an OAV treatment in the broodless period in winter will deal with that.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I disagree, the winter broodless period does not eliminate mites. Otherwise, they would not be a problem here in the north.


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

A treatment of Oxalic acid in the broadless period, dribble or vaporization, is very effective. In most cases well above 95%. You can disagree all you like, its well documented, scientifically proved and forms part of IPM management against Varroa that is regulated by the State in Germany. An effective treatment at this time keeps the hive going until July/August.

It is not so important what your neighbor does or doesn't do, even if your treatment is 100% effective your hives will always be re-infested by varroa, it only takes one mite. Just concentrate on what you can do to keep your hives healthy.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Must be a language thing. When I prepare for winter I am done in early September. You didn't mention anything about the broodless period. I feel you need to have healthy winter bees and that requires mite control in the fall, not the broodless period when they are all raised.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

camero7 said:


> Must be a language thing. When I prepare for winter I am done in early September. You didn't mention anything about the broodless period. I feel you need to have healthy winter bees and that requires mite control in the fall, not the broodless period when they are all raised.


:thumbsup:


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

camero7 said:


> Must be a language thing. When I prepare for winter I am done in early September. You didn't mention anything about the broodless period. I feel you need to have healthy winter bees and that requires mite control in the fall, not the broodless period when they are all raised.


Sounds like you are both on the same page Cam. 
finish the OAV treatment now and a 1 time shot when broodless later on.


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

camero7 said:


> Must be a language thing.


I hope not, I am English born and bred.



camero7 said:


> When I prepare for winter I am done in early September.


 Yes that's about right for us too.



camero7 said:


> You didn't mention anything about the broodless period. I feel you need to have healthy winter bees and that requires mite control in the fall, not the broodless period when they are all raised.


I said "Finish you OAV treatment and prepare for winter as normal so your hives survive." this will give him the nice healthy well fed winter bees, which we both agree are a necessity. 

I also said "If you neighbors hives crash and your hives get re-infested * then an OAV treatment in the broodless period in winter* will deal with that". 
Hives normally crash because of mites from August to late September early October so the neighbors hives will re infest the hives in this time span. Probably to cold for a thymol or formic acid treatment, that's the reasoning behind using oxalic acid. Since there are only small amounts of brood being reared, if any, it makes sense to wait for the winter broodless period when we know our treatments are the most effective.

I think maybe you thought I was talking about a broodless period before fall.

I also hope bob's bees gets the advice he is looking for.


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## Bob's Bees (Mar 18, 2015)

Thanks for all the input. Maybe I will walk over tonight and see if he would like for me to help out with an oav program. 

I'll keep on keepin' on with mine. Just got back from a business trip and haven't seen any of the girls with dwv today so maybe I'm getting a handle on things.

Thanks


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Well, I would mind my own bees and my own business.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Not seeing the DWVs does not say whether or not they are mite less. It is a sign that
the mite infestation is low or still inside the cap broods. We try oav them once the broods
are emerging over time. You can still use formic if you want to. When in cluster mode it is
harder to treat with oav. You can try again in the early Spring time when the weather permits free
flying bees. I rather do it before they go into cluster mode.


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

Clyderoad


> Well, I would mind my own bees and my own business.


:thumbsup:
gww


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## Bob's Bees (Mar 18, 2015)

I agree 100% beepro. 

I will do another oav treatment tomorrow and continue to monitor via the sticky board and do a sugar roll next week.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

enjambres said:


> You mite counts sound like they could be simply the result of less-than-effective HopGuard, so maybe not the fault of the mite-bomb. But with DWV visible you need to keep up the pressure on your own mites.


+1

Many say once a year is not enough, mite populations build in the fall. If you are seeing DWV now that means your bees were infected at least 21 days ago, if you effectively treat now you won't see DWV clear up for another 21 days after treatment. 

If you are using an ineffective mite treatment during the wrong time of the year, it be could they are also mite bombs.


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## Bob's Bees (Mar 18, 2015)

ok


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I got my MAQS on this year about two or two-and-a-half weeks earlier than I did last year. I have no evidence to support that I was late last year. Other than it felt a little bit late. Having it pretty well out of the way now means the bees feeding the winter bee larva should be relatively mite free as well.

My regimen has been MAQS sometime around now and then an OA treatment (usually OAV) when they're broodless as a clean-up. I'd like to skip the OA if possible, but there's no better time than to whack "all" the mites when there is no brood to mess with. I've been considering OAD and might give that a shot this year instead of OAV. Also thinking about those drywall shim strips too. I've got the stuff to make those, might put them on when the final supers come off here in a bit?

I say all that to say this: You cannot control what your neighboring beekeeper does. Treat yours as timely and effectively as you can. As long as his bees survive the fall there shouldn't really be an issue with mite drift for the most part. Unless there's a robbing problem. There's certainly a fall collapse concern, but it seems like most people lose their bees during the winter and unless it's AFB there isn't much harm done to anyone else in the area. There's likely many more bee colonies within flight range of your bees that you're unaware of... just manage your bees well and I think you'll be fine.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

clyderoad said:


> Well, I would mind my own bees and my own business.


good advice, next thing ya know folks will be wanting to know how to do mite counts and treat bee trees. :scratch:


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

clyderoad said:


> Well, I would mind my own bees and my own business.


:thumbsup:


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

How to do a mite count?
Cut them up with a small sharp razor blade will do. Jk!


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