# deformed wing virus?



## Orion (Jun 18, 2007)

I found a couple of bees walking around outside the hive with significantly deformed wings. Lot’s of activity at the entrance with loads of pollen being brought in. Should I do a mite count or sugar treatment? What do you all think I should do?

Thanks Orion


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

*deformed wing*

Do a Varroa mite counts 1st!
Ernie


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## Orion (Jun 18, 2007)

OK I will do that tuesday when I get off duty.

Thanks Orion


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Get a treatment lined up. If their wings are deformed then you have a serious mite problem.


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## papar (Apr 10, 2007)

*mites*

Deformed wing is a virus brought into your hive by mites. The bees, when finding a bee with deformed wing, will kick that bee out within about 24 hrs. Good luck with your treatment


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## MIKI (Aug 15, 2003)

This is a bad time to choose to start counting mites, had you been doing it all along you would have already treated so the answer is you should have already treated the second you saw the problem. If the colony survives and it is a big "if" mite monitoring should be part of a regular program this way you will be able to treat prior to the onset of DWV!


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## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

Treat as as soon as you can,if a large proportion of brood/young bee's has deformed wing virus,then you can treat and kill every last mite in the hive, but the virus can carry on infecting more brood without the mites,the virus in itself becomes self perpetuating. Colonys are usually doomed when,or if they get to this stage.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

I agree with everything posted . Odds are the hive is doomed, but may survive if the varroa can be knocked down quickly.It is true that the virus will have to run its course even after the mites are controlled.These viruses are everywhere now and it seems to take less varroa in the hive to trigger problems than it used to.
Mites ,viruses, and nosema C. seems to still be #1 topic in beek discussions.Seems if these are under control and bees are well fed,No CCD!


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

As others have said......... time to treat.

I have had good luck with oxalic vaporization
in situations like yours.

What have you been treating mite loads with??


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## Orion (Jun 18, 2007)

This hive is a split from last year with a new-banked queen in the fall. I did a might check in August and another this fall and showed only a few mites. At least nothing that concerned me. With other hives I have used a series of powder sugar sifts or a Mite-Away 2 treatment but latter hive failed anyway. Temps here have been in the 60s but they are forecasting cooler temps to come. 
Should I do a count then treat light if lower mite counts or just pull out the big guns if the temps hold? If I can get a handle on the mites what do I do to reduce the virus if there is anything?

Thanks all! Orion


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Orion said:


> Should I do a count then treat light if lower mite counts or just pull out the big guns if the temps hold?


My understanding and what I take action on, is that if
you're seeing DMV it's time to hit it hard. (actually past
time).

You can do an oxalic trickle at lower temps if they are
clustered. But at 60's they should be flying and I'd opt
for oxalic vapor myself.

Or.......... kill off the colony and opt for a more hygenic
queen.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

After getting the mites down, there really isn't any proven way to help them get over the virus issues.
Having said that, some beeks think feeding syrup with essential oils (HBH or similar) has a beneficial anti-viral effect.I tend to lean in that direction,too.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

In my experience, a couple of bees with DWV doesn't, alone indicate a severe varroa infestation. The disease is usually vectored by varroa but if you only have a few diseased bees your infestation may still be low. I don't know what your climate is like but if your weather is mild and your bees are producing a lot of brood you may still be in very good shape. Don't overreact. Determine, by whatever method you prefer, how serious your mite load is and treat accordingly.


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## Robert Brenchley (Apr 23, 2000)

I spotted DMV in one of my hives the other day. It's a bit of a dilemma since it's one that was passed on to me in December, so I know little about previous treatment. I treated it with oxalic along with my other hives last month. Mite fall was heavier than the others, but nothing exceptional. It's a massive cluster, and from what I could see from a quick look, may have a fair bit of brood in there. That could explain it if there are mites in the cells. I don't think there's much I can do but hang on till the weather warms up sufficiently to use Apiguard.


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## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

This is the way I would handle the situation…

I would remove all sealed brood combs and burn them and would give the colony empty combs so the queen can start again. 
The brood free hive is ready for a two times treatment with oxalic acid evaporation a week apart. In a few weeks I would have a virus and mite free healthy colony. 

If you have no vaporizer you can put Thymol strips in the hive. In your location, thousands of colonies coming from your whole country for the almond, there must be an unbelievable reinfestation from mites. Thymol will kill all newcomers, Varroa and tracheal mites, and even mites in closed cells.

Mite count is not a treatment against DWV, to save the hive and the other nearby colonies you must act as soon as possible.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

While making the colony broodless would certainly help get a good control on the mites, I believe that would be kinda drastic! Unless the hive is very high on mite counts (which means they are in trouble regardless) killing all brood would weaken the colony and in all likely hood kill a good number of healthy bees(brood). It would be three weeks before any new bees hatched.....and at this time of the year would significantly delay buildup!


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

I've pulled colonies with some pretty advanced DWV through by treating right away (with vaporized OA at the time, now I'm more into Apiguard) and babying them a bit. Now that I've altered my general management and monitored better, they don't that bad mitewise. But for your colony I'd say get all medieval on their little mite butts ASAP .


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I like Axtmann's suggestion. It is a little less drastic than the one i chose.

I had a hive that was in a simillar situation to yours. I chose to destroy the bees and comb in prevention of it spreading to other hives. I chose this method because i uncapped several brood bees soon to "hatch" and they were sick. As well, I watched some emgerge or trying to emerge that were sick. The healthy looking bees ignored these sick ones. I chose to destroy rather than move these frames to another hive. 

If i have another hive like this and i probably will, i will try Axtmann's method.


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## Robert Brenchley (Apr 23, 2000)

I can't do another oxalic treatment as it's still the same generation of winter bees that I treated before. It's far too cold for thymol to work, and mites locally are resistant to fluvalinate. So I'll just have to hope for the best! If they come through the next month, then the broodnest should be expanding well, and they should keep ahead of the mites. They might turn the corner even earlier than that; it's a hybrid colony that I only acquired in December, and they've got a massive cluster with a bigger broodnest than my others. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed meanwhile! 

I made a mistake putting that one next to the shed as they're a bit stingy.


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## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

Robert Brenchley

You should treat with OA liquid only once per bee generation, but with an OA vaporizer you can treat as often as necessary.... a week apart. 
The vapor in the right amount (1/2 teaspoon per 10 frames) has no harm to bees, queen or brood. 

When treating with a vaporizer be sure the temperature are a few degrees above freezing.


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