HARDCORE Mite Elimination! Timing is everything!

Here we show you how to nuke the mites by using thoughtful splitting and treating.
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#Beekeeping #Beekeeper #Honeybee

[stackingforfun]

I did my first a day ago !! I had honey supers on but intend to use all resources on other hives that need to make weight !! I even planned on down sizing hives that need it to make them stronger!!

[jamesspiers]

Kamon, I am a brand new beekeeper here in Santa Cruz, Ca as of May 2019 and my bees are doing great. I started with a 5 frame NUC and they have grown rapidly into two supers. Recently I used miteaway strips and my bees bearded on the outside of the hive immediately for 3 days and then seemed to swarm... I waited 7 days, opened the hive, and removed the strips. I did not search for the queen at that time because I did not want to stress the bees anymore than they already were and there were so so many dead bees outside of the hive. I felt at that time it would be too much to disturb them more than they already had been. Needless to say I was crushed.. One point to note, is that when I did open the hive to remove the strips, it didn't seem that the bees swarmed due to the sheer quantity of bees still in the hive in both supers. I use eight frame supers and I plan on looking for the queen next week, which will be 3 full weeks from the use of the miteaway strips. I guess my question is, is this normal or did I do something wrong?

[danskisbees]

Good morning Kamon! I see a trend here. I find that I agree with you way too often, lol.

These treatment free suppliers have great bees, with VSH traits, no doubt about it. They've built up resistance through natural selection over the years. Their bees thrive under stress when others wouldn't. But we have to remember that we are not constantly splitting our hives and selling bees like they are. They may split a deep 3 or 4 ways, maybe more! So our mite counts are going to be higher. And once the mite level reaches a certain threshold (it could take up to 3 years with resistant stock), if we don't treat, we are going to loose the hive. It's just a matter of time, it's a numbers game. So you could say that treatment free suppliers manage their mites by constantly splitting their hives and selling them, thereby decreasing their might loads.

[russellkoopman]

That sticky board was so full of mites. Can you imagine the number of mites is they would have had one more chance to multiply? That hive would have been dead in 6-8 weeks.

[DstickSpearfishing]

This is the way to go, great advice Kamon

[SquirrelsForAll]

I use OA with great success. :)
I purchased a Johno's Easy Vap as it's a bit less expensive and honestly not very fancy, but it works.

[Ttenkampf]

It's pretty amazing that the colony had survived with that mite load, isn't it?

[zeb]

I wish you would give a date or month the video was filmed in for reference. Btw, great job, I really enjoy your videos!

[desmondsimmons]

Good info make splits this weekend and will be treating like you recommended.  Thanks for sharing .

[Joseph-Colin-EXP]

Why should OA be used when bloodless? And 2 can an OA drip be done with brood, since it's just physical contact?

[lindagray]

You amaze me with your knowledge of bees.

[cindydotson]

So, if you are not going to consume the honey, it would be OK to do an OA treatment with a honey super on the hive, right?

[saracarnicom]

Would you recommend using Formic Pro strips before or after the fall flow? Alcohol washes looked fine, but they're not super telling.

[tommythomason]

Hey Kamon, see a lot of people using the OA vapor but everybody shows doing it during the day. Why wouldn't you do it at night when 100% of the population is actually in the hive vs fogging when the foragers are out in the fields? Seems like that would give you the BEST coverage and "mite" even be able to drop the last treatment. Just a thought from the peanut gallery. Keep up the great work, learning a lot from you guys.

[Makermook]

So if the best time to treat for mites is when there's no capped brood to hide them, would it be a good idea to do an OA treatment on a new box of bees a few days after you put them into the hive?

[Rick]

Where do you drill the holes for using that unit?

[gerryaustin]

I am getting into bees for the second time, picking up a nuc Sat. Do I need to treat them within the first week? I dont have a vaporizer ($), will strips work?

[beebob]

Do you adjust your oxalic acid for your nucs. They are much smaller than a regular colony.

[mikereimold]

what do you use to power your  pro vap in the field

[yukonjeffimagery]

I am in a remote area of Alaska that don't have any other bees but mine. I going to do a mite check and start OA treatments soon. I hope I get every last one of them and be done with them little shits for good.