Does the old frames you put in a Swamp Trap need to be 100% honey free. To stop robbing? I'm setting one up (first time). Two frames I plan have some honey in the corner. Less than a hand print size all together on both frames. Dig it out? Wash it out? Leave it alone? Thanks,
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Hello- I was at the monthly HOCOBA meeting yesterday and recall Dave saying there was something in particular he uses at Thanksgiving to treat for varroa. Does anyone remember what he recommends? Thanks
Does anyone else have the issue of their queens already stopped laying eggs? Just checked on them sept 1st and there were no eggs or larvae in either hive. I didn’t see either queen either, but there’s been a few times when i couldn’t find her.
They may reduce brood at this time of year but generally there are a few brood being raised. If you treated for varroa with some of the organic chemical that can cause them to abscond if it is hot with full treatments. One of my mentees treated with a full dose of apiguard 3+ weeks ago causing two of his hives to abscond. The bees that remained were those that have emerged since then and no queen or chance of queen rearing. you should be see some brood. I have two hives that are experiencing chalk brood right now so there are lots of eggs but very little capped brood.
OA oxalic acid . During that time of the year the hive is broodless and OA can be very effective. You need to apply it on a relatively warm day such that the hive is not clustered to tightly. I like to hit my three times during that time of the year with OA vapor bringing the hive to close to no mites as possible. I find the OA vapor to have a near 90% efficacy based on the mite drop during treatment; so three treatments get near a 99.9% reduction in mites. Be careful using the OA dribble although I have never used I have heard on line where multiple treatments can be damaging to the colony.