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Author Topic: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted  (Read 5710 times)

Offline Animator

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Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« on: March 28, 2010, 06:48:16 pm »
Live in South Florida. Checking hives and found lots of little red bugs on hive cover.  Honey is about to start.  Can I wait to treat or should I toss out the idea of honey this year.  Or - should I wait and see. I favor trying to let natural selection take its course but are my hives surely doomed ?  Can I wait to treat varroa ?
Mike. 

Offline harvey

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2010, 06:51:25 pm »
If it is mites, couldn't you do a powdered sugar treatment?  That wouldn't affect your honey harvest would it?

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2010, 07:53:26 pm »
Recent studies suggest that sugar dusting is not effective.  On some levels I would like to see if they can survive but I think the consensus us that bees don't survive this type of problem. My real worry is this spreadimg to the other hives and a cascade effect.

Is leaving it alone an option ?
 

Offline hardwood

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2010, 08:00:33 pm »
If it were me I'd treat with oxalic acid. It's a little late for much else really, unless you wish to cede this year's honey.

Scott
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2010, 08:04:56 pm »
little bugs on the cover does not sound like mites.  do you have pictures?
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline doak

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2010, 08:51:36 pm »
Ditto what Kathyp says. never found any Varroa mites on the inside of covers:)doak

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2010, 09:16:39 pm »
Ok. Pics tomorrow.   I'll be awake then too !

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2010, 09:33:06 pm »
Better chance of small hive beetle.

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2010, 10:04:35 pm »
Nah.  No way on the SHB
mike

Offline Jahjude

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2010, 02:55:17 pm »
COme on Animator,thk i can speak on the behalf of others when i say that we're patiently awaiting the pictures.
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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2010, 11:59:07 pm »
Bad weather.   Will post as soon as it clears. 

Offline Bee Happy

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2010, 12:58:18 am »
 :pop:
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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2010, 09:06:51 am »
I'm with Kathy and doak...sounds like some kind of red mite or spider mite, not varroa.  I wouldn't describe varroa as a "bug", looks more like a red wax flake.
Rick

Offline AllenF

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2010, 11:32:04 pm »
Red bugs = Chiggers if they were on leaves or pants legs.

Offline Paynesgrey

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Re: Honey flow about to start -varroa spotted
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2010, 10:57:19 am »
PennyRoyal plants will repel anything that chews or sucks blood, chiggers, fleas, ticks, if those are a problem where you are working. Works best to crush leaves and rub on skin, or on cuffs, socks etc,  but growing them in area discourages the bloodsuckers too. Pleasant smelling herb that grows like a weed once you get it going.