[PerryBee]

While checking one of my hives I noticed the queen with a big ole mite right in the center of her thorax. I didn't want to mess her up trying to get it off so I left her alone. Will this mite just have a feed and move on or will it damage her in some way? :?:

Perry

 

[rast]

Unusual, usually the other bees keep her pretty well groomed. May have just caught it at the right time to see one hitching a ride.

 

[Charles]

As rast say's, the queen is very well kept, she is fed and groomed by the workers. Are you seeing this on alot of the bees or was it just one here and there?

 

[PerryBee]

Just on the very occasional bee. Most times I don't see any on the bees themselves, usually if I break open any drome comb. Couldn't miss this one though, always happy to see a queen even though I don't usually look for her, if I see eggs I'm happy. I am going to guess the mite will move on (or bee moved) but I guess I'm wondering if they damage the queen whilst there.

 

[Charles]

Highly doubtful they would allow the mite to be on there long enough to cause damage, as rast mentioned you just happened to see her just at that right time

 

[PerryBee]

Thanks Charles
I'll keep an eye open for her next time I'm in this hive.
Perry

 

[BjornBee]

Perry,
So...did you see it again?

BTW....what is the mite level in this hive now that were going into September?

 

[PerryBee]

Just typed half a novel and hit preview and lost it all!!!!!!! Now you get the condensed version.
This hive has no open brood and some capped brood. Two frames have capped supercedure cells. Guess we know how the story went.
Mite levels are starting to worry me but I am trying to hold off pulling supers till Sept. 15-20 as Goldenrod and Aster are out. I hate this balancing act, last year I held off and got lucky perhaps, no losses.
Canada has just been given a one year (till June 2010) allowance to use a product called Apivar, not sure if this is the same as Apigaurd on your side of the border. Part of my IPM is to not use the same control method (have used Formic (Mite away II) and Oxalic (vapour) and Apistan (do not want to try Checkmite) and was thinking I might try this (Apivar). I realize some may frown on the use of products like this but until more resistant stock becomes available I'm not sure what lies ahead.
Perry

 

[BjornBee]

Peery,
Api-life Var and Apiguard, are basically the same thymol based product. One is in wafer form and the other in a gel. It sounds the same.

Remember, any treatment should really be on in time to knock down the mite levels PRIOR to fall brood being raised. No sense knocking down mites after the damage to the winter bees have already done their damage. Not to say that knocking down mites anytime is not good, it is. Just that doing it later after the damage has been done is a bit of throwing your money away, and far less effectiveness or chances of truly helping the colonies that needed it.

 

[PerryBee]

Hey Bjorn:

Just looked into what Apivar's active ingredient is and it's something called Amitraz (3.33 %). It is applied in strip form much like Apistan or Checkmite. We have been seeing resistance to Apistan in some areas of NS and after talking to some other keeps I do not wish to use Checkmite. I will try to find out more about this Amitraz, seems to me I have heard of this somewhere before. Any thoughts?

Perry