Get Ready for Varroa this Spring

Spring varroa management
Lately at HBS we've seen some customers get caught by surprise by this new pest. Varroa is very new to Australia and Australian beekeepers are still getting used to the way that varroa works within our landscape and the way it fits into our beekeeping year.

Spring and the last honey flow of the summer are the two most crucial times of year when it comes to varroa management. At Hornsby Beekeeping Supplies we've seen that in these early days it's easy to get caught out by varroa. Mites reproduce in brood. As the amount of brood in the hive goes up in spring, mite numbers will go up as well.

A hive that has a high mite load in spring will have a much higher number of mites in summer, and even more in autumn and winter. Managing mite at the beginning of spring will give your girls the best chance of remaining healthy and productive throughout the rest of the season.

This spring, make sure you test and monitor your mite infestation before it catches you by surprise. Make yourself aware of the treatments available, plan your integrated pest management strategy, and hope for a productive spring!


Testing and monitoring
You should be regularly testing and monitoring your hives for varroa. Remember that the NSW DPI requires that all beekeepers report mite infestations. There are three approved methods for varroa testing and monitoring in NSW: alcohol wash, sugar shake, soapy water wash, and sugar shake.
With the first two treatments, you unfortunately end up with 300 dead bees. With the sugar shake you get 300 grumpy girls!

You can also test for mites in your hive by uncapping drone brood. This method, however, only tells you if you have mites in the hive, not now many there are, so you shouldn't rely on this as your only testing method.

A heavily infested hive will show signs of 'parasitic mite syndrome'. You can read more about this at Bee Aware (click on 'effects').


Integrated pest management
Varroa management is not as simple as putting strips in the hive. To keep your hives as healthy as possible, you should understand the life cycle of the mite in your hive and reduce the level of mites in the hive using non-chemical methods as well.

Some non-chemical methods of managing varroa include drone trapping, queen isolation, mesh bottom baseboards, and even the Bee Gym.


Treatments
At Hornsby Beekeeping Supplies, we currently stock two synthetic treatments for varroa, Apivar and Bayvarol. We also have two organic treatments in stock, Apiguard and Formic Pro.

Read the DPI Primefact on Varroa Mite Management to inform yourself on the range of different treatments that are available.

Please give our friendly staff a ring if you would like to discuss which varroa treatment is right for you.


Keep yourself informed.
At HBS we recommend the book Control of Varroa, published in New Zealand.
The National Varroa Mite Program is running free workshops.
You can report the presence of absence of varroa in your hives to the DPI here.
Read the DPI Primefact on Varroa mite lifecycle and testing.