During a visit in my apiary I saw some bees on the ground with deformed wings, it was during my weekly inspection that I saw a young Varroa Mite on a brood and an adult Varroa Mite on a bee this confirmed that a colony was infested by Varroa Mites. Varroa mites are external honeybee parasites that attack both the adults and the brood, with a distinct preference for drone brood. They suck the blood from both the adults and the developing brood, weakening and shortening the life span of the ones on which they feed. Emerging brood may be deformed with missing legs or wings. Untreated infestations of varroa mites that are allowed to increase will kill honeybee colonies. Losses due to these parasitic mites are often confused with causes such as rainyday mortality and queenlessness if the colonies are not examined for mites. Varroa Mites start to attack during the dearth period where there is a scarcity of of food for the bees, Varroa can easily overwhelm a colony, there are two types of Varroa Mites: The Varroa Jacobsoni and the Varroa Destructor which are both serious pest of honey bee colonies worldwide. Treatments that is widely used to control Varroa Mites was the "Apistan" which fight mites through contact, the ratio is 1:5 which is 1 strip of apistan is to 5 Frames in the colony and will be hanged on colony for 6-8weeks. Apistan strips contain the miticide fluvalinate and are not to be used during honey flow, or when there is surplus honey present in the colony that may be removed for human consumption at a later date. Therefore, during the start of dearth period, after removal of surplus honey or prior to honey flow, are the best times to treat for varroa mites. I already had those Apistan strips with me and are ready to treat the colony that is affected by the mites.
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Dilan's Apiary
Address: Kagudoy Road, Basak, Lapu-Lapu City Archives
June 2022
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