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British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Varroa on Wasps

  • Environmental issues and concerns that affect beekeeping.
Environmental issues and concerns that affect beekeeping.
 #8854  by Thamesrenewables
 12 Sep 2020, 16:04
Hi
On my fortnightly internal inspection found a couple of wasps one of which had 2 varroa mites on it.
Could they bring them in or perhaps picked them up in the hive or whilst scavenging the rejects?

They must of got in early morning or been very fearless in the day with my two bee wide entrance!

Also does anyone know whether the chemicals for treating varroa get into the honey?

Thanks
 #8856  by Patrick
 12 Sep 2020, 16:27
I know there are a variety of opinions on this but finding wasps in hives is not a “good thing” - keep a close eye. They could of course have just nipped in when you had the hive open.

Can’t comment on how they picked up mites but regarding honey contamination, I would not treat anything apart from hypothetically icing sugar dusting perhaps, whilst extractable supers were on. I don’t know about OA sublimating guys, best to hear from them direct regarding that.

You are supposed to be able to do so with MAQs, but I don’t. Tbh, by the time I want or need to treat all supers are off anyway.
 #8859  by NigelP
 12 Sep 2020, 19:07
Fascinating, never heard of varroa on wasps. Perhaps they mistook them for bees?
 #8867  by Thamesrenewables
 13 Sep 2020, 10:42
Thanks for replies.
I’m trying to keep tolerant of all the bee predation, so am not going to hunt kill the dragon flies , stag beetles, hornets, wasps, birds, mice etc that are enjoying Bee for pudding (and each other) outside the hive but finding mites on the wasps makes me think that perhaps predation might also move the mites around species outside?
The two mites on the wasp were thorax and head . Have piccy.

Not skilled or enthusiastic about chemical treatment regimes cos unknown sublimation etc but accept it might be necessary.
Am Just starting to trial some eucylptus bark to deter wasps ( they are welcome to clear up outside though) and Thyme oil to deter/ annoy any mites .
Im insulation the Hives end of September with all the packaging from lockdown shopping ( bubble wrap for heat and cardboard for moisture).
Best Regards
 #8870  by Chrisbarlow
 13 Sep 2020, 18:26
Can you post the piccy? Would love to see that
 #8871  by huntsman.
 13 Sep 2020, 19:06
<The two mites on the wasp were thorax and head . Have piccy.>

Varroa feed on the hymolymph ( bee blood) and generally access this by piercing between the sections of the abdomen where it is readily available.

Wasps may be pretty similar so IMO finding two varroa on a wasp's head and thorax where there is
little hymolymph, leads me to think they were only there by accident.
 #8872  by Chrisbarlow
 13 Sep 2020, 19:36
A piece of research from last year now suggesting varroa don't feed on bee blood but the bee fat body organ...

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190114161137.htm

As varroa originally jumped species from apis cerana to apis millifera, another species jump is not in the realms of impossible. When it came from Apis Cerana, it was varroa jacobsoni, there has been research to suggest there are multiple sub species around the world of varroa but the most common is varroa destructor. The dominant type in the UK. But who knows
 #8878  by Steve 1972
 14 Sep 2020, 11:21
Thamesrenewables wrote:
13 Sep 2020, 10:42
Thanks for replies.
I’m trying to keep tolerant of all the bee predation, so am not going to hunt kill the dragon flies , stag beetles, hornets, wasps, birds, mice etc that are enjoying Bee for pudding (and each other) outside the hive but finding mites on the wasps makes me think that perhaps predation might also move the mites around species outside?
The two mites on the wasp were thorax and head . Have piccy.

Not skilled or enthusiastic about chemical treatment regimes cos unknown sublimation etc but accept it might be necessary.
Am Just starting to trial some eucylptus bark to deter wasps ( they are welcome to clear up outside though) and Thyme oil to deter/ annoy any mites .
Im insulation the Hives end of September with all the packaging from lockdown shopping ( bubble wrap for heat and cardboard for moisture).
Best Regards
Try and do a bit of research on the Varrox pan type 12v vaporizer because it certainly sounds like your bees need treatment of some kind if they are to make it through winter..have a look on youtube loads of videos on the topic....Oxalic Acid mix..( :roll: ) is a natural treatment with no chemicals needed and it is totally safe for bees in all stages but lethal on Varroa..it is also safe for you providing you wear the correct type of face mask..once you get the hang of it and do a few test runs you will wonder what all the fuss was about.. ;)
 #8879  by AdamD
 14 Sep 2020, 12:54
Oxalic acid does dissipate from the hive quite quickly; other treatments such as thymol (Apiguard/Apilife Var) are not 'hard chemicals' such as Bayvarol/Apistan or Amitraz which many would be less comfortable using. It's quite possible that varroa get onto wasps however as it's only queens that get through winter, the varroa will not survive and will have, as a guess, minimal impact on the wasp colony (not sure if they would breed in a wasp nest in any case).

Will be interested to see the picture though (you need to upload to another site and link to it rather than upload it here, unfortunately).
 #8882  by Steve 1972
 14 Sep 2020, 19:55
I have tried Apilife Var and it was brutal ..dead brood in all stages chewed up on the inspection trays..never again..
I then moved over to Vaping Oxalic acid which stays as residue/dust inside the hive for around three days with great results..i did that for a few years but as hive numbers grew it became too time consuming so i moved over to a Gas Vap which gets the job done quickly... roughly 20 seconds per hive..however through other duties i could not deliver the dose required every five days for four vapes so i was not catching all the mites in emerging brood when doing it at seven day intervals..so last year i used Apitraz strips with great results and i will do the same this year..i simply apply the strips and leave the brood box alone for six weeks until the strips need removing..come the end of December i give each colony one or two vapes and they are good to go come spring..