Ok, varroa destructor is a nasty little bug, but, some folks panic about them, some kill half their bee colonies treating them, and others don't treat for them at all.Truth be told, varroa is ever present in most hives, but the bees cope, until another few factors cripple them.
Anyone with bees have bad varroa infestations? Also, what measures do you take to combat varroa?
We used formic acid this year... and gave a friend who had one hive some strips, to help him with his failing colony.
In saying that, they don't seem to bother a healthy hive, but because we're in the royal jelly buisness, varroa in the cells means no harvest for us. We usually stop our season when we start to see varroa in the royal cells ,and we treat them, and let them do their own thing till the following spring.
As I said last year, used strips one year. Seems not to bother them here although it is almost certainly present.
I realise this is a long time ago but I'll respond anyway "for the record" as it were.
Varroa is endemic in Europe, there are one or two so called varroa free zones, small islands, otherwise they will be present in any colony to a greater or lesser extent.
I never use any artificial treatments in my hives, no nasty insecticides and no herbal infusions, nothing, zero, zilch.
The INRA control studies run over 15 years concluded that there was no significant difference in colony life between treated and untreated colonies that weren't manipulated and were allowed to swarm.
Chris
We have used thyme oil at the end of season, to give them one less thing to worry about for winter..... but, in summer, yes, we see varroa, but the bees deal with it as long as there are no other factors to deal with, the colony is strong enough to combat them.
Had it in the UK, used strips one year and did not do much else. Vanished and that was that for several years until I had to quit to move anyway.