well that hive is eat up with them. don't know exact count(a lot). i was wondering if anyone knows where to get straight formic acid from? I'd like to do a flash treatment being mite away pads are not going to have enough time before it gets pretty warm here in S.C. i also read an article from the univ. of w.v. about wintergreen grease patti's.is anybody using this? this sucks, I've got my girls in trouble. i was really under the assumption from some other old time beekeepers in this area that if i left hives in direct sun light my numbers would probably never get out of hand. i ques that's why they call us newbee's, cause you really don't know what you're doing. any and all help appreciated.
The varroa mites will get out of hand weather or not the bees are in direct sunlight or not. Direct sunlight is better because it inhibits the SHB which prefers shadded hives. As for the mite, sugar shakes and drone cell destruction can do more for aiding the bees until they develop enough hygenic behavior for a manageable tolorence level to result. If you use a capping fork on the drone cells after they are capped yet leave the disrupted brood cells in the hive it will help reinforce the hygenic behavior of the bees, shortening the tolorence level development time.
