Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byBaldric Casey Modified over 8 years ago
1
Summer splits: Timing and technique for mite load reduction JAMES D. (DOUG) VINSON CONOVER, NORTH CAROLINA drjamvin@gmail.com
2
DOUG VINSON Catawba County Beekeepers Association Regional Director, Mountain Region, NCSBA
3
AN OUTLINE FROM THE PROGRAM TITLE Splits spring vs summer splits (starts) Timing scheduling summer splits scheduling queen production schedule of mite population growth Technique how it can be done
4
BUT FIRST, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
5
What are some major concerns/issues you have had with your bees in the past 12 months?
6
Winter losses? Queen issues? Absconding? Sick bees? Mite overload? Dwindling? Collapse?
7
This colony is in the final stage of collapse. The still-living (white) brood is clear evidence that collapse came rapidly. Although the area of brood is similar to that in Figure 8, note the lack of pollen stores due to the depleted forager force that preceded the final collapse. NO AMOUNT OF TREATMENT WILL SAVE THIS COLONY!! 30%+ HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?
8
OR THIS?
9
6 toes up THE BOTTOM LINE
10
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THESE PROBLEMS? Is it the varroa mite? Is it the viruses? Is it nosema? Is it the chemicals? Is it nutrition? Is it immune response disorder? Is it stress? Is it a combination of these?
11
“Varroa is still the problem”….Dr. Greg Hunt
12
For this discussion, lets assume that the mite/virus syndrome is a big player and that mite load reduction can be of some value
13
THE WAR AGAINST VARROA Interrupting varroa reproduction Hard chemical Soft chemicals IPM Selective breeding
14
ARE WE WINNING THE WAR?
15
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE UP FOR OUR LOSSES? Buy bees? Just give up?
16
THE PACKAGE BEE INDUSTRY WOW!
17
SPLITS (STARTS)
18
TRADITIONAL SPRING SPLITS PRESENT MANY INHERENT PROBLEMS WEATHER Fewer resources Fewer drones Slow buildup Queen availability Feeding issues
19
WHY DO SPLITS IN SUMMER? Reduce varroa mite population during the period of time that mite numbers are highest Increase for next season Healthier late season (winter) bees Sustainability ( buying fewer bees)
20
ADVANTAGES OF SUMMER (July) SPLITS OR STARTS Mite load reduction (reproductive cycle) Available queens (local), drones MUCH more flexible timetable Good weather Hedge against winter losses with overwintered nucs Greater resources (bees, brood etc.)
21
“Take your losses in the fall and make your increase in the spring” This advice may not apply as well as it use to
22
“Make your increase in summer to hedge against fall and winter losses” (And avert a mite explosion in early fall)
23
WHEN DID THE LIGHT BULB COME ON?
24
WE WERE SEEING THAT SUVIVORS HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMOM* Queenless periods during late summer Summer mated queens Mite reduction at a critical time Related to survivor stock Small nest cavity over winter *Nelson Canipe, CVBA
25
SO WE CONCLUDED THAT…… Summer splits have periods of queenlessness and therefore periods of no 8 day old open brood During this period, varroa has no place to breed so their reproductive cycle is interrupted The length of this period depends on how you requeen your split(s)
26
VALIDATION BY RECOGNIZED AUTHORITIES Randy Oliver Kurt Webster Mike Palmer Mel Disselkoen
27
TIMING YOUR ATTACK ON THE VARROA REPRODUCTION CYCLE
28
BE ACTIVE NOT REACTIVE
29
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER MITE POPULATION EXPLOSION HAS DEADLY IMPACT ON BEES Brood is stressed and dies dwindling begins Viruses run rampant collapse is likely Healthy, fat winter bees are not produced (This explosion is made worse by continuous brood rearing)
30
Notice what happens in August and September THE MITE POPULATION CYCLE
31
CREDIT: MEL DISSELKOEN
32
TIMING YOUR SUMMER SPLITS FOR MAXIMUM VARROA CONTROL (AND MAXIMUM INCREASE POTENTIAL)
33
SO HOW DO WE PUT THIS INFO TO WORK IN THE BEE YARD? Divide colonies in July to create a queenless state just before mites reach a deadly threshold in August and September Lack of uncapped (8 day old) brood will remove varroa breeding grounds Requeen with a summer mated queen Over winter in 5 frame nucs
34
Before the new queen can emerge, mate and begin to lay, all the old brood will have hatched with no replacement for up to 30 days THE MITE BREEDING GROUNDS ARE REMOVED
35
THE LEMMING EFFECT When the new queen begins to lay and 8 day old larva are available Mites that have been deprived breeding media are super anxious to resume survival breeding Mites enter cells in greater numbers (4+,up to 14!) than can be fed by the pupae hemolymph and starve
36
WHAT I DO AFTER HONEY HARVEST My goal with summer splits is to make as many five frame nucs as my resources will allow Make sure that the introduced queen is mated AFTER June 21 Overwinter these 5 frame boxes Or convert to larger equipment
37
2 frames of brood 1 frame of honey and pollen fill out with drawn comb + queen cell Note supplemental food sources
38
NUCS MADE JULY 2014
39
TIMING SUMMER QUEENS
40
WHERE DO THE QUEENS COME FROM? Non-grafting queen rearing techniques from colonies that you like Local stock from others Allow splits to make their own queens If you don’t want increase, just sacrifice all queens and you will get the benefit of mite reduction and a new queen, just no additional colonies
41
SUMMER QUEENS SHOULD BE MATED AFTER SUMMER SOLSTICE JUNE 21
42
OTS QUEEN REARING: A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR BEEKEEPERS WORLDWIDE By Mel Disselkoen
43
CELL FROM MEL’S NOTCHING TECHNIQUE
44
MANAGEMENT OF NEWLY MADE NUCS Move or leave in same apiary FEED Check for laying queen in a couple of weeks Remove brood as necessary for more splits or strengthen others Put to bed for winter
45
February 2, 2014
46
3-1-14
47
3-15-14
48
4-18-14
49
LATE APRIL
51
ABOUT MAY 1
52
JUNE 6-2014
53
WE ALL WANT TO MAKE HONEY! TINSTATMH
54
EVERY FRAME WAS FULL
55
JUNE 13, 2014
56
ANOTHER EXAMPLE/COMPARISON
57
MAY 5, 2015
59
JULY 13, 2015
60
RESOURSES IN JULY
64
JULY 2015 SPLITS
67
RECAP Queens mated AFTER June 21 st behave like spring queens and out breed mites July splits interrupt mite breeding cycle at a critical time (population explosion) The Lemming effect Overwintering in small nest cavities may help winter survival Using this technique, you may be able to hedge against winter losses
68
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Similar presentations
© 2024 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.