Managing Varroa Mite Infestation in My First Year of Beekeeping Business - Oxalic Acid

In my first year of beekeeping, I never anticipated the trouble that Varroa mites would cause. Starting with two beehives in May, I was overjoyed when my July mite count showed zero mites in both hives, thinking I'd avoided a season of mite issues. However, a September test told a different story. Varroa mites, these tiny bee parasites, can transmit deadly viruses, endangering the colony's survival. In September, my mite counts revealed 3% infestation in one hive, just under 2% in another, and 5% in yet another. It was clear that treatment was needed. After researching, I chose oxalic acid vaporization. Treating Hive one and two, I awaited the next week's results. Later, I found 8% mite infestation in Hive two, prompting me to treat all six hives. I monitored mite drops using a cardboard board, observing a significant drop within 48 hours. Two days post-treatment, Hive two showed a 9% infestation, raising concerns about the treatment's effectiveness. I decided to wait for the next test, which indicated 13% infestation, pushing me to treat all hives once more. A subsequent test in Hive two yielded 5% infestation, and Hive three had slightly over 3%. As Hive one struggled more with mites and brood production declined, I switched to Apivar strips. In my October 14 check, I found only 2% mite infestation. I'll closely monitor mites and plan to treat with oxalic acid in November when there's no brood. With luck, my hives will survive the winter. Stay tuned for an update after the final treatment! 🍯🐝 Join me on this journey: https://www.youtube.com/@TinyFarm?sub... Varroa Mite Treatment $100: Oxalic Acid Vaporizer: https://amzn.to/3Qj45Pa Oxalic Acid: https://amzn.to/47dWzfb Apivar: https://amzn.to/3QnG7lA Items that I bought for my beekeeping business: Honey Extractor: https://amzn.to/44QVKHG Honey Harvesting Kit: https://amzn.to/3PlfoWh Medium Honey Super: https://amzn.to/3rizo3Z Queen Bee Marking Kit: https://amzn.to/46e5fS2 Scale Load Cell: https://amzn.to/3Zm5Q2c Music: Inspiring Orchestra Composed by Rafael Krux, Orchestralis.net Tiny Farm occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. As Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.