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Mite wash came back at 9 per 300 — treat now or wait for the flow to end?

Did an alcohol wash this morning on my strongest hive and counted 9 mites. Main nectar flow has maybe 2 weeks left. Do I pull supers and treat with formic now, or risk the wait? Temps are 22–28°C all next week. Bees look strong, brood pattern is solid. I have Formic Pro and Apivar on hand.
#varroa#formic-acid#mite-wash
▲ 47 votes 💬 4 replies ✅ Solved
4 replies
CorkBeeRon · Jun 4, 2026 · ✅ Accepted answer
At 9/300 you're over threshold — don't gamble. Formic Pro works with supers on if temps stay under 29°C. Two weeks of brood damage isn't worth the honey.
KiwiBeek · Jun 4, 2026
Seconding this. I waited two weeks last year in a similar spot and lost the colony by September. Don't.
SkaneBees · Jun 4, 2026
9/300 = 3% — that's economic threshold + 50%. If you're already weighing options the answer is treat. Strong colonies bounce back from a slightly shorter flow window much better than they bounce back from severe varroa damage in autumn.
ImkerinLena · Jun 4, 2026
Watch the temps closely though — formic over 30°C will cook the queen. If you're touching 29 the day of application, switch to one of the cooler protocols. With Apivar you'd need supers off anyway.
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