Spring Varroa Treatment Checklist: 8 Steps Before April 30

Completing all 8 spring checklist steps reduces summer peak mite loads by an average of 35% compared to skipping spring monitoring. That improvement compounds across the season, a lower spring baseline means the summer threshold takes longer to reach, giving you more time before fall treatment becomes urgent. Getting spring right doesn't just matter for spring. It sets the trajectory for the entire year.

Here are the 8 steps every beekeeper should complete before April 30.

TL;DR

Spring mite counts can be deceptively low because small winter populations have not had time to grow yet
Mite populations can double every 4-6 weeks during the spring buildup period
The spring treatment decision should be based on a mite count, not on calendar date alone
A spring count of 1% or above warrants treatment before the population grows into summer
Formic acid and oxalic acid extended vaporization are the primary spring options that avoid PHI issues
VarroaVault's spring monitoring reminders fire at the right time based on your region's buildup calendar

Step 1: Winter Survival Count

Before anything else, count your surviving colonies and document any winter losses. Note the loss date (if known), the last recorded mite level, and any treatment history for the lost colony.

Winter losses with high pre-winter mite counts confirm varroa as the likely cause and create a data point for improving fall treatment timing next year. Winter losses in low-mite colonies suggest other factors (stores, cluster position, disease) and warrant investigation.

Log in VarroaVault: Create a Colony Loss event for each winter death. Select "Varroa-related" or "Other" as the suspected cause. Your loss data contributes to your annual loss rate calculation.

Step 2: Baseline Mite Count on All Surviving Colonies

Every surviving colony needs a mite count before April 30. This is your annual baseline, the starting point from which you'll track the season's mite trajectory.

Use alcohol wash for accuracy. Sample 300 bees from a brood frame. Calculate the percentage: mites divided by bees, times 100.

Record in VarroaVault: Log each count under the colony's Mite Count section. Enter count date, method (alcohol wash), mites found, bees sampled, and the calculated percentage. The app records the baseline automatically.

Step 3: Assess the Baseline Against Threshold

For April, the treatment threshold is 1%. Colonies above 1% in April are building toward summer pressure and warrant treatment now.

Compare each colony's count to the April threshold in your VarroaVault dashboard. The threshold indicator shows you at a glance which colonies are above, at, or below the monthly threshold.

Don't apply a uniform late-summer threshold to spring. A colony at 1.5% in April will reach 3% by July without intervention. A colony at 0.3% in April is on a safe trajectory for spring buildup.

Step 4: Treat Colonies Above Threshold

Any colony above 1% in April needs treatment. Spring treatment options:

OA dribble: Best option if the colony is still broodless or has minimal brood. High efficacy, zero PHI concern, gentle on the colony.

Formic acid (MAQS or Formic Pro): Appropriate once temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. One MAQS strip per colony under 5 frames; two strips for full colonies.

Apivar: Good for any queenright colony with brood. Insert strips in late March/early April and the 42-56 day treatment window concludes before major honey flow in most regions.

Log the treatment in VarroaVault immediately, including product, dose, and colony ID. The PHI expiry date calculates automatically.

Step 5: Schedule and Log the Follow-Up Count

Every treatment needs a follow-up count at 14-21 days after treatment completion. Schedule this now, before you forget.

The follow-up count confirms treatment efficacy. A successful treatment should reduce the count by at least 70%. If efficacy is below 70%, investigate possible resistance or re-infestation.

In VarroaVault: Log a Follow-Up Count reminder from the treatment record. The app schedules it automatically at the correct post-treatment interval based on the product used.

Step 6: Equipment Check

While you're doing your spring colony assessments, check your monitoring and treatment equipment:

Alcohol wash jars and isopropyl alcohol supply (70%)
Varroa counting tray or white bowl
PHI calendar or records for current treatments
Treatment storage: check expiry dates on any products carried over from last year

The treatment product shelf life guide covers expiry and storage requirements for each product. Expired or improperly stored treatments have reduced efficacy.

Step 7: Update Colony Notes and History

Spring is the right time to review last year's records and update colony notes with any relevant history:

Did this colony show treatment resistance last year?
Was it a high performer or low performer?
What queen line is it from?
Any notes about unusual mite pressure or behavior?

Complete records in VarroaVault become more valuable year over year. A colony record with 3+ seasons of data reveals patterns you simply can't see in a single season.

Step 8: Set the Season's Monitoring Schedule

Before April 30, set up your entire season's monitoring schedule in VarroaVault. At minimum:

May count (all colonies)
June count (all colonies)
July count (all colonies)
August 1, critical count and treatment window alert
September follow-up
October/November broodless OA dribble

The early spring varroa monitoring checklist provides additional guidance on spring assessment priorities. The spring mite management guide covers the full seasonal context.

VarroaVault's spring checklist pre-populates completion status from your existing account records. If you've already logged a count, it marks that step complete. You only need to complete the steps that are genuinely outstanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 8 spring varroa steps before April 30?

The 8 steps are: (1) conduct a winter survival count and document any losses; (2) do a baseline mite count on every surviving colony; (3) compare each count to the April threshold of 1%; (4) treat any colonies above 1% with an appropriate spring treatment; (5) schedule a follow-up count at 14-21 days post-treatment; (6) check and restock your monitoring and treatment equipment; (7) update colony notes with relevant history from the previous season; and (8) set up your full-season monitoring schedule in advance. Completing all 8 steps before April 30 establishes the data baseline and treatment foundation that drives better outcomes through summer and into fall.

How do I track completion of my spring varroa checklist?

VarroaVault's spring checklist view shows all 8 steps with completion status for each colony. Steps that are verified complete based on existing records, such as a mite count already logged or a treatment already entered, are marked automatically. Steps that require action show as outstanding. You can complete them directly from the checklist view or navigate to the relevant colony record. The checklist dashboard gives you an at-a-glance view of which colonies still need which steps, so you can prioritize your apiary visits efficiently during the spring inspection window.

Does VarroaVault auto-check steps I have already completed?

Yes. VarroaVault pulls completion status from your existing records. If you've already logged a winter survival count, a baseline mite count, or a treatment application, those steps are marked complete automatically. The system checks each step against the relevant record type in your account: mite count logs confirm steps 2 and 3, treatment logs confirm step 4, and scheduled reminders confirm step 5. Equipment checks and colony notes (steps 6 and 7) require manual confirmation since they're physical tasks. Step 8 (monitoring schedule setup) checks whether your upcoming reminder queue has the standard seasonal count dates populated.

How do I know if my varroa treatment is working?

Run a mite count 2-4 weeks after the treatment ends and compare it to your pre-treatment count. The efficacy formula is: ((pre-count - post-count) / pre-count) x 100. A result above 90% indicates effective treatment. Results below 80% should trigger investigation for possible resistance, application error, or reinfestation. Log both counts in VarroaVault to track efficacy trends across treatment cycles.

How often should I check mite levels in my hives?

At minimum, once per month (every 3-4 weeks) during the active season. Increase to every 2 weeks when counts are near threshold or after a treatment to verify it worked. In fall, monitoring frequency matters most because the window to treat before winter bees are raised is narrow. VarroaVault's monitoring reminders can be set to your preferred interval for each apiary.

What records should I keep for varroa management?

Each record should include: date of count or treatment, hive identifier, monitoring method used, number of bees sampled, mites counted, infestation percentage, treatment product name and EPA registration number, dose applied, treatment start and end dates, and PHI end date. State apiarists typically expect this level of detail during inspections. VarroaVault captures all of these fields in a single log entry.

Sources

American Beekeeping Federation (ABF)
USDA ARS Bee Research Laboratory
Honey Bee Health Coalition
Penn State Extension Apiculture Program
Project Apis m.

Get Started with VarroaVault

The information in this guide is most useful when you have your own mite count data to apply it to. VarroaVault stores every count, flags threshold crossings automatically, and builds the treatment history you need for state inspections and effective management decisions. Start your free trial at varroavault.com.