Advice when treating for varroa

[Jaxxmac]

Despite an autumn treatment last year with Amitraz my hive has varroa and DWV. I'm treating now with Apilife Var and have removed supers but after waiting ages for the temp to be high enough it's now sunny and really hot. I'm worried the bees will have trouble regulating the temp of the brood box or will run out of space and could do with some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing. Should I give them their super back so they have room and not take any honey from that one this year? Or just grit my teeth until the treatment is over - another 2 weeks left.
Also wondering if I should use something other than Amitraz for the autumn treatment... I counted 0 mites after treating so I doubt it didn't work but don't want to build resistance.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The trouble with amitraz is, it's been splashed around like a bottle of Brut and it seems now that mites are developing a resistance to it.

 

[Jaxxmac]

The trouble with amitraz is, it's been splashed around like a bottle of Brut and it seems now that mites are developing a resistance to it.

Yep, used the thymol trays (apiv

The trouble with amitraz is, it's been splashed around like a bottle of Brut and it seems now that mites are developing a resistance to it.

Yep, used apiguard first couple years I had bees but mentor said that apivar was needed so used that for last 2 treatments. Might go back to the apiguard

 

[Ian123]

Despite an autumn treatment last year with Amitraz my hive has varroa and DWV. I'm treating now with Apilife Var and have removed supers but after waiting ages for the temp to be high enough it's now sunny and really hot. I'm worried the bees will have trouble regulating the temp of the brood box or will run out of space and could do with some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing. Should I give them their super back so they have room and not take any honey from that one this year? Or just grit my teeth until the treatment is over - another 2 weeks left.
Also wondering if I should use something other than Amitraz for the autumn treatment... I counted 0 mites after treating so I doubt it didn't work but don't want to build resistance.

Don’t forget with any autumn treatments you can still have a considerable amount of brood reared before winter. Plus robbing hives can bring the buggers back. Consider in future a winter oxalic in conjunction to give a better/cleaner start to the year ahead. Ian

 

[Jaxxmac]

Don’t forget with any autumn treatments you can still have a considerable amount of brood reared before winter. Plus robbing hives can bring the buggers back. Consider in future a winter oxalic in conjunction to give a better/cleaner start to the year ahead. Ian

Thanks Ian, not tried oxalic (apart from rhubarb leaves dotted about). Will have to do some research and find out the most cost effective way to manage it for just 2 hives.

 

[ericbeaumont]

used apiguard first couple years I had bees but mentor said that apivar was needed

Why?

 

[Seaholly]

Thanks Ian, not tried oxalic (apart from rhubarb leaves dotted about). Will have to do some research and find out the most cost effective way to manage it for just 2 hives.

We have two hives and bought an economy vapouriser and pack of Apibioxal oxalic acid crystals for £35 from Beekeeping Supplies (other suppliers are available). We already had a 12v battery as we run moth traps so you would need to factor this in if you don't have one. You can pick up a rechargeable one that will do the job for around £18 online. Worked fine for our small number of hives.

 

[Jaxxmac]

We have two hives and bought an economy vapouriser and pack of Apibioxal oxalic acid crystals for £35 from Beekeeping Supplies (other suppliers are available). We already had a 12v battery as we run moth traps so you would need to factor this in if you don't have one. You can pick up a rechargeable one that will do the job for around £18 online. Worked fine for our small number of hives.

Thanks

 

[Jaxxmac]

Why?

Still not sure why. Got told it was better at killing off varroa. Not going to argue with a life times worth of experience when I'm new and clueless

 

[ericbeaumont]

Still not sure why. Got told it was better at killing off varroa. Not going to argue with a life times worth of experience

Advice without clear explanation may be sound advice or merely unjustified opinion, and there's plenty of that coming your way when you meet other beekeepers.

A lifetime of beekeeping is not necessarily accompanied by useful or modern guidance, so beware. The sooner you disconnect from your mentor the quicker you will learn - by making your own decisions and from the successes and mistakes that result.

For example, what is your view on the ethics of putting chemicals in a colony?

Apiguard is a thymol fumigant with no real consequences, ApiLifeVar a similar thymol-eucalyptus-camphor fumigant with organic accreditation, while Apivar is a different beast entirely.

The Apiarist (good source of practical information) tells the Apivar-Apitraz-Amitraz story and describes the route to resistance.

 

[Jaxxmac]

Advice without clear explanation may be sound advice or merely unjustified opinion, and there's plenty of that coming your way when you meet other beekeepers.

A lifetime of beekeeping is not necessarily accompanied by useful or modern guidance, so beware. The sooner you disconnect from your mentor the quicker you will learn - by making your own decisions and from the successes and mistakes that result.

For example, what is your view on the ethics of putting chemicals in a colony?

Apiguard is a thymol fumigant with no real consequences, ApiLifeVar a similar thymol-eucalyptus-camphor fumigant with organic accreditation, while Apivar is a different beast entirely.

The Apiarist (good source of practical information) tells the Apivar-Apitraz-Amitraz story and describes the route to resistance.

Thanks for pointing me in this direction. I have a hive in my chemical free garden and was reluctant to use insecticide on the bees but lacking in confidence and ideas as a newbee. Going to read the article and will be investigating some organic options.

 

[Micklemus81]

Advice without clear explanation may be sound advice or merely unjustified opinion, and there's plenty of that coming your way when you meet other beekeepers.

A lifetime of beekeeping is not necessarily accompanied by useful or modern guidance, so beware. The sooner you disconnect from your mentor the quicker you will learn - by making your own decisions and from the successes and mistakes that result.

For example, what is your view on the ethics of putting chemicals in a colony?

Apiguard is a thymol fumigant with no real consequences, ApiLifeVar a similar thymol-eucalyptus-camphor fumigant with organic accreditation, while Apivar is a different beast entirely.

The Apiarist (good source of practical information) tells the Apivar-Apitraz-Amitraz story and describes the route to resistance.

Your writings brings me to endorse your cleaver post by saying ----I bought a Nuc 11th June 2022, from a beekeeper fairly locally who advertises his honey as =no chemicals! the nuc came with between 600 and a thousand varroa. Thank god for Randy Oliver and his You Tube data.