Apiguard advice please?

[Brigsy]

Hello,

I thought I would be a good boy and try a conventional varroa treatment.

After removing the last supers, placed the tray with an eke.

Now they are bearding quite heavily as I have read they would.

The question is, should I make the entrance hole a tad larger as it is narrowed down for wasps and should I take the inspection tray out that that I just put in?

Or would that defeat the necessary fume build up?

Thanks


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[Swarm]

Leave them, it's quite normal.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks

 

[Finman]

.
Apiquard is thymol, and very good stuff agaist varroa.

.

 

[bpmurray]

They may initially react but they settle down after a while. You may also find that the queen goes off lay, but she starts up again. In fact, typically there's some left in the tray after the fourth week simply because they can't be bothered with it any more.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks for the help. Puts my mind at rest.

 

[psafloyd]

Leave them, it's quite normal.

 

[Brigsy]

Anyone tried placing the tray between boxes when running brood and a half? Just seen this as a recommendation on the faq.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Personally, I'd just put it on top of the lot - it works for 14x12 frames!

 

[Brigsy]

I have them on the top currently, and getting some drop. Maybe I shall experiment with the second dose betwixt the boxes. I was wondering about space for the bees to remove the gel, but I guess the gaps between the frames would suffice.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the rationale for putting the tray on top is so that they spread the gel as far and wide as possible when they remove it.
Another thing that's occured to me re:bearding - do you have the inspection tray inserted all the way in? there was some amended advice a few years ago that, with nationals as they were the smallest volume hives, you should not put the tray all the way in but leave a gap of a few inches to allow a little bit of air in to avoid excess fume build up.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks regarding the tray. Will try that. It's fully inserted at the mo.

I am getting the tray locating info from the apiguard faq.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am getting the tray locating info from the apiguard faq.

I know - seen it myself but I can't really see the thinking behind it - if having the tray on top works for the bigger frames, why faff around with putting it inbetween for broodandahalf? I'm not sure either whether they mean for the eke to deployed in that case as well?

 

[Brigsy]

I was thinking that it may get messy comb wise with an eke in the middle. I might as well lob it on top.

 

[GaryB]

Have just placed my Apiguard yesterday. I'm on brood and half, and have placed the tray between the boxes using an eke. Have the inspection board fully inserted, and thus far no bearding, however, the entrance block is still set on wide opening, as the colony is strong and thankfully so far this year no interest from wasps. Will be interesting what the mite drop will be when I go in for the second treatment.

 

[Finman]

I was thinking that it may get messy comb wise with an eke in the middle. I might as well lob it on top.

We put our thymol on the top of frame bars.

Dosage should be according the hive room.

 

[Brigsy]

Have you done that before Gary? Did it get messy?

 

[GaryB]

Have you done that before Gary? Did it get messy?

No this is my first attempt at this. I'm hoping that it won't be too messy with comb, as they are still busy filling the super. Will let you know how it goes, as I'll take a peek next week just to see what they are up to in the eke.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks. I shall have made my gamble by then already! I'm tempted to try without an eke if I go for in the middle. One of us will get it right!

 

[madasafish]

Thymol needs warmth to work.. To enable the vapour to permeate the colony. So warmest place is best.

On top of frames under insulated crownboard is best...