Apiguard and hive management

[alancooper]

I treat with Apiguard In June, a time when my colonies may or may not be swarming and I am still queen rearing for nucs. Each colony is in a different condition, for example size, temperament, Q status. I would usually treat them all at the same time for convenience. Is there any advice on staggering treatment to the benefit of a colony?

 

[Ian123]

I treat with Apiguard In June, a time when my colonies may or may not be swarming and I am still queen rearing for nucs. Each colony is in a different condition, for example size, temperament, Q status. I would usually treat them all at the same time for convenience. Is there any advice on staggering treatment to the benefit of a colony?

Got to ask why June……..It’s liable to taint any honey crop and there’s a reasonable chance varroa numbers can build, I’ve got 6 months of brood rearing from that date!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I treat with Apiguard In June

why on earth would you do that? Pretty pointless and it mnakes your honey unfit for human consumption

 

[ericbeaumont]

Apiguard In June, a time when my colonies may or may not be swarming and I am still queen rearing for nucs

Reasonable to conclude, Alan, that you're in the business of raising nucs and avoiding the consumption or sale of honey. If you feel the need to treat early, I'd do so before colonies expand, before spring nectar comes in, and when temps. are a regular 15C; a tricky combination, for sure.

Two thoughts: was your treatment the previous year inadequate, and do you plan to treat again at the end of this summer?

 

[Ian123]

Reasonable to conclude, Alan, that you're in the business of raising nucs and avoiding the consumption or sale of honey. If you feel the need to treat early, I'd do so before colonies expand, before spring nectar comes in, and when temps. are a regular 15C; a tricky combination, for sure.

Two thoughts: was your treatment the previous year inadequate, and do you plan to treat again at the end of this summer?

I raise a few nucs not really found the need to treat in June.

 

[alancooper]

I take a Spring honey crop of hedge honey at the end of May after Sycamore stops flowering - supers then off before Apiguard treatment. I take a second honey crop end of August and an Ivy crop at the end of October. In Sept and December I treat with OA. It works for me.
My interest in posting was whether Apiguard could be detrimental to Q and nuc production. Probably I should have been more direct.

 

[drex]

To answer your question in the first post. I treat all mine at same time. That way I am not leaving any to become " varroa bombs" to re-infect the treated colonies

 

[Anduril]

My interest in posting was whether Apiguard could be detrimental to Q and nuc production. Probably I should have been more direct.

Apiguard will stop the queen from egg laying for a short time.

 

[drex]

Apiguard will stop the queen from egg laying for a short time.

Some of mine stop, others don't

 

[Ian123]

Some stop some don’t some will remove larvae some will even abscond.
Reduce the dose in proportion to the nuc.
I would suggest as you winter treat few if any will require treatment and probably even more so nucs that have had a brood break?
In my area I can take Spring….summer…Heather….. and Ivy and still treat late summer/Autumn.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some stop some don’t some will remove larvae some will even abscond.

and putting it on in the height of summer will really push out the fumes to wind the bees up

In my area I can take Spring….summer…Heather….. and Ivy and still treat late summer/Autumn.

same here - was never an issue when I used Apiguard

 

[Nannysbees]

and putting it on in the height of summer will really push out the fumes to wind the bees up

same here - was never an issue when I used Apiguard

You have probably said previously, but can I ask what treatment you use on your hives?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You have probably said previously, but can I ask what treatment you use on your hives?

OA sublimation

 

[Kaz]

OA sublimation

What frequency and number of doses do you use for summer/ autumn treatment?

 

[Erichalfbee]

OA sublimation

Same here.
4 doses 5 days apart. One dose at beginning of December.

 

[blackcloud]

Ditto
One course when the honey comes off in August,one course after Autumn feed and a single dose in the last week of December when there's just sht on the telly.
Got some appallingly weak feral queens through several winters so there has to be something in it.

 

[alancooper]

Same here.
4 doses 5 days apart. One dose at beginning of December.

In context of resistance of Varroa, is treatment by alternating OA with Apiguard more effective than treating just with OA?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In context of resistance of Varroa, is treatment by alternating OA with Apiguard more effective than treating just with OA?

no - varroa are not resistant to OA as I doubt they will ever build up a resistance to having bits of them burnt off. Apiguard is also very susceptible to outside influences such as weather and temperature.

 

[Ian123]

In context of resistance of Varroa, is treatment by alternating OA with Apiguard more effective than treating just with OA?

As above……
Varroa are extremely unlikely to build resistance to both of those treatments. If you wished you could alternate both of those with chemical strip type treatments like Apivar. But obviously continue to use the oxalic in winter.
I actually doubt alternating chemicals has much effect unless all around you are doing the same.

 

[alancooper]

I will probably move on to OA treatment only. Thanks.