Apilife Var

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kazmcc

Queen Bee
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
3,147
Reaction score
3
Location
Longsight, Manchester, UK
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
None, although I have my eye on one ( Just don't tell Dusty ;) )
Where did three of the four strips go? There was only one when I went to replace. There was no bits on the floor of the hive or outside. Could they have flown it away in bits?
 
Our mentor isn't counting the drop this year. I don't know why. I asked him if we were going to put a tray in when treatment started but he said we wouldn't do it now. I would have been interested to see the results, but I have to respect what our mentor wants to do. I had a good look around the floor underneath the hive and outside the entrance and there was nothing? Would they chew it down then take it away because of the pong?
 
Would they chew it down then take it away because of the pong?

yes! Both my colonies almost completely demolished the oasis foam stuff that it's made up of, crumbled it to bits and cleaned it out of the hive within a few days. If you look at the pic of my Teasel 1 hive you can see all that's left of the last A-var strip: a stain on the bar, nothing more!

There were little bits of crumbled up strips on the board when I checked for varroa - I thought they were grey pollen at first.

I reckon it's a good sign: we obviously have very tidy bees :Angel_anim:who won't tolerate any unwanted material in their nest.
 
Thanks, I suppose it is a very good sign :D I noticed the mark where the strip was on your pic, I will look out of signs of the latest lot next week.
 
the one hive I've used Apivar life on has propolised it up completely. I've had to dig it out twice now.

Won't be using it again.
 
Our mentor isn't counting the drop this year. I don't know why. I asked him if we were going to put a tray in when treatment started but he said we wouldn't do it now. I would have been interested to see the results, but I have to respect what our mentor wants to do. I had a good look around the floor underneath the hive and outside the entrance and there was nothing? Would they chew it down then take it away because of the pong?

Not putting a floor in will reduce the effect of using Thymol treatments, wonder why he is not using one?
 
Not putting a floor in will reduce the effect of using Thymol treatments, wonder why he is not using one?

IDK? Every time I have privately questioned what he's done before, given time, it all ends up working out and making sense so I trust in him and will follow his lead. I would have liked to see what is collected though just out of interest.
 
IDK? Every time I have privately questioned what he's done before, given time, it all ends up working out and making sense so I trust in him and will follow his lead. I would have liked to see what is collected though just out of interest.

I have to confess there have been one or two things you've said that have made me raise my eyebrows. Leaving the floor out will definitely reduce the concentration of thymol, and I can't see why you wouldn't want to know how many mites are dropping (I sort of wish I didn't know how many mine are dropping, but that's different...)
 
When I asked he said we are assuming they have varroa, so it isn't important to know how many.

The hive is made of plywood ( it's a temp one until the obs hive is finished ) so maybe that means its warmer so the tray is't important. She lays brood ( or at least she did ) right up to the edges of the central frames.
 
Obviously you don't have a say in the matter Kaz.....but the tray being in is important for the treatment to be as effective as it should be.
 
IDK? Every time I have privately questioned what he's done before, given time, it all ends up working out and making sense so I trust in him and will follow his lead. I would have liked to see what is collected though just out of interest.

I have just finished a week of Apiguard and did a count today. I got somewhere between 60 and 70 but can't remember the exact number.

I have only just got this colony, so have had no control over it, but I didn't think it was that bad and thought it could have been a lot worse.

What about others? What have you counted of late?
 
Obviously you don't have a say in the matter Kaz.....but the tray being in is important for the treatment to be as effective as it should be.

I trust his judgement though, and we will be treating with oxalic acid come winter plus he wants to use this Hive clean stuff on them too so if this treatment doesn't work fully, I suppose there are other chances to clear them of their fleas. If it was up to me I would put the tray in, but I have total respect for my mentor and would never dream of questioning his methods. By that it doesn't mean that I won't ask him questions about what we are doing and why, but he mentors pretty much all the allotment hives in Manchester and has a fair few of his own, so he must have his reasons. I am sure they will become clear at a later date :p He surely knows his bees though, that is for certain.
 
Have just put in a tablet of Apilife Var, broken down into four pieces and put on each corner of the brood box, then crownboard with syrup on top. Is this alright? We took super off, they have not done anything with it, so no point of having it on. Also took off queen excluder. So what happens now?
 
"so what happens now?

you top up syrup (thymolated?) as required, check mite drop regulalrly (you have put the tray in under the OMF?) and wait til next week when you put next tablet in.

re OP - it's fun watching them drag bits of greenstuff out of the antrance. last year i had to keep popping it back in.
 
The syrup is not thymolated, I'm not sure where I can get that here in France, will ask next week at the Limousin beekeepers meeting.
 
Have just put in a tablet of Apilife Var, broken down into four pieces and put on each corner of the brood box, then crownboard with syrup on top. Is this alright? We took super off, they have not done anything with it, so no point of having it on. Also took off queen excluder. So what happens now?

Sounds alright to me... Be prepared to top up syrup sooner rather than later...


Ben P
 

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