Consequences of using Apiguard now? (June)

[Pinknees]

Hello Beekeepers,

I'm a newbee so please be gentle with me . . .

I currently have one hive, from a nuc I bought a year ago. It's doing very well, looks incredibly healthy in terms of brood, stores etc (I've just taken my first ever crop, 20 jars of the best honey in the world, although I'm obviously biased!)

However, there is way too much varroa in the hive. Nearly all the drone I have uncapped has mites, and I have seen a little bit of deformed wing, although I'm not the best at spotting problems yet.

I've discussed with more experienced beekeepers how I did my Apiguard treatment last year, and I realise I made some mistakes (did it a bit late and used a super rather than an eek so it didn't evaporate properly). Did do oxalic acid in January, but still, the problem remains.

So, this is my plan. Was hoping for encouragement that I'm doing the right thing but anything constructive welcome!

The colony is too big to put Apiguard on (ie they need a super for room and the Apiguard needs to go straight on top of the brood box as I understand it)

I want to create another hive anyway, so I'm going to do an artificial swarm and then try to equalise the numbers across the two hives

Once the new queen is laying I intend to take both hives down to just a brood box and put one Apiguard treatment (rather than two as you would in August) on each hive

Does anyone foresee problems with this? Also, will I be able to take the honey that they make after this, over the rest of the season?

Thanks in advance for any pearls of wisdom!

 

[plumberman]

Welcome to the forum!

I think the only thing you would need to be careful is temperatures: if we had a heatwave (!!??) and temps over 25 or so you might find that effects of apiguard on the bees was excessive ( driving them out the hive). Don't have access to the dosing instructions at the moment, but would check what they said with respect to this.

Once treatment over, then should be no issues with honey, although I might wait a few days before putting supers on.

 

[Polyanwood]

If you plan to sacrifice the brood anyway, why not just do oxalic? Takes less long and if it gets hot, apiguard sometimes upsets them? Good Luck.

 

[barratt_sab]

Welcome

Here are the Apiguard FAQ, which cover some of your questions:

http://hpmt.co.uk/clients/vitaeurope/documents/VitaApiguardFAQ201008.pdf

In particular:

Q: It’s very hot where my hives are but the colonies need treating; is it safe to use Apiguard in these conditions?

A: At temperatures above 25ºC (77ºF) it is possible to use a half-dose of Apiguard and get a very good mite kill. Use 2 doses of 25g Apiguard, one week apart instead of 2 x 50g at two weeks apart. A third 25g dose is sometimes used after the second week where mite infestations are high.
When it is very hot, the thymol sublimes faster from the gel and the bees are more active moving the Apiguard around. Both these factors increase the effectiveness of the treatment and less product is needed. Make sure the hive entrance is not restricted, allowing thymol vapour to escape.

and

Q: Can I use Apiguard with a brood and a half or a double brood ?

A: Yes, but bear in mind that the level of mite control may be slightly lower than with a single brood chamber, as the number of bees that need to receive treatment is higher. Most bees, brood and varroa will usually be in the lower brood chamber; place the Apiguard on top of the brood frames of the lower chamber and put the second brood chamber on top (ie the Apiguard is between the brood boxes). Repeat after 2 weeks, following Point 2 above.

I have to think that they mean for you to put an eke between the two brood boxes.

 

[oliver90owner]

Look, you are going to A/S? Fab.

Both halves will be broodless (capped) at some point.

Do it then. Straight thymol as per Hivemaker's (sticky?) formula and they will be blown away in a few days. There are other methods. Formic, Lactic, oxalic, sugar rolling to name a few. It is not a problem once you realise the phoretic mites are an easy target.

Welcome to the forum, btw.

Regards, RAB

 

[For want of a better word]

Bumped it for you Pinknees


My kindness is only excelled by my magnetic booty ¬!

 

[Pinknees]

Thanks so much for the advice, and the welcome! Beekeepers seem to be a good bunch, don't they? (Had problems using the site most of the day so wasn't able to reply)

I'm a bit confused when Polyanwood said I would be sacrificing the brood. Why would that be? Sorry to be dim.

Also, Oliver90owner said both hives will be broodless, ie capped, at some point. Can you explain a bit? Again, probably being very dim.

As to the temperature, there's not much chance of it being over 25 degrees up here at the moment - it's freezing! Well, about 9-13 degrees most days. I will look at the Apiguard instructions to make sure it's not too cold if anything. . .

Thanks again

 

[Polyanwood]

Sorry, I thought you were planning to do a shook swarm (rather than an artificial swarm) and sacrifice the brood, since you say you have a really serious infestation of varroa and most of the varroa at any time is in the brood. Neither Apiguard nor oxalic will touch the varroa that is in capped cells.

I don't understand the logic of saying a colony is too big for Apiguard treatment.

 

[oliver90owner]

Sorry if I was not clear. I was referring to no capped brood in the hive; phoretic mites only.

'Swarmed' queen would only have one frame of brood. This could easily be put back in the Q- hive as soon as she has brood and then there is a week before anything is capped. Thymol will work very effectively.

The other half of the A/S will eventually be free of capped brood for a time, dependent on how soon the queen mates. Hammer the mites in this period.

Culling the first capped brood (of both halves) will then mop up most of the surviving varroa.

Need to be watchful of supers if using thymol - it may taint the honey.

I like the formic route, or the sugar rolling, but the first is using a nasty chemical (a strong acid) and the second requires a fair amount of effort and often a lot of flying bees.

Regards, RAB

 

[Pinknees]

Thanks Rab,

That all makes sense now. I had been told that I needed to do the treatment when the queen is laying, and now I understand that I need to do it when there is no capped brood, as these bees will still carry the varroa when they hatch.

When you say cull the first capped brood in each hive, do you mean after the two weeks is up, cull the brood that has been capped in that time?

I was thinking that I should treat both hives at the same time, but from what you're saying that is not the priority.

My only remaining question is then is a 50ml dose on each going to be ok or do I need to lower the dose?

You've been really helpful, I feel much more confident about what I'm going to do now.

Thanks!

 

[oliver90owner]

If you are referring to oxalic acid, I don't use it unless I really need to (not used it in the lasst 5 years, I think). Simply follow the instructions.

do you mean after the two weeks is up, cull the brood that has been capped in that time?


I meant exactly what I said, the first small patch of brood is enough (nearly all of the remaining varroa will want to be reproducing by that time, so nearly all will enter the first brood ready for capping). That may not be for a month or more for the queenless part of the A/S.

RAB