does the date on apigard really matter ?

[kristin..]

hi im just wondring if date really matters on apigard as bout 4 packs last year and wanted 2 usethe other 2 this year but they are out of date ..... is this just 2 make small bee keeppers have 2 by more every year ? ... sorry for spelling in advance

 

[oliver90owner]

Your choice. Unlikely to be injurious to the bees if you have stored it well and it looks OK. Might not be so effective dependent on a few things I may not be aware of. I'm not sure what the full life span to the 'use before' date is; If 6 months or less, think hard but if three or four years it will likely be OK if stored well by the supplier and yourself. I've seen it out of date and still on the shop shelf at full price before now.

RAB

 

[kristin..]

im hopping to put porter be escapes in next friday and start treatmeant but dont whaner get all ready then realise its nacked lol as they come in sealed containers i dout it would be possble by just opening it to tell culd be wrong tho will be doing treatmeant in winter as well. but whanna hit varo proply both times this year as last was my fist year and left it to late 2 get full use out of apigard

 

[MuswellMetro]

im hopping to put porter be escapes in next friday and start treatmeant but dont whaner get all ready then realise its nacked lol as they come in sealed containers i dout it would be possble by just opening it to tell culd be wrong tho will be doing treatmeant in winter as well. but whanna hit varo proply both times this year as last was my fist year and left it to late 2 get full use out of apigard

Apiguard I bought last year expires in 2015, The apiguard packs I bought this year expires 2016, so someone sold to you their old stock, it useful life should be three years, but try it an see what happens

i have hives just south of off the A1M near the M25 and I have had no nectar coming in since mid July so treated mine on 17th August with second tub on this Sunday

 

[kristin..]

i think we could have done the same as it was probly mid july we stopped getting any nectar in great amouts but last year we had it comeing in great amouts all the way to the end of september orange dark green and like a browny coulor and all difrent yellows. i thougt weather wise this was a better year must be wrong tho lol

 

[drstitson]

your only problem could come when inspector checks your medicines record (which you do keep, don't you?).

 

[eric]

wots it got to do with the inspector

 

[REDWOOD]

wots it got to do with the inspector

https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=309

 

[eric]

thanks redwood never knew that and inspectors have never ever asked me about records
dont think they send me to bee prison do yo lol

 

[VEG]

Never been asked either although I do log the details down with my high tech pen and notebook (the paper type)

 

[eric]

Never been asked either although I do log the details down with my high tech pen and notebook (the paper type)

i better start writing it on my fag packet then

 

[mbc]

i better start writing it on my fag packet then

It doesnt matter where you write it, back of a fag packet is fine, but its good practice to have a note somewhere of what you've used and when for yourself anyway, I scribble a note in my diary and have found that its quite useful to look back at if I get confused.

 

[REDWOOD]

I think it was new this year

 

[MuswellMetro]

I think it was new this year

it was EU directive COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2001/110/EC,2001/82EC http://ec.europa.eu/health/files/eudralex/vol-5/dir_2001_82_cons2009/dir_2001_82_cons2009_en.pdf in UK legislation from 2003 and Commission Directive 2009/9/EC of 10 February 2009 amending Directive 2001/82/EC

The EU defines honey as a product of an animal. Therefore the rules are the same as milk production and drugs given to Cows, hence why treatments like Fumidil B have been stopped as no safe residual limit tested and you get bee tonics, hive cleaners etc which is to get around the 2009 directive

only a £5000 fine for not doing it, but don't think any beekeepers has been prosecuted ever

although the BBKA issued a little card to write it on this year, and the VMD /FERA have the full form on their web site, all i do is write it in my hive records, btch number, expiry date and keep the receipts, that suffices as it has zero take off time

it is everything you put in the hive as a treatment other than feed, so hiveclean, all the approvaed varoaa treatments,all the unimproved thymol treatments . oxalic(un licenced) manley strength dthymol in syrup ,vitafeed gold/green/ nosevite, everything!!!

 

[richardbees]

your only problem could come when inspector checks your medicines record[/B

I find it difficult to believe that was posted as a first response to a new beekeeper with only one hive!

 

[MuswellMetro]

your only problem could come when inspector checks your medicines record[/B

I find it difficult to believe that was posted as a first response to a new beekeeper with only one hive!

yep, agree, , how many beekeepers actual know the rules and if they know actually follow them, i only know because i have taken the BBKA module exams

ihavehadhives inspected by theseasonal and regionalbee inspectors, have they every asked to see records NO, only question, what did you treat with and when,,apiguard...ok, it i had said hivemaker's thymol on Oasis then you would get a lecture on treating with a PROPER approved product,so if he put batch BN 05k0378 r exp 05/2016 in his records then who would be any the wiser

 

[VEG]

I know but no need to take exams to know about it, it should be part of association training (if you go of course).

 

[MuswellMetro]

I know but no need to take exams to know about it, it should be part of association training (if you go of course).

it is in our course

 

[VEG]

it is in our course

Thats what I meant it should be a part of basic beekeeping teaching.

 

[richardbees]

No!

The first response should have been along the lines that treatment may not be effective if the medication is beyond it's 'sell-by' date or has been stored outside the suggested max/min temperature parameters.

It's a sorry world we've become if you can't see the difference!