MAQ Strip overdose advice please

[Ivor Kemp]

I applied MAQ strips for the first time this afternoon and didn't read the instructions properly.

I didn't realise their were two strips per satchet and need to be divided and instead unwrapped the plastic wrapper and put the contents of two satchets on each hive i.e. four strips.

What to do now?

It's getting dark so no chance to correct today.

Instructions say in case of overdose to increase ventilation but don't remove the strips.

Or do I just leave and hope for the best?

 

[enrico]

I would go sort it out now but it actually probably won't matter that much as two sides will be together so there won't be that much extra surface area!
E

 

[irishguy]

I applied MAQ strips for the first time this afternoon and didn't read the instructions properly.

I didn't realise their were two strips per satchet and need to be divided and instead unwrapped the plastic wrapper and put the contents of two satchets on each hive i.e. four strips.

What to do now?

It's getting dark so no chance to correct today.

Instructions say in case of overdose to increase ventilation but don't remove the strips.

Or do I just leave and hope for the best?

Can I ask your honest opinion why you used maqs so late in the season?

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Thanks Enrico, that did cross my mind the surface area is the same so might not make much difference.

Irishguy, the one bit of the instruction I did get right was the temperature requirement. Between 10 and 25 degrees. Here in Dorset we are well above that at the moment even at night and will be for the next week.

That is the only stipulation on the instructions. Says nothing about time of year.

 

[enrico]

What he is getting at is that there is a small chance that MAQS will kill the queen. Why? Because it tends to kill a couple of hundred bees and it seems indiscriminate in which of the hive those 200 are going to be so they just could be the queen. If that is the case you have no hope at this time of the yet of mating another.
Keep your fingers crossed! I didn't lose any queens in eight hives.
E

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Oh!

Well I'm not going to sleep well for the next seven days then.

I've done eight hives and wondered why I ran out of MAQ strips coming onto the last two so I put one satchet on each of those which is ironically the right dose.

Wish they would give time of year recommendations on the instructions and reasons.

 

[irishguy]

No, its just I'm in the same situation as you as I treated just a few days ago and some suggested it wasn't the wised thing to do. I just hope my queens don't go off laying or dies because my colonies where building up nicely for the winter. Your other option was apiguard(thou there might be more I don't know about apart from bivaral which don't work) but then you mightn't get the temps for it to be efficient enough to kill mites.

 

[Ivor Kemp]

The answer as to why I did it was pure ignorance.

Now I seem to have overdosed and applied at the wrong time of year and spent a lot of dosh in the process.

Mine too are/were building up nicely for the winter.

Not blaming anyone but I wish my Association would do useful talks on subjects like this rather than constant raffles and social evenings!

 

[enrico]

Don't worry I took the paper off the first time I used it. They all survived. Just a learning curve!!

 

[irishguy]

The answer as to why I did it was pure ignorance.

Now I seem to have overdosed and applied at the wrong time of year and spent a lot of dosh in the process.

Mine too are/were building up nicely for the winter.

Not blaming anyone but I wish my Association would do useful talks on subjects like this rather than constant raffles and social evenings!

Well my association did do talks on it then I was stuck with all conflicting advice on the matter and felt like pulling my hair out even thou I have none lol

 

[irishguy]

What he is getting at is that there is a small chance that MAQS will kill the queen. Why? Because it tends to kill a couple of hundred bees and it seems indiscriminate in which of the hive those 200 are going to be so they just could be the queen. If that is the case you have no hope at this time of the yet of mating another.
Keep your fingers crossed! I didn't lose any queens in eight hives.
E

Did you notice any difference in the queens laying or anything else in the hive

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Thanks Enrico and irishguy. You've cheered me up.

Thinking more calmly now, I have actually only overdosed four out of eight hives.

One I left because it looked too weak and by the last two I wondered why I only had two sachets left, even though I was sure I had ordered enough for ten hives, so I bunged one sachet on each - as it turns out the correct dose but applied wrong.

The eighth was a swarm still in a nuc box which I put in a new hive and was going to leave a week before doing them but I think I'll leave them until spring or Apiguard them.

 

[denise washington]

maqs

hi ivor don't let it bother you I did same 3 weeks ago my bees are ok not lost many and q still laying

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The answer as to why I did it was pure ignorance.

Now I seem to have overdosed and applied at the wrong time of year and spent a lot of dosh in the process.

Mine too are/were building up nicely for the winter.

Not blaming anyone but I wish my Association would do useful talks on subjects like this rather than constant raffles and social evenings!

My association does give useful talks but so far has avoided MAQS probably due to liability implications and to some extent the jury still being out on the balance between benefits / harm. Personally i used MAQS on one of my hives (14 x 12 with omf ajar) this year as a trial. The colony inside being a swarm i collected this summer and which built steadily. Treatment applied four weeks ago and observations at the entrance in the last week show similar activity to the other hives which are just completing thymol treatment. Orientation flights taking place on warm days, nectar and pollen being brought in from the bushes by the barn and ivy just coming on stream. I shall be checking stores in all hives in a day or two and making a judgement call on whether to look into the centre brood frames at that time. They will probably remain undisturbed unless there is something of concern.
Returning to hive treatment and ventilation I am firmly in the closed crown board camp and my home made clear boards have one 25mm hole in the centre which is covered with a flat thin plate unless a rapid feeder is in use.

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Thanks Denise.

 

[Amari]

:

I applied MAQ strips for the first time this afternoon and didn't read the instructions properly.
I didn't realise their were two strips per satchet and need to be divided and instead unwrapped the plastic wrapper and put the contents of two satchets on each hive i.e. four strips.
Instructions say in case of overdose to increase ventilation but don't remove the strips.
Or do I just leave and hope for the best?

When I read your post I suddenly realised I had blundered in the same way a week before - I inadvertently applied 2 strips to my 2 hives on the heather.
I am pleased to report that on inspecting the the 2 colonies 2 days ago, in preparation for returning them to the home apiary, both Qs were alive and laying.