MAQS beehive strips.

[2hives]

Has anyone used these? I have purchased some, having been persuaded to do so by a very experienced beekeeper.
My question is about the ventilation. The pack states open your entrance right up. What about the wasps-we have lots about. I have wasp traps out. Will an open mesh floor, ventilated crownboard and an inch wide entrance be enough?
Can anyone offer the benefit of there experience with these good and bad.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Forget the entrance block, with an OMF it makes no difference. Make sure you have a super on top too.
I'm converted....did all my colonies this year, as well as last.

PS. I treated last year mid August and had two queens superseded. I'm convinced it's because I didn't leave supers on and the bees had too little space to get out of the way of the fumes.
This year I left supers on and treated in July to make sure any replacement queens had the weather to mate. However, there were absolutely no problems

 

[enrico]

They work well, you may get a few dead bees in the first two days.
Put in the varroa floor and then pull it out leaving a two inch gap. Keep reduce entrance in to stop wasps. use two strips which are in one packet and don't remove from paper!
Don't be put off by dead bees!
E

 

[Swarm]

OMF is not taken into account with the instructions. Treat your hives and leave the set up as it is, I did it this way last year and again this year with no problems.

My crownboards don't have holes.

 

[2hives]

Sorry-what is an OMF?

 

[VEG]

Open Mesh Floor OMF

 

[2hives]

Thanks-just being a little slow tonight!!

 

[Swarm]

Don't breathe in the fumes .. Once sniffed, never forgotten!!

 

[VEG]

Don't breathe in the fumes .. Once sniffed, never forgotten!!

Thats like saying dont press that button lol

 

[2hives]

So, varroa floor in and pulled out a little, or not in at all?
I have supers on which I put back for cleaning up, but as a new kid, did not realise that they should be above the crown board, so bees are filling them again. These will presumable give them the space they need.

 

[Itchy]

Mine are now out of date........

 

[Swarm]

Exactly as the hive is. No inspection tray, to allow ventilation, strips across the top bars if using a framed excluder, if not on top of it and then supers back on with crownboard (no holes) and roof.

 

[2hives]

Many thanks. Will get on with it A.S.A.P.

 

[Swarm]

Mine are now out of date........

The only bit I wasn't impressed by ... BIG price hike from last year 55 quid to 61 this year, if you were after some shelf life. Mine expired in August so I got them for £55.

 

[Worldsend]

Got mine from Stockbridge this weekend -short sell by date 40 squid instead of 60

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine are now out of date........

If only a couple of months I'd still use them

 

[Jonathan]

I also ordered short sell by date MAQS and they were fine. was assured by the supplier that the manufacturers reckon they are good even 12 months after the sell by date. Wouldn't use them that old myself but sell by dates don't always mean what they say!

 

[breezybee]

Fine if kept in the freezer apparently.

 

[Ely]

£60?!?! Think I'll stick with apiguard and oxalic

 

[madasafish]

£60?!?! Think I'll stick with apiguard and oxalic

+1
$48 for a box of 10 in US.

Even allowing for 20% VAT..that's under $60.

At that price, I'll continue with home made thymol mix.. about £10 for 10 hives..