Supers over winter

[Erichalfbee]

Isn't apivar amitraz ? Apilife- var is thymol based .

Yes. I think Millet's agreeing with me

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes. I think Millet's agreeing with me

I did reply with one eye open apologies.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

It might according to Vita but I wouldn’t count on it
Off to the shops for some Apivar

My mentee preferred to use an organic (?) treatment. Varroa drop wasn't massive, colonies look strong (better than mine) and day temperatures have been around the 15degC limit. First year for her so useful to understand the process. Shame she didn't get any honey in the first year.

I've used Apivar for first time this year though I'm not keen on using inorganic chemicals. Drop started at 100v/day. Halved that by using ApiLife Var and now put in Apivar strips. They also have chalkbrood but I still can't stand back and let them die.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My mentee preferred to use an organic (?) treatment. Varroa drop wasn't massive, colonies look strong (better than mine) and day temperatures have been around the 15degC limit. First year for her so useful to understand the process. Shame she didn't get any honey in the first year.

I've used Apivar for first time this year though I'm not keen on using inorganic chemicals. Drop started at 100v/day. Halved that by using ApiLife Var and now put in Apivar strips. They also have chalkbrood but I still can't stand back and let them die.

I’m not an Apivar fan either but needs must
I have a sublimox and won’t use Apivar unless mites are dropping in numbers after the 7th vape
Not everybody has the kit so Amitraz is a decent alternative once it gets too cold for thymol. Then add a vaping kit of some kind to a Christmas list
Mind you, Abelo’s oxalic glycerin strips are worth keeping an eye on

 

[gmonag]

I have a sublimox and won’t use Apivar unless mites are dropping in numbers after the 7th vape

Why and how are you carrying out 7 vapes (consecutively I assume)?

 

[Ian123]

Always good for people to have a couple of options up their sleeves back in 2000ish and before a ready supply of apivar was available it was obvious that there was resistance appearing. I continued to use apistan but added a home made thymol mix. I think in the not to distant future if not already you will see the same resistance with amitraz/apivar.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Always good for people to have a couple of options up their sleeves back in 2000ish and before a ready supply of apivar was available it was obvious that there was resistance appearing. I continued to use apistan but added a home made thymol mix. I think in the not to distant future if not already you will see the same resistance with amitraz/apivar.

And what then OA vape ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why and how are you carrying out 7 vapes (consecutively I assume)?

My vape schedule is days 1/6/11 and 15 with any subsequent vape at four day intervals.
I check the 24 hour drop after every one. I don’t count them necessarily. If a colony is dropping lots of mites still and I have had a decent drop then my presumption is that they are robbing a collapsing colony somewhere. I have read that one forager can bring home 5 mites!
I had a colony two years ago that dropped nearly 8 K mites during the course of 7/8 vapes ( I cant remember how many I did in the end but put in Apivar because I just got fed up vaping them. There wasn’t a huge drop with the Amitraz so I must have just got them with the oxalic

 

[gmonag]

my presumption is that they are robbing a collapsing colony somewhere. I have read that one forager can bring home 5 mites!
I had a colony two years ago that dropped nearly 8 K mites during the course of 7/8 vapes

Was that a one-off or more often?

 

[Swarm]

There were a few cases last year IIRC. It's one of the things about OAV that can be inconvenient for some.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Was that a one-off or more often?

No
I usually have one colony that goes robbing though I have never ever seen a count that high.
I don’t actually count any more
Just masses/lots/a few does me.
That first lot I actually did count because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing