Too cold for Apilife- var

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Floss

House Bee
Joined
Dec 31, 2008
Messages
129
Reaction score
0
Location
Shropshire, uk
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
3
I have not put the next treatment on due three days ago due to torrential rains and temps below 16c

I assume that it would'nt work effectively in these temps anyway but what impact will it have on the bees if delayed??

I will resume treatment asap (ie when it stops raining and warms up!) I am feeding all 3 hives.

Regards

Floss
 
How long would it take to do the job?

Or is it you that is worried about the cold and wet?

Just do it. You are not needing to remove brood frames or anything, after all.

Think of oxalic in the depths of winter.

Regards, RAB
 
Cheers RAB - point taken - I worried that i may chill any brood and, yes, worried about the cold and wet!

Many tx
 
I've got apiguard on mine and was woried that the air temp. might be a bit low for evaporation, so I've put some insulation in the roof. Toasty inside.:)
 
I have a topbar hive with roof insulation and a cloth over the topbars. Was feeding this am (in frame feeder) on a cold and wet horrible day - outside temperature 12C - at best.

Topbars felt HOT.. warmed by the bees .

(Apiguard is under the bars inside hive so it should work..)

Remember hive brood temperature is c 33C...
 
Am I about to be corrected, embarassed, abused etc?

Isn't the 16'C about the ambient temperature inside the hive (no it is a question not a statement dressed up as a question :D) rather than the short term weather outside it?

If so is it not the beeks judgment on the bees ability to keep the entire living space of hive above 16'C dependent on colony size, no of brood boxes / supers? That determines whether to give treatment a go?

sits back and waits ........

:toetap05:
 
The 4 colonies I have managed to get supers off and Apiguard on were all over the front of the hives today It was PLUS 31 degrees C. I felt sorry for them I could smell it yards away.
 
The temperatures given as to when or when not to treat are all ambient temperatures, i.e. outside the hive The temp in the brood nest will be about 35C but depending on the insulation value of the hive and the size of the colony the temperature on the top bars will be lower than 35C. This is the unknown although clearly it could be measured but it will certainly be above ambient.

The effect of ambient temperature on the efficiency of the varroa treatment is I think quite subtle. I am not sure it is just temperature but also the activity of the bees. If it is warm outside (weather dependant) there will be much toing and froing of bees and this probably makes treatments more effective I think, but it depends on what sort of treatment is being used.

Anyway, most treatments other than OA require highish temperatures but they work also at lower temps - perhaps not so well, but a poorly working treatment is better than none at all.
 
Can you tell me please, what your Apilife Var looked like when you opened it. I was surprised that mine was charcoal colour and crumbly! Is that right/ wondered if it had gone off
Thanks
Louise
 
Yep. You have to be careful opening it or it crumbles.
I have just put the last of mine on. I will be trying Hivemakers recipe next year.
 
Doesnt the temperture inside the hive come into the calculations regarding if it can be used?
 
I will be trying Hivemakers recipe next year.

I am trying it this year. One of the things I like about it is that i am not having to use ekes. I am on Langstroth, so with top bee space and the crownboard on upside down to give another beespace, there is enough room for the oasis under the crownboard... seems easier than the Apiguard I have used previously... also is upsetting bees less.
 
I am trying it this year. One of the things I like about it is that i am not having to use ekes. I am on Langstroth, so with top bee space and the crownboard on upside down to give another beespace, there is enough room for the oasis under the crownboard... seems easier than the Apiguard I have used previously... also is upsetting bees less.

Apilife Var doesnt need an eke either, though certain large suppliers suggest buying one for it would be a good thing
 

Latest posts

Back
Top