Treating my bees this year

[Nbw]

Hi all
Due to ill health i have missed this year in treating the bees. I have a pack of Apilife Var on my desk. Do i go out now and put some in each of my hives? Is it too late to treat with Apilife Var?

Thanks
Nick

 

[pargyle]

From their website:

"The appropriate effectiveness with the treatment can be achieved if it is administered when the outer
temperature is between 20-25°C. In case if the temperature decreases below 15°C, then the
effectiveness can be lower,"

Looks to me like you have missed the boat for Apilife Var ... it's a thymol and camphor treatment and in lower temperatures the effective ingredient are not going to evaporate much ...

You would be better off investing in some sublimation kit and hit them with OA.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

it's a thymol and camphor treatment and in lower temperatures the effective ingredient are not going to evaporate much

it's not just that - for any of these types of treatment to work (Apiguard for instance) it calls for the bees to be actively working outside the hive as the increased traffic ensures spread of the thymol. People are sadly misguided if they think it's the internal temperature alone that makes it work.

 

[pargyle]

it's not just that - for any of these types of treatment to work (Apiguard for instance) it calls for the bees to be actively working outside the hive as the increased traffic ensures spread of the thymol. People are sadly misguided if they think it's the internal temperature alone that makes it work.

From their website:
ApiLife Var works through the coexistence of both the liquid and solid forms of the active ingredient thymol. Together, these two states fight off varroa mites through direct contact and by "suffocating" the mite that breathes the vapors of the essential oils.

So a bit of both it would appear. But it's undoubtedly temperature dependent.