Treating Varroa now - any suggestions.

[madasafish]

Acquaintance used MAQS strips for the first time in a badly infested hive. Hundreds of dead bees + colony spilling out of entrance. Now settled down. HUGE varroa drop - 1,000s

Outcome uncertain.

 

[mbc]

Acquaintance used MAQS strips for the first time in a badly infested hive. Hundreds of dead bees + colony spilling out of entrance. Now settled down. HUGE varroa drop - 1,000s

Outcome uncertain.

To be fair to MAQS, I remember discovering apistan was no longer effective and slapping on the apiguard in large doses, and I too observed hundreds of dead bees, discarded larvae and the bees hanging out of the entrance in a pissed off mob, once settled the varroa were gone though, lets hope its the same with MAQS.

 

[itma]

Acquaintance used MAQS strips for the first time in a badly infested hive. Hundreds of dead bees + colony spilling out of entrance. Now settled down. HUGE varroa drop - 1,000s

Outcome uncertain.

If there were that many mites, the bees can't have been healthy. And I'd guess poorly bees would succumb more easily ...

Haven't seen the product yet, but I wonder if the initial dramatic surge of Formic vapour could be reduced by only part-unwrapping it from its pouch for the first day or two?

 

[beekeeping4you]

... the initial dramatic surge of Formic vapour could be reduced by only part-unwrapping it from its pouch for the first day or two?

That's what they do on the continent, sometimes two or three hours will be sufficient, the bees will fan out the excess vapours.
A way to get around this is starting the treatment in the early morning hours when it's still cold, or
keep the pouch in freezer before use.

Good luck!
Regards
Reiner

 

[Little John]

Oxalic Acid vapourisation (sublimation) is ok at any time of year, despite what the naysayers claim. (first few lines of:
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/articles/EvaporatorInstructions.htm)

At this time of the year though you'll need to do it three times, at weekly intervals, in order to catch the emerging brood.

LJ