Vaping newbie

[Sanntos]

From what I’m gathering on this thread and on others that I’ve been trawling through is that vaping is...well...the best varroa treatment. Others seem to be less efficient and some can’t be used with supers on and/or allow the bees to build an immunity to them over time.

Why doesn’t everybody just vape as their sole varroa treatment?? It’s not that much more of a hassle is it...

a couple of factors in play.....
Brood or no brood
10 hives or 500, time per treatment
Fuel cost
Temperature, weather
Cost
Efficacy

 

[Swarm]

Plus the safety concern.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You think

I know

 

[Erichalfbee]

a couple of factors in play.....
Brood or no brood
10 hives or 500, time per treatment
Fuel cost
Temperature, weather
Cost
Efficacy

And ease. Much easier to chuck in a few strips and forget about them for six weeks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But having said that I have my routine I can almost do my colonies blindfold.

 

[Curly green finger's]

And ease. Much easier to chuck in a few strips and forget about them for six weeks.

except half way through repositioning them after scratching the propolis of

 

[Sanntos]

Plus
Risk for resistance evolve
Environmental risk, contaminating honey

 

[pargyle]

Plus
Risk for resistance evolve
Environmental risk, contaminating honey

Or none of the above ?

 

[user 20297]

Lack of imagination?

I imagine that to be untrue.

 

[E&MBees]

Exspense, I know quite a few association members who wouldn't have a clue about vaping OA.
Maybe there's a lack of training?

Definitely a lack of training. At my local BKA, varroa treatments were not mentioned. A forum member kindly taught me.

 

[Newbeeneil]

At my local BKA, varroa treatments were not mentioned.

Thats abysmal!

 

[user 20297]

Plus the safety concern.

....my main reason......plus aversion to faffing about

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thats abysmal!

Our apiary manager advocates TF
They had AFB there last season. Spotted on a routine SBI visit.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Our apiary manager advocates TF

Thats fine but surely a BKA is all about learning. At mine we have some TF hives but we treat the majority.

 

[Swarm]

....my main reason......plus aversion to faffing about

Five day treatments and torrential rain when you don't need it can be quite perturbing to say the least

 

[Do224]

Vape on days 1 6 11 and 15 if you need a fourth

Just to be clear on this, since I’m easily confused...

I vaped on Sunday, so my next two vapes will be Friday and Wednesday right?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes

 

[Do224]

Yes

Vape on days 1 6 11 and 15 if you need a fourth

Thanks. So should ‘day 15’ for a possible fourth vape actually be day 16...or is the fourth vape supposed to be a day sooner?

 

[Erichalfbee]

It can be either
I once vaped a colony 8 times at five day intervals.

 

[StephenT]

I’ve vaped one of my hives 4 times now at 5 day intervals and there’s still quite a drop, about 30 the day after the last vape. First time I’ve used the gas-vap and so may not have got it completely right first and second time. Also, they are double brood and I am vaping through a mainly blocked off entrance with floor and back sealed. In double brood, should there be issues of the vapour getting up to the top box in a decent enough quantity, where the bees are?

Treated all three hives with Apivar in autumn but this is the only problem one. Do people use 2 strips in the brood nest area for double brood? I assumed you would not use more.