Varroa resistant to Thymol

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HM

Why would I open myself to further ridicule after a Moderator of UK's biggest Bee forum has already trashed my observation?

Well done!
 
Because it is important that all beekeepers should be informed if there is a genuine resistance problem with using thymol products.

It is already advised to rotate treatments,but good to know when one is no longer effective.


I have joined the recent posts on thymol resistance observed by Richard, to this older thread.
 
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So the little sods are obviously Thymol resistant !!

I think somehow I will disregard 'them wot don't have a clue' and follow the experts on this one. Shirley, in the four intervening years since MM's thread, any resistance would have been observed by someone, somewhere, somehow.

I know that I don't trust (and so don't use) Apiguard. However thymol treatment has always been effective by my delivery method and no oxalic has been used for years. Yes, other methods have been used at times when deemed necessary, but that autumn thymol treatment has always been sufficiently effective to allow the bees to raise healthy winter bees for good winter survival.

When this ' claimed resistance' is confirmed by some experts in the field, I will take note of it. Until then, as always, I will put it down to the operator.
 
At present I suspect the winter mite populations after autumn treatment are connected more closely to ideal mite breeding conditions in October and November than resistance.

A 90% effective treatment in September might still leave 100 or more mites. That could be 800 in January, no resistance involved.
 
drstitson said:
richard bees - can you tell us exactly how and when you used the apiguard?
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Yes, the reasons for less-than-expected Apiguard/Thymol success are more likely to lie outside of the mites ...

I have always advocated testing for the extent of the residual problem after any treatment has been completed.
Success is not measured by the knock-down, but by what remains afterwards.

/ and to take alanf's point, that means the starting point for the redoubling ...
 
as above - optimal knock down will still leave significant varroa numbers that can expand well over a mild autumn.

but many people seem to be failing to ensure their hives get a proper dose - loads of ventilation; excess supers upstairs etc etc.
 
Yes and the same conclusion reached four years ago when this thread started
 
Apiguard 90% kill in a cool UK autumn? I have my doubts on that one. An optimum result is more likely a better way to put it, IMO.

I still await proper independently substantiated experimental results for typical UK field trials on this one. I remember the boxes which gave all the results for Spain, Italy, etc but managed to omit any test trial results from the UK. I thought that a little suspicious at the time, and still do.

Both timing and temperature for good efficacy need careful examination by those either starting treatment in July or when temperatures are cooling. That is apart from those points mentionec by Dr S.

RAB
 
"I remember the boxes which gave all the results for Spain, Italy, etc but managed to omit any test trial results from the UK."

yep - late august/early sept temps of 30+ unlikely to be comparable with UK!!!
 
I've read all the above but this year's drop after OA is vastly bigger than all previous years since Bvrl........I'm still to be convinced that it.s not due to a loss in efficacy of Agd
 
Have you ruled out a bad batch of apiguard Richard?? I am guessing that previous years you have not noticed a gradual inefficiency of thymol.
 
Tom Bick said:
Have you ruled out a bad batch of apiguard Richard?? I am guessing that previous years you have not noticed a gradual inefficiency of thymol.
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The conclusion on my original infomation in 2010 was according to the SBI that it turned out to be a combination of low ambient temperature and a bad batch of treatment tubs
 
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I have a distant memory that one year there was a discussion going round about some poor apiguard or similar. I guess in time we will all get similar results to Richard even when we have done everything right. I am one of those people who prefer not to use oxalic and rely on good autumn thymol treatments to get me through and I think providing you treat correctly and be prepared to add extra treatments if necessary then thymol is still perhaps the best treatment available today.
 
Tom and MM, thanks for your comments, I've come to the same conclusion and am considering Bayvarol this year
 
Steady on JBM. Just look forward to the thread title next year "New discovery - the little sods are obviously resistant to bayvarol "

At least we will be able to agree with the latter part, if not the first two words!

One does wonder, mind.

RAB
 
richardbees said:
Tom and MM, thanks for your comments, I've come to the same conclusion and am considering Bayvarol this year
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Be careful, at least recheck after bayvarol with something its effectiveness. We used over here in 2013. - seems high resistance on it by varroa. Some claim that varroa developed resistance on it " in a walk". Many reported high varroa infestation after bayvarol, I didn't have something alarming ( but much more than with checkmite+).
 
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