Varroa treatment survey

[North End Bees]

August 2019 Apilife Var
Dec 2019 oxalic trickle
August 2020 Apiguard
Dec 2020 will do oxalic trickle.

I've always used Apiguard for the autumn treatment but last year tried Apilife var for a change. Won't use again as it left a lot of gunk on top of frames. Apiguard is equally effective but much cleaner to use.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Did you read this summary?:
".....achieving 98% efficacy in preventing mite counts from building up during the honey flow makes us very happy. And this for a treatment that is very safe to handle, takes seconds to apply, and does not contaminate the honey or beeswax."

If you can beat this with another method then please tell.

I'm merely pointing out what he acknowledges in the graphs, 12% if the colonies actually increased in mite numbers and 10% were above the "safe infestation level". This looks like its down to some colonies chewing the paper up and removing it from the hive.

You will see that he mentioned cloth sponges in the article which he hopes to test, hopefully the data comes back this will be more effective than the paper towel method even if slightly more expensive.

Ok, found a food grade Glycerin supplier in the UK I can use soooooo, do you heat the Glycerin gently to speed up the mixing with OA? Has anyone tried this method over here yet?

Maybe a bit easier: Oxalic Acid Strips, Pack of 20 - Welcome to Abelo's Beekeeping Supplies

 

[Hachi]

You will see that he mentioned cloth sponges in the article which he hopes to test, hopefully the data comes back this will be more effective than the paper towel method even if slightly more expensive.

Maybe a bit easier: Oxalic Acid Strips, Pack of 20 - Welcome to Abelo's Beekeeping Supplies

Interestingly, are these the Hivemaker "pads" we all know and love?

 

[MuswellMetro]

2018 Dec subliation of Oxalic
2019 Aug 50%apivar 50% MAQS
2019 Dec Sublimation of Oxalic
2020 75% MAQS 25% Apivar

any over winter nuc Apivar in December

 

[MerryBee]

Apivar in August 2019
Oxalic acid vape in December 2019
Apivar in August 2020
Oxalic acid vape in December 2020 planned

 

[Goodwood]

OA vape x 3 another one first week Jan roughly
started 3/7 ago

 

[SafetyThird]

OA vaporiser once a week in September
OA vaporiser between Christmas and new year.
Done for the first time last year and seemed to work well. I'm a newish beekeeper, this is my third season.

 

[Patrick1]

The ants like it

 

[MuswellMetro]

Homefully the Veterinary Medicines Directorate don't read this threed

 

[Ringlander]

October 2019 Apistan, average mite drop in first 24 hours 300, 24 hour drop after 6 weeks 33
Late December OA sublimation drop not checked
April 2020 Drone Brood Check 2.5% mite load
April -June, regular icing sugar dusting mite drops typically 10-15 each time
August 2020 MAQS Average drop in first 24hours 550 mites, 24 hour drop after 7 days 100, 24 hour drop after 14 days (MAQS still in place but almost no fumes coming off) 30 Note all queens survived MAQS , 1 took one week brood break.
Planned mite level check in Autumn and then OA sublimation in December 2020

Having found out about the dangers of icing sugar to the brood I won't use this again, plan going forward is to use alcohol or sugar roll checks to monitor mite levels in Autumn and Spring and treat as necessary with Apilife or OA. MAQS seems very effective but harsh, the bees really didn't seem to like it and I'm not sure I did. Note that despite the frighteningly high mite drops I have had no DWV or other mite related issues. How do my drops compare with others experiences?

 

[North End Bees]

Note all queens survived MAQS , 1 took one week brood break.

I've also never lost a queen using MAQS but they have taken a short (a week?) brood break.
I think Q loss is associated with higher temps/lack of ventilation. Instructions say max temp of 29.5°c but that seems excessively high. I've only ever used it in spring so temps not a problem.
Also not a problem in spring to have full ventilation (full width entrance plus open crown boards) which you wouldn't want to do in August with all the wasps about.

 

[drex]

Also not a problem in spring to have full ventilation (full width entrance plus open crown boards) which you wouldn't want to do in August with all the wasps about.

I wouldn't want to do it in spring either

 

[Erichalfbee]

I wouldn't want to do it in spring either

And my crownboards are open only when there is a feeder on top.

 

[North End Bees]

Absolutely no problem with fully open entrances in spring. I used MAQS in late April in two separate years with no problems whatsoever. Top ventilation through open crownboards is also a must.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Top ventilation through open crownboards is also a must.

Ventilation through open crownboards is never the answer for anything. let alone a 'must'

 

[drex]

Top ventilation through open crownboards is also a must.

Do you leave your loft hatch open all year round? You are suggesting the same for the bees.

 

[North End Bees]

Ventilation through open crownboards is never the answer for anything. let alone a 'must'

Whatever you say, top ventilation is a 'must' with MAQS.
Perhaps it's the fear of bringing back
matchsticks for winter that makes people think they mustn't have top ventilation. But with MAQS it's a different story altogether.
Whenever I've spoken to beekeepers who've lost queens after using MAQS, it's pretty much always the case that they didn't ventilate the hive.

 

[North End Bees]

Do you leave your loft hatch open all year round? You are suggesting the same for the bees.

The MAQS is on for one week! I'm not advocating leaving the crownboards open all year!
And yes, I'd open the loft hatch (or all the windows) in my house to disperse a chemical treatment if it was necessary in order to have that necessary treatment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

if it was necessary in order to have that necessary treatment.

There are so many alternatives though

 

[North End Bees]

There are so many alternatives though

There are alternatives but the time of year can limit them.
When I first used it I was more than a little worried as I was managing someone else's hives as well as my own. The whole lot needed treating and all had supers on for the OSR. The smell was incredibly powerful which is what made me particularly nervous and I had visions of them all absconding but all worked out well and the MAQS was really effective.
I wouldn't use it in August. The temperatures can get too high too quickly. And anyway once you've got the supers off thymol is as good as you need.
I know people like OA vapes but that needs repeat treatments with brood, compared to a single MAQS.