Varroa treatment when and best product

[john1]

Hi,
My colony is in Manchester. It is a new colony looks strong with plenty of bees both is brood and supers.

I am wondering when I should start the varroa treatment.
Should I start it now or leave it until September?

What is the most effective varroa treatment method?
Thanks

 

[CaptainCymru]

Not promoting it but I use apiguard in August, 2 doses back to back once the supers are off followed by a oxalic acid vapour end December/ early January.Seems to do the trick.

 

[Boston Bees]

I put in Apivar in mid-August. That way the varroa population is already cut back a chunk by the time that eggs for winter bees start to be laid in September. First week of September probably OK but that would be the latest I would risk it. Mid to late September too late in my book.

Apivar is probably the simplest treatment for a new beekeeper to use. Thymol based products are no doubt excellent but if not applied in the right way their efficacy is dramatically reduced.

When to treat? - The Apiarist

 

[user 819]

If you plan on extracting the supers for use /sale then wait until they are off before treating, if the current stores are for the bees then one can treat any time. Treat to early and you may miss hitting the varroa effectively before the winter brood rearing starts.
If the supers are on expecting an August flow then the doesn't look good if the afore coming weather is anything to go by more low pressures and rain incoming for another week or two.

Typically I OA sublimate very end of August or early Sept every 5 days over three weeks before the winter bees are laid up. For other treatments then they will need the warmer temps around 20ish to be effective so Sept may be a bit late.

 

[W0otz]

If you plan on extracting the supers for use /sale then wait until they are off before treating, if the current stores are for the bees then one can treat any time. Treat to early and you may miss hitting the varroa effectively before the winter brood rearing starts.
If the supers are on expecting an August flow then the doesn't look good if the afore coming weather is anything to go by more low pressures and rain incoming for another week or two.

You can treat with MAQS when the supers are still on - easy enough to use but some people have reported problems with supercedure and/or lots of dead bees.

 

[user 819]

Is it worth the risk though with honey on, even if the label say's so ?

 

[john1]

Thank you so much to all.
It looks like ApiVar is a good choice for a new beekeeper.

I will have one of the supers on the brood. I will not be extracting honey from that super.
I will be away in December, so I am leaving the super for the bees.

I am not using Queen Excluder. So I hope, I can easily hang the ApiVar on the frames in the brood.
If I do do the first treatment in in mid August, when should I do the next treatment?

Many thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes use Apivar while you can. Resistance is already appearing in the U.K.
Strips in for 6 weeks
Next treatment? I do my OAV once a year. Demarees-to-be get a spring vape

 

[Nannysbees]

Ours get apiguard two treatments back to back and OA December/Jan

 

[RichardK]

I put in Apivar in mid-August. That way the varroa population is already cut back a chunk by the time that eggs for winter bees start to be laid in September. First week of September probably OK but that would be the latest I would risk it. Mid to late September too late in my book.

Apivar is probably the simplest treatment for a new beekeeper to use. Thymol based products are no doubt excellent but if not applied in the right way their efficacy is dramatically reduced.

When to treat? - The Apiarist

Why do you think mid to late September is too late? Is it a weather / temperature thing and the hive slowing down for winter?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why do you think mid to late September is too late? Is it a weather / temperature thing and the hive slowing down for winter?

Winter bees are made end august to end September and its these you need to be healthy. So you need to reduce the varroa while this brood is being produced. As BB says

 

[RichardK]

Winter bees are made end august to end September and its these you need to be healthy. So you need to reduce the varroa while this brood is being produced. As BB says

I don't get what part temperature plays in this though. For example, using Google I can see that your average temperatures for Ceredigion in Sept are 8° - 17° v's 15° - 26° for me. If my weather patterns are warmer it seems resonable to assume that my winter bees are produced later than yours no? When though I have no idea....I think I need to have a chat with my local bee shop.

 

[Boston Bees]

It looks like ApiVar is a good choice for a new beekeeper.

I will have one of the supers on the brood. I will not be extracting honey from that super.
I will be away in December, so I am leaving the super for the bees.

I am not using Queen Excluder. So I hope, I can easily hang the ApiVar on the frames in the brood.
If I do do the first treatment in in mid August, when should I do the next treatment?

Apivar is a single-application treatment. You put two strips in a brood box, located as per the instructions on the leaflet. Leave the strips in for between 6 and 8 weeks. Then remove them and bin them. It is very important you don't leave them in longer than 8 weeks as this can build resistance to the product.

Actually - ignore the bit in the instructions about folding out the little plastic "V" to secure the strip between two frames - that's a rubbish way to do it - use a nail or toothpick to suspend the strip between two frames instead. You'll see what I mean.

 

[Boston Bees]

I don't get what part temperature plays in this though. For example, using Google I can see that your average temperatures for Ceredigion in Sept are 8° - 17° v's 15° - 26° for me. If my weather patterns are warmer it seems resonable to assume that my winter bees are produced later than yours no? When though I have no idea....I think I need to have a chat with my local bee shop.

Fine, but this thread was started by someone based in the UK, so we are answering his question. Perhaps a good question to ask on a French beekeeping forum?

 

[Jonnyl]

I've used apivar in mid august for the last three years and vape three times five days apart at the first prolonged frosts (usually late November in Scotland, never an issue. This year I switched to Apitraz. It's similar to apivar I believe just a different trade name. Has anyone used this?

 

[user 20297]

Fine, but this thread was started by someone based in the UK, so we are answering his question. Perhaps a good question to ask on a French beekeeping forum?

...but @RichardK is asking an intelligent question which is giving us something to think about and I'm sure someone can answer it. My recent question regarding the cleaning of bee-wear has morphed into a discussion on the genealogy of later-model Land-Rovers; so I think we can be flexible on this too. Generally, there's a lot of definitive answers here when it comes to varroa treatment. But I'm now seeing that we don't necessarily know everything about how these things are actively doing the job they are intended to do; an earlier question on how oxalic acid kills mites also came to a dead end.
I would like to understand these chemicals better before I put my bees, and possibly my honey, through the experience.

Note...I am not commited to non-treatment; I do have my sachets of Apivar at the ready, but I would prefer not to treat if it's possible.

 

[Murox]

I've used apivar in mid august for the last three years and vape three times five days apart at the first prolonged frosts (usually late November in Scotland, never an issue. This year I switched to Apitraz. It's similar to apivar I believe just a different trade name. Has anyone used this?

Amitraz is the active ingredient in both Apitraz and Apivar, can be used at any time of year no temperature constraints (supers must not be on the hives). Strips are left in for between 6 and 10 weeks depending on the size of the colony and the time of year. I used apitraz last autumn and vaped later on, seems to have worked well. some resistance to amitraz is being seen/reported in bees.

 

[RichardK]

Fine, but this thread was started by someone based in the UK, so we are answering his question. Perhaps a good question to ask on a French beekeeping forum?

And I was replying to Erichalfbee's comment to me regarding the timing of winter bees.

I accept that you may not know the answer and if so just say, or say nothing?

Let's forget I'm in France. What difference does temperature play for when winter bees are produced? I'm happy to start a new thread if it makes people happier

 

[Jonnyl]

Amitraz is the active ingredient in both Apitraz and Apivar, can be used at any time of year no temperature constraints (supers must not be on the hives). Strips are left in for between 6 and 10 weeks depending on the size of the colony and the time of year. I used apitraz last autumn and vaped later on, seems to have worked well. some resistance to amitraz is being seen/reported in bees.

Good to know Murox, thanks. It's what I thought and was my understanding. Just looking for reassurance when trying another product. I know this point is crucial for the next season.

 

[Foxylad]

https://www.theapiarist.org/when-to-treat/