Varroa Treatments

[La Folie]

I am thinking of treating my hives for varroa shortly but as an inexperinced beek I am looking for advice please. At my Association we always use Apiguard but has anyone got any opinions on ApiLifeVar or other products?:

 

[pargyle]

I am thinking of treating my hives for varroa shortly but as an inexperinced beek I am looking for advice please. At my Association we always use Apiguard but has anyone got any opinions on ApiLifeVar or other products?:

Quite a number of appropriate threads on here - I would try searching for 'Varroa Treatments' as a starting point.

 

[Davelin]

Have you assessed your varroa levels to ascertain as to whether you need to treat?

 

[Finman]

.
Apiquard is thymol product, and the second might be formic acid product.

These are recommended stuffs in late summer during brood period.

.

 

[Hivemaker.]

.
Apiquard is thymol product, and the second might be formic acid product.

It is also thymol.

 

[Finman]

It is also thymol.

OK, a big difference?


It is written here about "MAQS New Varroa Treatment Available in the UK". Formic acid has been used 15 years in whole Europe.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

They are both thymol products. Apilife has menthol camphor and eucalyptus added.
Both are applied for four weeks. Apiguard in two week hits Apilife weekly.
Both are very effective.
Both can put the queen off lay.
I used Apilife on my colonies last year. One queen gave up laying permanently the other three didn't seem to notice it at all.
I melted the plastic crown board with one strip.

 

[justme]

I use Hivemakers recipe but only when monitoring shows its needed. Note, I do sugar dust if I think its been too long with very low count and dont allow them to get to DWV stage or able to see varroa on bees stage. Ok, I mean been able to not let them get to DWV stage. Did use Oxalic the second Christmas, had no issues but made little difference also. Guess I've just been lucky. Hivemakers varroa recipe should show up in the search if interested.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's a "sticky"

 

[madasafish]

Others have reported Apilife can affect polyhives.

I use HM's recipe. Cheaper## and works well. My drops (worst 30 in a day after treatment) have reduced every year since I started in 2010. (TBHs are often difficult to treat. I add wax to the hot mix and apply via strings) .


## like 5% of the costs of proprietary treatments..

PS I don't use oxalic.. ever. Or IPM

 

[drstitson]

ALV is fine in polyhives - so long as you are using a clear crownboard to prevent contact with roof (or just place the wrapper or sheet of foil on top of the biscuits),

 

[mbc]

Homemade thymol treatments work ok but for peace of mind and ease of use its hard to beat apiguard, though I'm becoming more and more impressed by thymovar, another slow release thymol application treatment.

 

[Finman]

PS I don't use oxalic.. ever. Or IPM

Yes, it makes you a better human and a better beekeeper.
I have lost reverything, even my self respect. I have used ONLY oxalic acid 10 years. SOS!

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