Varroa Treatments

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I am currently treating my hive with Apivar. I have noticed that some of the main beekeeping suppliers are selling API-bioxal as a winter treatment. Should I also be using this as well as the Apivar? If I leave the Apivar in place for 6-8 weeks depending on the weather, I will be removing it at the beginning of January.

Thanks
 
For Api Bioxal to work effectively the hive has to be broodless, otherwise you are only hitting the phoretic mites. Around December/January is the usual time, it won't do any harm.
 
I am currently treating my hive with Apivar. I have noticed that some of the main beekeeping suppliers are selling API-bioxal as a winter treatment. Should I also be using this as well as the Apivar? If I leave the Apivar in place for 6-8 weeks depending on the weather, I will be removing it at the beginning of January.

Thanks

I don't see the gain in an oxalic treatment on top of the apivar at this time of year, but as mentioned above I would look to treating earlier in future.
 
I was wondering because there's not much activity in the hive would apivar be disrupted around the colony enough.?
@ mbc and swarm do you reposition the strips and scrap with a hive tool mid treatment?
 
I was wondering because there's not much activity in the hive would apivar be disrupted around the colony enough.?
@ mbc and swarm do you reposition the strips and scrap with a hive tool mid treatment?

It may not be as effective in the winter months and yes reposition and scratch mid treatment.
 
I was wondering because there's not much activity in the hive would apivar be disrupted around the colony enough.?
@ mbc and swarm do you reposition the strips and scrap with a hive tool mid treatment?

Scrape and reposition but treat much earlier, in order to get healthy, winter bees.
 
I was wondering because there's not much activity in the hive would apivar be disrupted around the colony enough.?
@ mbc and swarm do you reposition the strips and scrap with a hive tool mid treatment?

So long as the cluster is in contact with the strips I guess it will be effective.
I've not used man made insecticides in my hives for twenty odd years now, amitraz break down products are wax permeable which turns me right off.
 
Out of interest, what do you use to control varroa? I did not want to use man made insecticides either, but as a beginner I do not have enough experience and felt that I should use something. I spent a long time reading about the different treatments and in the end got really stressed and muddled, hence the lateness applying the strips.
 
Out of interest, what do you use to control varroa? I did not want to use man made insecticides either, but as a beginner I do not have enough experience and felt that I should use something. I spent a long time reading about the different treatments and in the end got really stressed and muddled, hence the lateness applying the strips.

A lot of us use Oxalic acid sublimation and strips are now available but I guess the oxalic is man made
 
I did not want to use man made insecticides either,

You have a choice of using the harsher 'chemical' treatments containing pyrethroids and such or lean more towards the softer but very effective thymol based treatments or oxalic acid (which is as close to 'organic' as you're likely to get)
 
I like to ring the changes, in theory reducing the chance of mites developing resistance. I use thymol based product in late summer, ready for winter bee production and oxalic in early winter when brood is at minimum. As already stressed it is important to treat early to ensure the health of the long lived winter bees. I know research shows no harm from repeated doses of oxalic, but I do not like the idea of it.
 
I like to ring the changes, in theory reducing the chance of mites developing resistance. I use thymol based product in late summer, ready for winter bee production and oxalic in early winter when brood is at minimum. As already stressed it is important to treat early to ensure the health of the long lived winter bees. I know research shows no harm from repeated doses of oxalic, but I do not like the idea of it.

I'm the same drex , fourth winter and I've alternated my product .
Your not a believer that OA has no resistance then ? Sorry to go a bit :ot:
 
I'm the same drex , fourth winter and I've alternated my product .

Your not a believer that OA has no resistance then ? Sorry to go a bit :ot:
There was no mention of varroa developing resistance to OA, where did you get that idea from?

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk
 
There is a absolutely no evidence of resistance developing to Thymol, or to OA - pretty difficult to develop a resistance to having your legs burnt off with acid

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk
 
O A dribbling

If you winter bees on brood and a half do you split boxes to treat also why are we told to only treat once if a second treatment would mop up a few more survivors from the first ?
 
If you winter bees on brood and a half do you split boxes to treat also why are we told to only treat once if a second treatment would mop up a few more survivors from the first ?

Depends on location of cluster if it’s in bottom box then split and apply if it’s over the 2 boxes in from the top and split again but it’s down to you to judge and not exceed max dose. Trickle is once only method and is harsher, vape allows multiple and as Jenks says no resistance to thymol and oxalic.
 
I wouldn't split the boxes to apply OA drizzle, just treat the seams of bees whether they are up top or lower. Use a torch to locate them if it's a problem.
 

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