How to Use Apivar® to Control Varroa Mites

This video shows when and how to use Apivar for varroa mite control. Apivar can be a useful tool for reducing varroa mite populations within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Repeated use may hasten mite resistance. The active ingredient in Apivar is the miticide Amitraz. Always resample after treatment to confirm that the treatment worked.
This is the fourth in a series of short videos from the Honey Bee Health Coalition on how to manage varroa mites successfully.
Why should you effectively manage varroa mites in your honey bee colonies? Every honey bee colony in North America either has varroa mites or will in just a few months. When colonies are not treated, or are treated ineffectively, they weaken and may be more susceptible to other negative factors, such as pesticide damage, virus infections, and other maladies. Failure to control mites endangers not only your colonies but also colonies in other apiaries and feral honey bees in your area. Widespread colony deaths can cause major economic damage for beekeepers and harm essential agricultural pollination services.
Whether you have a few colonies or you manage large apiaries, these videos show practical steps you can use to better control varroa mites.
LINKS:
The Honey Bee Health Coalition: honeybeehealthcoalition.org
More varroa resources: honeybeehealthcoalition.org/v...

[@laurendoninger2693]

Can bees be feed syrup and/or pollen patties while receiving Apivar? Thanks.

[@beebob1279]

It had no affect on my mite levels this summer. A study of different package suppliers and mite resistance would be interesting

[@collegeguy14]

Summer use would fall into the peak range for treatment which is listed as a non treatment time frame for Apivar, reading, understanding and following the label may help with your experience with Apivar. Keep this tool in your back pocket and give it another try under better conditions, you maybe surprised.

[@feliciachitwood9400]

Okay I think somebody said even with this being the safest for the bee's you still have to watch temperature does anybody know what the highest temperature before you need to pull it

[@overlycreative1]

Again, why use a known chemical that already has known mite resistance over an organic acid such as Oxalic Acid treatment?

[@rickdewitt3518]

timing It takes 3 weeks in a row to use OC and kill the majority of the mites. Some people do not have the time to effectively administer OC.

[@FloryJohann]

OA is not doing much when varroa levels increase and when at the varroa-peak . It may be ok to use right after wintering hives and before wintering if the varroa level is low. It is also said that repeated treatment with OA will kill the Queen......not what I seen yet. But Varroa killed my hive in December after treating with OA on repeated sequences throughout the year. A broodcycle interruption of 12 days would be more effective than OA. OA may have its place, but may not be the right choice in the summer where your summer treatment will have effect on your winter bees. If you treat in the late fall it is to late for the winter bees, but a fall treatment may benefit the spring bees.