Varroa Mite Control - Apivar

[@adkfoothills1973]

Another very helpful video. Thank you for all that you do for us and the bees.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Our pleasure!

[@jimhegarty9561]

Thank you for posting these terrific videos!

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Our pleasure!

[@bluewingfarms2208]

Appreciate the new videos.👍

[@danielweston9188]

Such a solid series !

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks for your support!

[@donbearden1953]

Paul, I’m looking forward to meeting and listening to you at the Hive Life conference in January.

[@3boysbees]

Thanks for the content and time. Keep up the great work.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Well thanks!

[@joer5627]

Always appreciate your videos. Thank you for all you do!

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Joe! Our pleasure.

[@alial_hassanal_khashashneh3728]

Brilliant series

[@dariuszmonko2774]

Thank You! As always very informative.

[@alamenahlesetif]

Does emtiraz harm the honey consumer?

[@bilaylor2552]

Good to see you again, hope for lots more! Your nitrile gloves seem generously sized, could you link to them please? I have large hands.

[@honeyonwales190]

I wear Harbor Freight's black nitrile gloves (9mil) in size extra large for daily bee work. They're great.

[@geckoproductions4128]

Thank you for the well-done presentation.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Glad it was helpful!

[@luisvisalden7264]

great information, I gathered it is applied 2 strips per 10 frames? Awesome info to its application time period, handling, etc....thank you for the video/info.

[@honeyonwales190]

Yes. Ratio of 1 strip per 5 frames. I run all 8-frame deep boxes and use two strips per box. I've also overwintered 5fr. nucs after one-strip fall treatment.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks. The other commenter got it right!

[@robscholefield9741]

Also Apivar recommend swapping strip locations in the hive halfway though treatment for lot higher kill rate

[@RRScott-uz1lg]

Another great video. Thank you! I do have a question regarding the use of this treatment. I have a new Nuc colony that has only begun to expand out to about six frames in my ten frame hive. I have screened for and detected Varroa and I'm wondering if I should apply Apivar immediately. This means the strips will be in until mid August. I know this would normally be a bad idea due to honey flow, but I'm not sure that my hive will be ready for any super this summer anyway. Would you suggest I focus on Varroa fragment immediately or wait until the fall? I'd really appreciate any help. Thank you!

[@honeyonwales190]

What did you end up doing and how did it work out?

[@deannawalts7901]

I'm curious when it was stated not to use with honey supers on. What happens to the honey frames one might leave on for winter feeding? Is that honey now contaminated? Remove those frames for the 42 (I think it was) days?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Deanna Please watch a few more of our videos to piece this together. 'Feeding Bees and Overwintering' is one suggestion. 'Comb Management', 'Supering' and 'Comb Management' are others.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

We don't harvest honey from the brood chamber and that is where the Apivar is used.

[@BrianCooper901]

The latest instructions mention scratching the strips after 3 weeks and possibly relocating to cover brood to increase efficacy.

[@kstienburg276]

Applying Apivar late September would mean removing end of October, first week of November. Would you still apply Oxalic acid?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

yes

[@gerrydertinger7447]

How late in the year can you use it( SW Ont like you ) ? Opening up hive say in mid Nov may be problematic, no?

[@catistrolling7333]

What is the cloth over the hive

[@honeyonwales190]

Canvas inner cover. They have a good video describing it.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

This is from our FAQ. Thanks for the question. Q2: Why do you use canvas for the inner cover? A2: We use canvas inner covers for a few reasons. They make it easy to take a quick peek in the hive, and are cheap and easy to make. They are light, the lids sit down well, there is less excess wax on the frame top bars, and we rarely need to scrape the inner cover. Ants are also less likely to take up residence on a canvas inner cover. We use 18 oz (#8) canvas - otherwise known as cotton duck. There will be some shrinkage, so cut it to 1/4″ wider and longer than the length and width of the box. It is available in the USA online here, in Canada at here, or in Hamilton, Ontario here. Bees chew through thin canvas so a heavier weight is better. We flip it over periodically when new so the bees thoroughly coat it with propolis. An alternative is a feedbag folded in half. Please watch the video “Our Equipment” for more details on the inner cover.

[@randalljoslin4582]

I usually use two different products when treating for mites: Hopguard 3 and ApiGuard. OA is a lot of bother for a hobbyist. Formic Pro requires special handling and protection.

[@eliaselia6833]

What you think about OA

[@bluewingfarms2208]

As far as I know Apiguard is not available in Canada. It hasn’t been approved by Health Canada.??

[@randalljoslin4582]

@@bluewingfarms2208 I am in the US

[@Steele_Wings]

The batch I purchased this year did nothing. I lost 3 colonies to absconding. I had to treat every 7 days for 6 weeks with OA to save my remaining colonies. The mite load was too many to count.

[@benjaminmeadows1380]

Seems like there happy when done I have 1 hive had 9 mite count but when I treat lot better

[@beekeepinginpunjab4815]

Thanks sr ji

[@fionmor4893]

so the honey should not be harvested if I use Apivar?

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Yes, not to be consumed.

[@honeyonwales190]

Fwiw I remove all honey supers last week of August and install Apivar strips first week of September. I remove Apivar strips last week of October. This schedule has worked well for me with zero winter loss the past 6yrs.

[@zumzi-zum6536]

Rotation of treatments is mandatory, i do it after 3 years.

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

I just wish the manufacturer's of Apivar quality control was better. Con. Weak strip batches are not uncommon.

[@eliaselia6833]

Never used oxalic oxide

[@stuffnsuch631]

Why? Seems pretty common place among most keepers

[@benjaminmeadows1380]

You ca,leave a super on unless u don't eat the honey

[@hevchip741]

Toxic for us if uou use the honey from those frames.

[@youcefboukhalfa8667]

But is very dangerous

[@honeyonwales190]

How so? Thank you

[@libertybellbeekeepers]

This junk kills so many queens.

[@honeyonwales190]

Interesting. You've had this happen? I've used it for 7rs with zero queen loss. Please share your data, so we can all learn. Thank you!