Author Topic: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar  (Read 9357 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline lazy shooter

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1449
  • Thanked: 64 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Brownwood, Texas
How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« on: October 26, 2014, 07:25:19 pm »
Lborou was over to my place a few days back and we did an alcohol wash on 400 plus bees one my oldest and largest hive.  There was a mite infection of nine percent.  I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was forty some odd mites on the 400 plus bees.  So, I want to hear what you fellow beekeepers think of apivar and how it has worked for you. 

This hive has not been through a brood break in two years, as has my other hives, so I am breaking down and thinking of treating this one hive.  It is a huge hive with two deeps and two mediums full of brood and honey.

As always, thanks in advance for your replies. 

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2014, 07:46:50 pm »
Apivar works well. I know many keeps who use it (I have in the past) and it is effective, apparently leaving no residue in the wax.
If you are going to treat with honey supers on though, why not consider MAQS?
If you use Apivar, you will have to remove all honey supers during treatment.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2014, 08:08:58 pm »
like perry said lazy, apivar does work well, and as he said, remove any honey supers.  i have used it in the past with success.  as far as any residue in the comb?  my HO, it probably leaves a residue, and don't be surprised if the treatment drives them out the front to beard. 
if i were to treat for mites now, i would choose to use apiguard. 
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline lazy shooter

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1449
  • Thanked: 64 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Brownwood, Texas
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2014, 08:51:17 pm »
I am now reading about apiguard.  Thanks River and Perry.

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6122
  • Thanked: 405 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2014, 09:29:03 pm »
I know nothing about apiguard, as I don't treat, but if you have to remove honey supers, I would think it is because it leaves a residue. Why else?
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2014, 09:38:20 pm »
lazy, apiguard is just my preference now if i were to treat.  i have not used maqs or oa, and to be honest, probably never will and won't go back to using apivar.

in my own experience with apivar, although very effective, sometimes i experienced queen problems with it, she either stopped laying briefly or just stopped laying altogether.  and also, it can drive the bees out the front door. i believe there is a residue left behind from using it, you can smell it on the comb.  i didn't like this.  with apiquard i have not experienced a queen problem, or driving bees out the front as apivar did.  also, not sure of the residue left in the comb, i am certain there is some, but not enough to detect by my shnoz as there was with using apivar.

all in all, find what works for you and use it to kill the mites.  only by use of the different methods will you be able to decide what you think what works best for you, or what you prefer and like.  all of these miticides work relatively well.  your choice may depend on many factors....honey supers on, honey supers off, etc.....how you think it affected your queens or not.......weather application conditions.....many variables lazy, too numerous to mention.

let us know what you decide, and happy to answer any questions relative to apiguard or apivar.   
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2014, 09:43:39 pm »
oops i replied at the same time iddee did and rather than edit my post, i would agree with what iddee said about the residue:
(i have used apiguard, i don't treat unless i see the need to do so)

"I know nothing about apiguard, as I don't treat, but if you have to remove honey supers, I would think it is because it leaves a residue. Why else?"
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2014, 08:24:42 pm »
OAV can be used with supers in place. Slide the vaporizer in, treat, slide vaporizor out...   Watch the mites DIE without affecting your bees (or honey supers) at all.
   I have only used Hopguard before I switched to OAV.. it worked... fair, and supposedly could be used with supers in place. Still caused some bearding i didnt like...   Switched to OAV and am exceptionally content.

   I am a little surprised anyone would use anything else..  But, beekeepers will be beekeepers!
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2014, 08:27:49 pm »
We are not allowed to use Oxalic acid when there are honey supers on a hive up here.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2014, 08:35:20 pm »
why is that perry?
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2014, 08:36:19 pm »
Really? Hrm, not what I read... I'll have to do some re reading then..  As I understood it the OA content of honey did not rise despite repeated weekly treatments which was why  it was approved for use with the supers on.. apparently it was not Canada..    Time to go find where I found that and hope i find what i found!
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6122
  • Thanked: 405 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2014, 08:38:17 pm »
Please find and post it. Our state bee inspector says it has not been approved and is not legal.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2014, 08:40:10 pm »
The only product approved for use with honey supers on (in Nova Scotia for sure, and I believe Canada) is MAQS. No other forms of Formic acid application are allowed with supers on either, only MAQS.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #13 on: October 27, 2014, 09:06:17 pm »
this is just my own humble personal opinion......with a caveat, i have not used OAV or MAQS, i just don't think we ought to be treating bees with any chemical/drug while honey supers are on..  that's just me. call me old fashioned or whatever and not trying to start this thread on fire, just saying what i think. i guess, there is no one that will be able to convince me that some residue from anything we use is not left in the comb.....even though it might say it doesn't.....just skeptical.
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2014, 09:21:29 pm »
You're old fashioned!  :P
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2014, 09:27:43 pm »
No Iddee, its NOT approved in the states, it is in Canada, Europe etc, etc...
   Not even hopguard II Perry?

   I agree Mrs. River. There is really no reason TO treat with supers on. i treat in the spring before they go on, and in the fall after they come off.  of course, if asked, you dont TREAT for mites at all. The only thing you do is bleach your frames twice a year with wood bleach.. According to our state apiarist there is no law saying I cant bleach my frames. I just cant claim it is a mite treatment.

    I am looking for where I read it was approved in Canada with supers on..  The sheer number of sites I have been to makes it a bit daunting..
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2014, 10:13:40 pm »
i am old fashioned perry.....can't help it....... ;D

and thanks scott for following up with an answer on the OAV treatment with supers on, i have not used OAV.

IF i treat, it is when i see the need to, typically before fall months and after honey supers are off.  i replace or cycle brood combs out every year, a little at a time.  i sure don't want to be replacing combs in honey supers being concerned about chemicals in them from mite treatments with them on........that's just me, that's just the way i think, then it winds up in our honey?  i do cycle these out too, just not as often as i do brood combs.
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Gypsi

  • Guest
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #17 on: October 27, 2014, 10:44:22 pm »
I'll do another mite test but so far I just bought a bag of organic powdered sugar.

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #18 on: October 28, 2014, 06:57:26 am »
I don't believe hopguard has been approved for use up here.
I onl treat in the fall, never have in the spring. The advantage to MAQS for many, is the ability to treat when a problem is occurring. OAV is seen more as a "finisher" here, something to be utilized to catch any mites that survived your fall treatment.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline efmesch

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1690
  • Thanked: 201 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Israel
Re: How do you Fellow Beekeepers like Apivar
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2014, 02:48:41 pm »
This year, the recommended treatment in Israel against varroa is a differently brand-named "Apivar" (=Galbitraz).  My hives seem to be responding as they are supposed to, but I have heard conflicting reports from other beekeepers. 

Some say that a more effective method of applying Amitraz asgainst varroa is by burning a strip of filter paper, (treated with a flame retardant so they burn slowly) that has two drops of Amitraz dripped on them and then dried before the burning.
The filter paper, about 2X10 cm (app. 1X5 inches) is folded lengthwise into an inverted V shape so it doesn't lie flat on the hive floor.  You light the paper at one end and rest it at the entrance and give it a flick with the finger so it slowly burns inside the hive.  The process is quick and easy, and is repeated three/four times at weekly intervals.