Chicken Licken Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We did our first hive inspection today and it is looking strong. There were a few varroa on the inspection floor under the mesh floor. Is it now too late in the spring to treat with Apiguard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We did our first hive inspection today and it is looking strong. There were a few varroa on the inspection floor under the mesh floor. Is it now too late in the spring to treat with Apiguard? No, but I, for one would not be treating with apiguard in the spring if I could avoid it RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Perhaps you could put in a drone frame or two? I was on a beekeeping course yesterday and one of the things we were shown is how to make a drone frame. Rather than using a super frame what you do is cut a 2.5inch width of foundation, put it in the top of the frame and limit the bottom with a top frame, lugs cut off. This leaves 2 inches of foundation exposed;seemingly this 2 inches is crucial. The bees fill that with stores,have no desire to build any worker comb underneath and you end up with the rest filled with drone brood. It's suggested you replace this every two weeks. Might be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 As everything is new to me and I am still learning can I ask why you wouldn't put on Apiguard in the spring? It's just that on my course last week they treated three hives with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 We already have a super on which is about 1/2 full of honey. The Apiguard will taint the honey. We have treated them with Bayvarol which is one of the pyrethrin varroa treatments, and as it is not a vapour will not effect the honey. We are very lucky that the varroa do not seem to be resistant to this and it is working, just following the instructions to the letter. Once the honey supers are off in the autumn we will Apiguard and then be up to speed with it next spring (fingers crossed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Apiguard can be quite hard on the bees. It can cause the queen to stop laying for a while and sometimes bees uncap and drag brood out. These are the last things you want if you are looking for honey. I don't know if anybody has found this. Putting it in the hive in August enables the queen to recover enough to lay your winter bees. I used Apilife Var last year, which like Apiguard, has thymol as its active ingredient and one of my colonies spent a lot of the time bearded outside the hive on the first two days I changed the treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I really think the Bayvarol instrucions need to be read properly. Never used it myself, but have used Apistan - which definitely states not to be used during a nectar flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
