dixie chick Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Has anyone else tried this treatment for varroa? I put the first treatment in last week and the bees all came out of the hive and clustered on the front for a day... put second treatment on today and same again - bees are all over the front of both hives. I am thinking of abandoning the next 2 treatments.... Also - when I went through the brood boxes today - there were no eggs, - although I saw both queens. I wonder if the strong thymol smell has upset them so much they have stopped laying? On the positive side - it is very effective at knocking down the varroa mites - there were many more on the varroa board than I had ever seen before....... but at the expense of greatly upsetting my bees.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 In my limited experience this is a common reaction to varroa treatment. Mine were the same with Apiguard too. They just need time to get used to the smell of the Thymol. I now use Api Life Var as I find it cleaner and more convenient to use than Apiguard. It does the job anyway. My advice would be to persevere. I believe it is important to complete any form of treatment to avoid building resistance. Happy beekeeping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 As well as no eggs - I also noticed that they had been making holes in some of the capped brood ... could this be a reaction to the treatment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 As well as no eggs - I also noticed that they had been making holes in some of the capped brood ... could this be a reaction to the treatment? Yes this can happen though is not that common. What is your mite drop after two treatments? With a brood cycle of nearly four weeks it is important to get all the mites as they emerge with the hatching bees so you should complete all four applications. Having said that, my mite drop was insignificant across three colonies so they only got two weeks. One of my lot pour out of the hive on the first day and the other two don't. I think it depends on the bees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 As well as no eggs - I also noticed that they had been making holes in some of the capped brood ... could this be a reaction to the treatment? Have you checked that this is not American Foul Brood (holes in capped brood is one of the symptoms)? Hope it isn't AFB - it is a Notifiable disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Bees hauling out pupae is a known consequence of thymol treatment. It's more likely that but if in doubt give your local bee inspector a ring. Some useful info here http://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7022 I know it pertains to Apiguard but they both contain thymol as the active ingredient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Have notified bee inspector ... but it does not look like AFB... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsa2 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Apilife Var is Thymol based principally. If you use it when the temperature is too hot (unusual for the UK!) it can drive the bees out of the hive. I guess like all chemical reactions (even organic ones) they proceed quicker at higher temperatures in general. Regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsa2 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Sorry, i should have said that it has a recommended use temperature range of 18 - 35 deg C. Below 18 deg C and the stuff probably doesn't get going producing the vapours, but above 35 deg C and it produces the vapours quickly and so in a concentration that the bees are not too fond of. Tear Gas for bees! So if you walk around with it in your pocket for a while or leave it in the hot sun, then apply it to the hive, that might do the trick. Regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Thanks for that advice - perhaps I will unwrap it for an hour before putting in the hive - IF I decide to continue the treatment. As for the temperature issue - I was worried that I had started the treatment too late - because the ambient temperature has not been anywhere near 18 degrees ..... I guess it is much warmer inside the hives though.... Apilife var does seem to give off particularly noxious vapours that can be smelled 30 metres from my apiary when first put in - so no wonder the bees dislike it - must be like Tear Gas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsa2 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 And of course the mites hate it more than the bees, where lies the problem because if the bees abandon the hive the mites you are trying to dispose of are hitching a lift out of the danger zone too. How did the eventual mite drop and efficacy calculations fair? Regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 After week one, each hive had a drop of 20-30 mites. Never seen more than two before so it is effective.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted September 28, 2011 Author Share Posted September 28, 2011 After week two, I counted over 500 mites dropped from my smaller colony and even more from the larger colony. It clearly works - just wish the bees knew that I was being cruel to be kind .... My worry is that when I put the next batch of ALV into the hive and they all pour out - what if the Queen comes out too and flies off? She is clearly affected by the treatment because she has stopped laying .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Always a risk, but it's that or lose them to varroa. You have to take some risks. Mine is not to use oxalic - strongly disagree with this treatment, but that's another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
