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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Brad Kosiba <bradkosiba AT gmail.com>
  • To: Orange County Beekeepers Association <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] Thymol treatment successful despite hot weather
  • Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2016 14:09:10 -0400

I just wanted to pass on my experience using thymol (Apiguard) in the recent 90+++ degree weather.  Previous years I have shied away from treating until it got a bit cooler.  But reading the Apiguard Q&A online indicated clearly that it was possible with a lower dose and a modified regime.  I decided to go all-in and treat my enormous 5 hive apiary.  If they could do it in Africa and other hot places, it should work here. I had sugar shakes on my 5 hives ranging from 5 to 16 at the end of June.  We all know they don't get better from there.  

After worrying about the rising heat during July, at the beginning of August I applied a half dose (25cc Apiguard from the bulk 3 kg tub using the syringe and cardboard coasters included when I bought it at Bailey's).  I laid the dosage on top of the frames in the top box of stacks of three medium 8-frame boxes for each hive.  Most of the brood in all hives was in the top box, with some in the second box depending on the hive.  Most frames in the third / bottom box are as yet unused, many as yet undrawn.  All 5 of these colonies are either this year's packages or swarms from later April/May.

The instructions from the Apiguard manufacturer do provide for high temperature dosage using 2 or 3 or as many as 4 weekly applications of a half dose (25cc) in weather above 77F.  We have routinely been in high 90's and above during these August treatments.  See Apiguard Q&A

I elected to do 3 weekly treatments and measure mites a week after the last dose.  I applied in later afternoon each time as recommended.

FYI, the bees cleared out the bulk dosage of gel on the card within a half a week each time.  And some of these hives are pretty light-weight, so I elected to feed once each week in between the treatments as they also clear out the feeder (1 gallon Medium 2-frame Division Board Feeder) in the same amount of time.  Thus they had either bulk treatment or food, not both at the same time.  

For ventilation, I had a challenge.  The hives all had some sort of entrance restrictor in place due to robbing of these newer, weaker hives during the dearth, and I wanted to leave them in place.  The directions stipulate the need for a wide open entrance to ensure proper ventilation.  All hives have screen bottom boards.  I slid the bottom board covers in most, but not all of the way such that there was an opening approximately equal to a wide open entrance remaining, to give the correct amount of bottom ventilation.  Top entrances were closed.  I did adjust one bottom board a bit more open when that hive showed way more bearding than the others at the first dose.

The results, a week after the 3d weekly treatment, were 0-1 mites in all 5 hives.  All hives appeared to have plentiful fresh brood.  Also, I observed no unusual mortality of either adults or juveniles during the treatment.

Your mileage may vary!  I just wanted to share one of my (rare!) successes, especially since I heard some concerns in this group about using the half dose - hi temp regime.

Cheers,

Brad.

--
Bradley E Kosiba, PhD
Biochemist-Beekeeper-Gardener-Scouter
 



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