how much to med?

[BeeGirl]

First year for us to medicate , I'm going to use checkmite strips and terymycin patties along with menthol packages for wax moth my question is, how many of these can be used at the same time on the same hive. Thanks

[Sourwood]

<<First year for us to medicate , I'm going to use checkmite strips and terymycin patties along with menthol packages for wax moth >>

I think I know what your saying but those mentioned drugs really aren't for wax moths. A strong hive is the best control of wax moths. Menthol is for trachea mites, checkmite for varroa and small hive beetle and terramycin for foulbrood. Couple of thoughts:

1. Checkmite is a pretty harsh drug to use. Here in NC unless you have a restricted pesticide license you can't even buy it. And have you done a varroa mite count? If you have and need to treat, you might consider other treatment options.

2. Personally I don't use terramycin. It's not a cure for foulbrood and from my understanding won't neccessarily prevent it. So I don't use it anymore. As far as menthol packs, there great for trachea mites.

To answer your question, I guess you could use all three at the same time unless something on the package of one of the drugs said not to. I use menthol first, then later in the fall treat with Apistan if I need to. Personally, I don't like loading the hives down with all sorts of medication at once.

Good luck!

[Michael Bush]

>I'm going to use checkmite strips

Have you done any assesment of Varroa levels? How will you know it works? Do you have enough Varroa to need to treat at all? Have you considered the effects of Checkmite? On bees? On humans?

> and terymycin patties

As far as I know these are no longer being recommened. They leave too low a level of TM for too long and are said to contribute to TM resistant AFB. The last year I used Terrmycin was 1975. Haven't used it since 1976.

>along with menthol packages for wax moth

Menthol is for tracheal mites. I've never used it, but it is supposed to kill tracheal mites. I'm not aware of any effect on wax moths.

>my question is, how many of these can be used at the same time on the same hive.

I wouldn't put any of them in my hive. But I don't know of any reason you can't do them all at once if you intend to do them. Make sure the supers are off. Make sure you follow the directions.

[Nick Noyes]

I wouldn't use the checkmite its harsh and doesn't work. I would try oxylic acid there should be info on this sight on how to apply it. Hope this helps.

[MichaelW]

At my local bee meeting the question was asked, who here is still using terymycin? One person in a room of about 25 is all I saw. Our members are a mix of old timers and newer folks. The role of antibiotic resistance is becomeing more known and the better alternative is to destroy foulbrood hives instead of masking the symptoms, which will allow it to spread and become resistant to the antibiotic. The TM patties are really out of favor now. TM dusting is likely more common.

[BeeGirl]

The checkmite is for hive beetele's which we have noticed in one of our hives, Is this unwise? Since I have 10 terramycin patties will it hurt to feed these to 2 hives this fall and then cease usage of these? Also do these have any pollen substitutes in them? Thanks for any help.

[Michael Bush]

>The checkmite is for hive beetele's which we have noticed in one of our hives, Is this unwise?

I've never had to deal with SHB, so I can't offer advice based on actual experience, but most seem to think that keeping a strong hive is sufficient and that IF you want to use the checkmite it is more effective on SHB if you put it in the little cardboard strips like Brushy Mt sells or make your own:

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=482

But I'd prefer to use some kind of trap without the poison.

http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=724&osCsid=0ff92d67efdb7bec5e582cb08ab03d8b

IF I was going to resort to poison, I'd rather use the groundstar drench OUTSIDE the hive than something inside the hive.

http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=349&osCsid=0ff92d67efdb7bec5e582cb08ab03d8b

>Since I have 10 terramycin patties will it hurt to feed these to 2 hives this fall and then cease usage of these?

If you had antibiotics around the house would you take them even though you don't need them? Actually, IMO, yes, the patties contribute to resistant AFB so it will hurt. Not counting the contamination. But if you want to use them you can.

>Also do these have any pollen substitutes in them?

It used to be all the ones I saw were just sugar, grease and Terramycin. But I just found these at Mann Lake (Dadant and Brushy Mt don't seem to have them anymore):

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page40.htm

And they have BeePro in them which is pollen substitute.

(Please note the date of the sudy quoted on the Mann Lake site is 1971, 34 years ago, and is not the currently held opinion on extender patties of most of the bee scientists I know)

[MichaelW]

I don't have bettles, but I've heard recomendations to NOT use patties on hives anymore (with or without TM) because the small hive bettles will feed off them, and help them destroy the hive. I'd toss them for the two reasons we've discussed. Also the single menthol packet per year is "supposed to be" enough to deal with the tracheal mites. I've always used the patties WITHOUT TM for T-mites, but am stopping this year as the bettles have entered our area.

I've also heard the drench isn't that effective because bettles have been observed crawling far away from the hive before burrowing. It would get some percentage however. Also, since they go to the ground towards the end of their life cycle I don't see how it would be effective in time to save a hive if it was having problems, but it sounds like yours aren't having problems yet. I could be wrong about the drench, perhapse someone with bettle experience will enlighten me. I've just been trying to learn about the bettles before they show up at my place.

[Waysouth]

BeeGirl
I agree with the idea that patties attract the beetles. Also that the Checkmite works, but it is a strong chemical. The best advise is probably use only what you absolutely have to - only as long as absolutely necessary.