Apiguard

[Murphy]

Apiguard- thymol gel).

Does anyone know about this product, and when it will be on sale.
I have been told it is headed toward the US market very soon as a Section 3 product. The importer intends to register in every US state.

[ February 17, 2006, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: Murphy ]

[TwT]

this letter says it launched jan.5.06 in the USA

http://www.vita-europe.com/news/news-releases4.htm

[TwT]

this map only show 1 supplier, and it's

DADANT Inc

51 South Second Street, Hamilton, Illinois 62341, USA

Tel:
+1 217 847 3324/3660
Dadant@dadant.com


http://www.vita-europe.com/distributors.htm

[pgg]

Just got my Betterbee catalog today and they also are selling it.

[Ruben]

Dadant is in charge of U.S handling and it is supposed to be availible in the fall of 2006

[Murphy]

On Dadants site there is a map of all states that are approved. California is still waiting for approval.

http://www.dadant.com/Apiguard-StateRegistration_000.htm .

Kieran

[Axtmann]

Would you by vinegar as a window cleaner for 15$ the spray bottle when you can by the same amount in a store for less than 1.50$?
Same with Apiguard or Apilife VAR …… you end up much better with pour Thymol crystals in a bulk sale. There is no different in the result!

One aluminum tray (50gram) Apiguard is the same like (1tablespoon) pour Thymol crystals. ;)

I have no idea how much they ask in the US for 50 gram Apiguard. We pay approx 0.10 Euro (approx 0.12 USD) per treatment = 1tablespoon Thymol. All you have to do put the crystals in a lid and place it over the brood nest. Make sure the bees can’t reach it they will remove the crystals (cover with a fly screen). After two weeks fill a second tablespoon in the lid… that’s all.
Warning: don’t use any Thymol product when temperatures less than 15ºC/60ºF (to cold and therefore useless) or higher than 40ºC/104ºF (can kill bees brood and queen). The entrance has to be reduced bees blowing the fumes out.

I tried it in some hives last late summer/ August after harvest and it worked but not good enough to save me two OA treatments in November/December.

[Murphy]

Axtmann,
Excuse my ignorance on thymol as I do not know much about it.

But from what I read in different reports it said Thymol crystals could cause agitation and absconding by the bees.

What was your finding with using the crystals?
Have you tried either Apiguard or Apilife VAR against the Thymol crystals to see if they were was any difference in mite drop?

Thanks,

Kieran

[Axtmann]

Kieran

……….Thymol crystals could cause agitation and absconding by the bees.

The same behaviors when using any thymol product, fumes are toxic and bees try to blow it out.

…………..What was your finding with using the crystals?

It’s one more way to hold the mite level down, but not enough to say, “Go for it and you need nothing else”.
The fumes goes into wax; to get rid of it the combs should stay for several hours in full sunlight. If there is not a good honey flow you can have a big problem when bees find the combs.

………….Have you tried either Apiguard or Apilife VAR against the Thymol crystals to see if they were was any difference in mite drop?

I haven’t tried Apiguard or Apilife VAR but several members of our club. We are not “scientists” so we didn’t kill our colonies after the treatment with Thymol-products to find out how effective it is.
But after the OA treatment later the year we all had a “good” mite drop again.

If you work ONLY with any kind of Thymol keep your eyes open to prevent a bad surprise.

[Ian]

What exactly does the Thymol do to the mites to drop them?

[Axtmann]

Ian you might find answers on the following sites.


http://www.neurobiologie.fu-berlin.de/menzel/rademacher.html
http://www.apicoltura.org/timolo-web/index.html
http://www.apimondia.org/apiacta/slovenia/en/esquijarosa.pdf

The second website is advertising for apilife var and not the reality..
IMO and what we find out, the link number 3 tells more the true and NOT number 2.

As I said before there is no special product necessary all you need is approx 12 grams / 1tablespoon Thymol crystals per treatment. A second treatment (like OA late the year) is absolutely necessary.

[Drugstore]

Does anyone have a source for Thymol crystals in the U.S.? smile.gif

[Michael Bush]

Do a search online. Many chemistry places sell them. You can probably order them at the local drug store as well.