Top Bar Hives and FGMO

[ranwithrsd]

After sorting through all the posts, I have not yet seen an answer to this question I have (my apologies if I missed it). Dr. Rodriguez or others that might know (Michael Bush?), what do you do about the emulsion soaked cords if you use top bar hives? As I understand it, with Langstroth type hives you lay the cord "in snake like fashion" on the top bars, but what do you do if the bees don't get to your top bars because there is no space between them? I know that Michael Bush sprays the inside of his hives and the top bars with FGMO, but I want to duplicate Dr. Rodriguez's efforts as closely as possible, knowing that the emulsion soaked cords give a longer lasting method to complement the fogging. The fogging part is no problem, I use screened bottom boards, but this cord issue is confounding me. Many thanks to all for your help.
Robert

By the way Dr. Rodriguez, do you ever have people drop in to watch you in action? I'm not too far up the road, and would love to see it done by the one who started this method.

[Dr. Pedro Rodriguez]

Please address your questions to:
DronebeeR@netscape.net
Best regards.
Dr. Rodriguez

[beekeeper28]

I would like this information as well

Thanks

[Dave W]

Michael:

Do you "spray the inside of your hive with FGMO"?

This statement could be thought to mean: Apply FGMO to the interior of the hive walls, top, and bottom.
"Spray" (not fog) as in "mist".

Ain't it funny what words mean, and how we use them?

Thanx,
Dave

[Kevin S. Lunsford]

Everyone would like some answers Dr.R. Do all questions have to be sent to your private e-mail now?
Kevin

[Juandefuca]

TBH
I have fogged only .
Type : Tanzania .
Size: Two langstroth in "Tandem".
Bottom : Screen and bottom board removable .
Result : Overwintered well , no mites detected .
Race : Unknown . Swarm .Looks like Italian hybrid .
Jdf

[Michael Bush]

>After sorting through all the posts, I have not yet seen an answer to this question I have (my apologies if I missed it). Dr. Rodriguez or others that might know (Michael Bush?), what do you do about the emulsion soaked cords if you use top bar hives?

I'm not sure I know the answer to your question or I would have tried to answer it.

To clarify my experiences, I have painted the insides of Top Bar Hives with FGMO to cut down on attachments. My intent was also to HELP with Varroa, but I didn't expect that to be my only treatment. The only effective treatment I was aware of at that time was Apistan. I have only recently heard of the FGMO emoulsion and fogger, neither of which I have used. I have purchased a fogger that I intend to start with in the spring. I have sprayed Pam on occasion and I have painted the top bars with FGMO. They all seemed to help with the mites, but the Pam kills the bees if it gets on too heavy. I think the fogger eliminates this problem by aerosolizing instead of just having a spray (Aerosolized is much smaller particles).

If I was speculating, and I am, since you have no top bars to speak of, (a funny thing to say about a TBH, but true) I'd put the cords on the bottom board. The bees still may work on them and you can put them in and out without as much work. But I'd still use the fogger.

The method that has been tested by Dr. Rodriguez is in a hive with frames. There has not been any testing that I know of in hives without frames to put the cords on, so there is no way to know for sure it will work.

However, I do know of people doing only the fogger and no cords and they are not having problems. This is not an endorsment of not doing the emoulsion, just an observation. Since I know of no study that proves that only the fogger will be effective enough I would recommend using the cords as well in whatever way you can given the hive you have.