Mite-Away II use in spring

[Ravenseye]

Earlier this year, I purchased Mite-Away II, but never got a chance to use it due to my schedule and local temps. I'd like to use it this spring but I'm worried that the daytime temperature requirements will end up being optimal at about the same time the spring flow is on. Has anyone used this product in the spring?

Other concerns I have are brood build-up vs. brood mortality, although I suppose that some brood mortality in the spring might be better than losing brood in the late summer or fall, just before the queen shuts down.

Any thoughts to ponder while I wait for next year???

[Walliebee]

I treated a few hives this fall. Not all of the hives required treatment. Do you have an idea of what your mite load is? Do you even need to treat? The label states "The use of this product should be part of an IPM program. Treat only if thresholds are exceeded (refer to provincial guidelines)."

I would never use this product in the spring here in NC. Buildup here starts so early, followed by a early heavy, but relatively brief flow.

The product label says "Up to 14 days of brood mortality may occur in the initial stage of treatment, with single brood-chamber hives being more susceptible to damage than double brood-chamber hives."
If I treated in the spring, I would not expect a honey crop at alldur to the rearing disruption. Your local may be different.

It's interesting to note the the required treatment temperatures/procedure differ greatly for US users vs. Canadian. US highs should be between 50 - 79ºF and nothing is mentioned about winter treatments.

In Canada, the label says, "Late fall, winter:Outside temperatures should be above 4ºC (39F) at the time of application. For temperature highs below 15ºC (59F), cut a single slit across the centre of the plastic perforated pouch on the side without holes when applying the Mite-Away II™ pad in the hive. This slit, which should face upward after the pad is applied in the hive, allows the release of formic acid from the pad in the cooler, shorter daylight conditions. Do not cut a slit if temperature highs are above 15ºC.

It seems to me there is a bigger window of effectiveness than the US EPA guidelines suggest.

The label says the supers can go on right after the 21 day treatment is over, but to wait 2 weeks after removal of supers to harvest, but not to treat with the supers on. Now that's confusing. IMO, this is another reason for Fall treatment only. I don't want it near my honey.

[Ravenseye]

I did find it confusing. No clear numbers on the mite load. I currently use drone frames, powdered sugar and Apistan. I just want to try the Mite Away II and get away from the Apistan. Although I didn't use sticky boards to get a count, I saw plenty of mites when I went into the fall and put in the Apistan strips. I'd love to knock down mites in the spring.....have them pull nectar for honey, then treat them again.

[Walliebee]

I saw plenty of mites when I went into the fall and put in the Apistan strips. I'd love to knock down mites in the spring.....have them pull nectar for honey, then treat them again.

If you did Apistan this Fall, I doubt you will need any Spring treatment at all. Maybe something like a powder sugar knockdown that will be easy on the brood would work?

[David VanderDussen]

With regards for when to use Mite-AwayII in an IPM program you can down load the free Save Your Bees Program at:
http://www.haylestrom.com/NOD/Programs/Save_the_Bee_Program.pdf

Copies of the labels are available at the web site run by NOD Apiary Products, developer and manufacturer of MAII: http://www.miteaway.com/

Click on the Miteaway tab, then on the US Label tab. For honey and supers it reads:
"Supers may be placed on the hive immediately after the full 21 day treatment period and the spent Mite Away™ has been removed. However, allow at least two weeks after the end of treatment before harvesting honey." This is clear. No honey from supers or anywhere else in the hive can be harvested for two weeks after treatment.

I've used MAII spring and fall for the last five years and nothing else for varroa or tracheal mite control. Bees are doing great and no risk of residues.

dv.

[HarryVanderpool]

I prefer Formic treatment in the spring of year.
If there is any effect on brood, spring is the time where you can best afford it.
Along with the reduction of mites, you will witness less chalkbrood and nosema as well.
There appears to be enhanced hygenic activity in hives with formic vapour present.
With formic, timing is crutial.
Read the instructions provided by the manufacturers several times until you are able to teach on the subject. Then DO IT in your local association.
A big thank you to David Vanderdussen, and Bill Ruzika for all of the hard work and great products!

[Ravenseye]

Thank you all. In particular, reading the instructions over again was helpful. I may not have got the wording the first time. I was confused on the "...two weeks after the end of treatment...." part. The PDF was very helpful. I'll do drop counts in the spring and see where I am. I certainly have options but at least I'm not overly concerned with brood loss if I treat in the Spring.

[PerryBee]

Am I mistaken or are Formic and Oxalic natuarally occurring substances in the hive anyway, just not in as high a dosage?:confused:

[jean-marc]

David V and others:

To tell the truth I used a few MA II last spring and found them to be excessively hard on the bees. I'm not sure why that was. Perhaps I had a lot of older bees that got killed prematurely from the formic? I had used the formic in late april early may, so in this area the bees have had 4 rounds of brood, so I wouldn't think old winter bees. I had used them in the fall of 2006 and found them to be fine on the bees. Unfortunately the temperatures had been a little cool so I did not get the best varroa mite kill. I would use the product again in the fall but I doubt I'll ever use it in the spring again.

Perrybee, formic and oxalic acid occur naturally in honey and you're right about them being in lower concentrations.

Jean-Marc

[CSbees]

I used formic this fall. I would not even consider however the use of Formic Acid in the spring, by the time it gets decent enough to use this treatment, there is usually a big flow on. I know here in Tennessee you could have already made 6 supers by the time it comes warm ennough to use the formic. I will put apistan in on the 10th of January. I will feed one gallon of sugar water 1:1 with Fumigilin on the last day of February. Then, my bees will go on their own until June when I will move them to sourwood. They will go strong through the last of October. I will then bring them back and start the process over.

[bleta12]

I have been using FA for the last 3 years in mid August and latter. that is the only treatment I use.
I tried once the spring treatment on few hives, there was no mite fall.

Gilman

[Jeffzhear]

Gilman, did you determine why there was no mite drop? Did you check the mite load before you treated? Just curious...

This year the PA Honeybee Inspector did a sugar roll (I think that's what they call it) vs my ether test and I was shocked at how easy it was to spot those mites! And, no harm to the honeybees. Sugar roll test is simple, takes little time at all and is the best way to test for mites prior to treatment, in my opinion.

[bleta12]

My sugar roll test (250-300 bees) had 10 plus mites, a lot for that time.
After I treated there was not much mites on the bottom. I blame the low temps in the spring.

Those hives did OK, I did split them latter.

Gilman


Gilman, did you determine why there was no mite drop? Did you check the mite load before you treated? Just curious...

This year the PA Honeybee Inspector did a sugar roll (I think that's what they call it) vs my ether test and I was shocked at how easy it was to spot those mites! And, no harm to the honeybees. Sugar roll test is simple, takes little time at all and is the best way to test for mites prior to treatment, in my opinion.

[David VanderDussen]

to Jean-Marc's post;

The concept of "excessively hard" is relative. We are looking at using an acid to KILL, while at the same time minimizing damage to the beneficial host. In sports and medicine they talk about short term pain for long term gain, that is the concept we need to have in mind here.

Included in the appendix of the Save Your Bees program was a study conducted by the Ontario tech transfer team on the impact of various treatments on honey bee colonies, including cluster size, brood damage and honey production over time. There can be a hiccup in brood production (normally varying from 0 to 4 days), depending on cluster size and a variety of other factors. However, by the end the MAII treated colonies were outperforming the others in all categories.

Mite control decisions are based on risk vs. benefits against cost. The ideal product would have no risks, all mites would be killed, and it would be free with zero labour to apply and no follow up monitoring would be required. In other words, pre-mites. It is not the beekeeping reality any more, so we have to look at the options available and make the best choices we can.