What are your opinions on Apiguard and Hopguard?

[sammyjay]

Hi, I was wondering what your opinions on Hopguard and Apiguard are? I would also like to know why you like or do not like them. I do not want to use Apivar again for this treatment because I don't want the mites to get resistant.


Nathan

[sqkcrk]

Not enuf data to form an opinion.

[Luterra]

My first year using Apiguard. Looking at mite drops, it appears the bees need to take an interest in removing it if it is going to work. Put first dose on top of double deeps. Only one hive removed it with accompanying mite drop. Hive with worst mites ignored it completely, no more dead mites on bottom board than usual (~70/day). Put second dose in between the boxes with a spacer rim. Thousands of mites on the bottom board. Gave the same hive a third dose, once again thousands of dead mites.

Can't say yet how it will affect winter survival and mite counts in spring. It clearly works but you need to pay attention and make sure it is close enough to the main brood nest that the bees take an interest in it.

Mark

[Katharina]

Hopguard is great, if used in 3 weekly treatments in a row. A one time treatment, as the package states, is insufficient.

[Luterra]

Update on Apiguard: it is strong stuff. Killed most every mite in the hive with the worst infestation but also caused the queen to shut down for about two weeks, and the bees ate up around 30 pounds of honey in that time. I pulled out two capped honey frames to make room for a frame feeder. Thought to bring them in the house to keep them away from robber bees and yellowjackets. The thymol smell quickly filled the room and caused our eyes to itch.

[sammyjay]

Thanks for your replies and votes.


Nathan

[CES]

Apiguard & Hopguard only kill mites on the bees. This is why you must do 3 treatments of hopguard to get through a complete brood cycle to kill all the mites emerging with the new bees. Hopguard is only effective for about 3 or 4 days. Apiguard is only effective if you have warm days of 60 degrees F or more. The bees don't do anything with the Apiguard. It needs the warm temps to create the thymol fumes off of the gel and utimately the gel melts away. The dose of gel will last about 2 weeks. Therefore you need 2 treatments to get through a complete brood cycle. The nice thing about both of these products is they are not poisons that accumulate in the hive. The liquid in Hopguard is a food grade product for making a dark beer.

[Wallroad]

Oh my. First time I've heard of bringing a hive into the house.

[jim lyon]

CES: I'm not sure your description of Apiguard just melting away is quite right. My experience is that it disappears from strong hives more quickly than it does in weak hives. Though this could be from increased air movement I have always assumed there is a housecleaning action at work as well that encourages a lot of grooming behavior in the bees.