[liljake83]

I just heard about hop guard II has anybody tried it and does anyone know what makes it different from the original hopgaurd?

 

[doodlebug]

Please yes someone with expirience chime in as I am very interested in this product too. Is it like MAQs in that you have to be careful to use it when temperatures are lower and increased ventilation is required?

 

[tarheit]

I haven't used it. But what I've been told is it's an improved formulation that is more effective then the old hop guard.

 

[rniles]

I've used Hopguard I and it's good to use if you really need to when the supers are on and also as a winter treatment. The problem with it is that it only lasts as long as it is all gooey and sticky - AND the instructions were confusing, saying you can only do so many applications but in order for it to work, you had to do 2 or 3 applications.

Hopguard II is supposed to resolve that and allow it to work for at least 14 days. In other words, one strip works much longer than with Hopguard I. I'll be ordering it soon to see how effective it is.

 

[wildbranch2007]

who is selling it?

 

[ToeOfDog]

Hopguard works on what principle? My assumption is that it is made of beer hops and it is the smell. If that is the case, why not go down to the home brew shop and buy hops by the ounce more inexpensively?

 

[scorpionmain]

who is selling it?

I got a email from Mann Lake this morning advertising that they are selling it.

 

[Andrew Dewey]

Our state apiarist (Tony J) has good things to say about the changes.

 

[jim lyon]

They suggest "leaving them in for at least 14 days". My assumption is that this is an entirely different delivery mechanism than Hopguard I which is a paperboard that the bees remove themselves.

 

[Chemguy]

Hopguard works on what principle? My assumption is that it is made of beer hops and it is the smell. If that is the case, why not go down to the home brew shop and buy hops by the ounce more inexpensively?

I'm not sure of the active ingredients in HGII, other than that they are "beta acids". I suspect that the active component is only found in trace amounts in hops, and is isolated and concentrated into the strips in order to provide a dosage high enough to have an effect on varroa. Or, the active component was initially isolated from hops but is now produced synthetically.

 

[JWChesnut]

One can read the Hopguard patent for detail at:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7597912

(( I have to skiddaddle for work obligations, so will revise on my return).

Hop oil extract have two major organic acids, alpha and beta, or aroma and bittering. These are in different balance in varietal hops. Industrial beermaking separate the acids, on account that American "taste" wants a rice-based, non-bitter lite beer. The excess beta oil has seen a number of proposed food industry uses.

Beta hop oil is a mild organic acid, like Michael Bush's Ascorbic Acid, or Oxalic Acid. Ascorbic Acid, Oxalic and Hop oil all likely work in the same manner, disrupting chitin (exoskeleton) formation in the mite. Bee's with developed crops and ripened honey are able to escape the effects by denaturing the acids.

 

[lazy shooter]

Hey Jim Lyon:

Did you ever use Hopguard 1? If so, what was your opinion of the product? Or, are you treatment free. It's one of those 'inquiring mind things.' I wouldn't bother you with this question except for the fact that you seem to level headed and honest in all of your writings. I appreciate a commercial beekeeper such as yourself that takes the time to reply to us, "the great unwashed."

 

[Nabber86]

I'm not sure of the active ingredients in HGII, other than that they are "beta acids". I suspect that the active component is only found in trace amounts in hops, and is isolated and concentrated into the strips in order to provide a dosage high enough to have an effect on varroa. Or, the active component was initially isolated from hops but is now produced synthetically.

Beta acids in hops (lupulone, colupulone and adlupulone) contribute to the flavor and aroma of beer, so that makes sense. If you have ever opened a package of really fresh hops, the smell can knock you over. Depending on the variety, the beta content can be about 5 to 7 percent, so I don't think there is a need to produce it synthetically when so much raw product is readily available. There are also hundreds essential oils, but at much lower concentrations. You can get hop oil from just about any home brew outlet.

It wood be interesting to put an ounce of fresh hops in the bottom of a hive and see what happens. You would definitely be able to smell it.

I miss brewing; this darn beekeeping keeps me too busy.

 

[bean tree homestead]

bee aware that just because your state approved use of the orgianl Hop Guard does not mean it approves use of HPII.

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/hopguard/availability/

 

[rniles]

Section 18 availability by states:

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/hopguard/availability/

 

[Chemguy]

Beta acids in hops (lupulone, colupulone and adlupulone) contribute to the flavor and aroma of beer, so that makes sense. If you have ever opened a package of really fresh hops, the smell can knock you over. Depending on the variety, the beta content can be about 5 to 7 percent, so I don't think there is a need to produce it synthetically when so much raw product is readily available. There are also hundreds essential oils, but at much lower concentrations. You can get hop oil from just about any home brew outlet.

It wood be interesting to put an ounce of fresh hops in the bottom of a hive and see what happens. You would definitely be able to smell it.

I miss brewing; this darn beekeeping keeps me too busy.

Ah, thanks! That explains a lot of the language in the patent about 'tautomers thereof.' I had forgotten about the lupulone. The patent is rather vague (of course), and covers amounts of active components ranging from 1% to 95%, or an integer number within that range.

 

[jim lyon]

Hey Jim Lyon:

Did you ever use Hopguard 1? If so, what was your opinion of the product? Or, are you treatment free. It's one of those 'inquiring mind things.' I wouldn't bother you with this question except for the fact that you seem to level headed and honest in all of your writings. I appreciate a commercial beekeeper such as yourself that takes the time to reply to us, "the great unwashed."

Me? treatment free? Only about 11 months a year. . I did use some hopguard on about 20% of our new 3 comb nucs at the 3 week stage when the only sealed brood was an occasional patch of drone brood. Jury is still out on its overall effectiveness, I will know more by late summer. Certainly it knocked down a lot of phoretic mites and we didnt see any queen losses or significant brood disruption. I am planning on using some Hopguard II this fall in a comparison with thymol. I am reluctant to go "all in" until I see how it goes in my own trial first.

 

[peterloringborst]

Hi all

As you may know Humulus is very closely related to Cannabis. Only a matter of time before somebody markets HempGuard as a mite treatment. Folks will buy that up by the wheelbarrow full.

 

[Hops Brewster]

They are related, but not so closely as one might think. People seem to think there's something magical about hops because of this relationship, but the honest truth is that there is little commonality. The best things about hops?.... they are a soporific, induce sleep, they make my brews taste and smell wonderful, and now they can help with mite control. End of magic show.

PS, my bee yard is only a couple feet from my hops yard. I wonder if there is going to be any helpful effect?

 

[Nabber86]

They are related, but not so closely as one might think. People seem to think there's something magical about hops because of this relationship, but the honest truth is that there is little commonality. The best things about hops?.... they are a soporific, induce sleep, they make my brews taste and smell wonderful, and now they can help with mite control. End of magic show.
?

Well SWIM tells me that really fresh hops do indeed look and smell like dank nuggs.