[karenarnett]

okay, now I have a question. I need to treat a rather large hive for mites. There's brood in all but the top box. It's a large colony that I just pulled honey from yesterday. I'm going to use MAQS on the 21 day plan - using one strip at a time to minimize brood kill. The recommendations for MAQS are for single or double deep. Should I put the MAQS under the deep box , which would be the equivalent of in between the two brood chambers, or should I put on top of the deep? There's no brood in the top box. Thanks for advice.

 

[dudelt]

Since the instructions are for only 1 or 2 brood boxes (and 1 super is some) not a stack of 4 brood boxes and 1 super, I would put it under the deep in your picture. Formic fumes generally flow downward so you should get good coverage below the pad. The single brood box above is also close enough to get good coverage.

 

[Apis Natural]

I set one slab per hive on the top box under the cover. MAQ's are so gassy as it is, fumes everywhere. Even coming back to the apiary to check things out you can smell the formic in the air, nasty stuff. It works, just make sure to leave a small vent crack for the bees to circulate air. I jus offset the top enough so bees can't exit or get in. My first time using this stuff I didn't vent, and lost 1/4 to 1/2 of the bee population in 8 hives queens included. That was a harsh lesson.

 

[psm1212]

I don't know how hot it is in Ohio right now, but watch your weather and apply during a cool spell. The allowable temp shown on the MAQS directions (85F) is way too high IMO.

 

[AR Beekeeper]

Consolidate all the brood in the lower boxes, then split the brood nest with the MAQS. Lost brood is quickly replaced, the greatest danger is to the queen. If she is weakening the MAQS may put her over the edge.

 

[wildbranch2007]

I don't know how hot it is in Ohio right now, but watch your weather and apply during a cool spell. The allowable temp shown on the MAQS directions (85F) is way too high IMO.

:thumbsup:

 

[aran]

i switched to formic pro from MAQS last year. Seem to be a little easier on the bees in my experience so far.