[WBVC]

Greetings..

Last August I treated my hives with MAQS. I was happy with the result and bees over wintered

This year I have some smaller/weaker hives...single deeps, nucs both 5 over 5 and singles and a new TBH. Plus I have some double deep honey hives.

If I am to use MAQS again how does one apply that to smaller hives and top bars. Do you use single strips, half strips or what and where do you place them in the hives? I have no idea where one puts them in TBH.

OR would I be better using Amitraz strips (Apivar) in the smaller hives? If so again...how many strips, portion of a strip. Can you put those between TBH combs?

Thanks...I want to hit varroa but not my bees or Queens.

 

[WBVC]

Does no one treat smaller hives?

 

[RayMarler]

I used 1 apivar strip in a smaller single 8 frame box hive that only had four or so frames of bees, seems to have worked great.

 

[Axtmann]

Does no one treat smaller hives?

I even treat my 5 frame splits without a problem to the bees. I use thymol strips, they from Kanada or US and I cut them in half for a 5 frame box. Normal the trips should be placed on top of the frames, but with small splits I put them on the bottom. The fumes are more heavy then air and it works slow when the strips are on the bottom. No shock treatment like with formic.

 

[WBVC]

Thanks...that was my inclination but wanted to see what others did. I do not gather honey from my smaller growth colonies.
I will use MAQS on my production hives after extractible supers are off in Aug.

 

[Motj3]

I use MAQS. I just reduce to one strip and make sure there is ventilation. No matter what, I don't use MAQS when it is hot.

 

[WBVC]

I use MAQS. I just reduce to one strip and make sure there is ventilation. No matter what, I don't use MAQS when it is hot.

Is that for your nucs or production hives? What is hot in your area..here 75 is hot

 

[snl]

Do a search on BS on Oxalic Acid. You'll find TONS of information. OA does not kill either the brood or queen and is an excellent treatment and approved for use in Canada. Once you buy the vaporizer, you can't find a cheaper and more effective treatment...

 

[Motj3]

Is that for your nucs or production hives? What is hot in your area..here 75 is hot

Both. I would not use MAQS over 80. The instructions say you can but if you research a little, you will see you should not. I would not hesitate to use OA instead.

 

[WBVC]

Do a search on BS on Oxalic Acid. You'll find TONS of information. OA does not kill either the brood or queen and is an excellent treatment and approved for use in Canada. Once you buy the vaporizer, you can't find a cheaper and more effective treatment...

I have a vapourizer and treat with OA in early Jan when they are brood less.
I haven't used it for nucs. Do you reduce the volume used, the time left in the time, both or neither?

 

[snl]

I use 1/2 gram of OA in nucs and find that 2 minutes is adequate to completely vaporize the 1/2 gram. However, each battery is different and it may take you slightly longer (or shorter).......