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  1. #1
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Default Apivar and wax

    I normally nadir uncapped honey shallows and then, in spring, reuse the good, empty drawn frames of shallows in the honey supers. But I've become worried about Apivar that may still be in the wax. I'm not worried that the bees may be affected (I don't think they are), but that it may affect the next harvest of honey or, if I render the wax, that it might still be in the wax.

    Apivar says amitraz does not leave any residues in wax or honey. FAQ 15 and 16 - here -. I was just feeling ok about nadiring, when I read on BEE-L about degradation products that may remain in the wax. Most of that thread goes over my head - so, somebody who knows about these things (Fatshark?), should I remove the shallows I intended to nadir until I've finished the Apivar treatment, or can I just feel safe and nadir them while treating the hive with Apivar?

    Kitta

  2. #2
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Hi Kitta

    I'd have referred you to the Bee-L discussion. I'd need to re-read it to refresh my memory (and I have a car full of supers that need attention) but my recollection was that one of the breakdown products was wax soluble and had a low level of miticidal activity. I think there are two issues:

    1. Will residues help select for Amitraz resistance in mites? Don't now as I'm not sure of the mode of action that the breakdown product activity has ... if it's the same as Apivar then this is clearly something to avoid.
    2. Will it contaminate the wax and be detectable if SASA (or whoever) tests your honey next year? Possibly to the former, but I'm less sure it would be detectable as I presume they test for Apivar/Amitraz, not a product of Apivar/Amitraz breakdown (but don't know).

    If it's any help I always remove all supers if at all possible when treating. I have a couple this year with emerging brood (escapee queen above the QE, now nadir'd) and I'll leave those on and then melt down the frames. My view is always that I'm trying to produce the best possible product and so try and go the extra yard to keep all the nasties away ... a bit more work, but you know you're doing the right thing.

    I'll try and have a look again at Bee-L but have a hot date with my extractor

  3. #3
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Thank you, Fatshark - that's helpful. I'll follow your example and remove all honey supers - capped or uncapped. I'll mark any supers in hives with Apivar, and in spring render the wax (not to be used for food wraps or cosmetics).
    Kitta

  4. #4

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    Hi
    Interesting discourse! Does nobody use generic oxalic acid now? No residues, quick and very cost effective!

    Eric McArthur

  5. #5
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    I'm sure people do because it leaves No residues, [and is] quick and very cost effective! As long as the colony is broodless of course. However, it's not a VMD approved treatment, other than as a component of Api-Bioxal and a newer pre-made solution for trickling the name of which escapes me this early in the morning.

    In defence of the approved treatments, I calculate Varroa management costs me less per hive per year than I charge for a 340 g jar of honey. And my honey isn't that expensive! Sure, it stings when I buy the Apivar, but over the year the costs are trivial ... and a very good investment.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Yes, Eric. I've used Oxybee for the past two years as a mid-winter treatment as per Fatshark's advice on his blog. I suppose Oxybee is the name you were looking for, Fatshark. I'm not a person to judge as to whether the glycerol in Oxybee makes it a better product than Api-Bioxal.

    Thanks also for putting the cost in perspective, FS.
    Kitta

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