How to Perform Varroa Mite Treatment in Winter? Varroa Mites are parasitic bugs that attack and feed on honeybees. It has been pointed out that these tiny pests, which are red, are capable of weeping out the entire colonies of honeybees. Colonies of bees infested with Varroa mites will rapidly dwindle and die. Applying a Varroa mite treatment after the honey harvest in the fall is one of the best ways to keep the population level of these parasites under control during the winter. Your bees will have a better chance of making it through the winter if you use a fall regimen that includes a tried-and-true Varroa mite treatment. Here are the best options which you can use. Apistan Strips In this type of Varroa Mite Treatment, the active ingredient is Fluvalinate. It disrupts the nervous system of mites but does not harm honeybees. Beekeepers recommend using the Varroa mite treatment on one strip per five frames of bees. The Apistan strips are glued together in one sheet. To separate them from one another, beekeepers should hold the strips firmly at the corner, near the top, and pull from top to bottom. This Varroa mite treatment will be successful if beekeepers suspend the strips to enable the bees to walk on both sides of the strips. Apiguard The active ingredient in this type of Varroa mite treatment is Thymol, a botanical theme oil component. One foil pack of Apiguard is added to a hive for two weeks, followed by the addition of a second foil pack for a further two weeks to complete the full dose. This treatment is applied by ensuring bees have plenty of space to reach the medication. In the market, Apiguard gel comes in a ready-to-use tray. Bees climb into the Apiguard tray, take the gel, and disperse it throughout the colony. The gel adheres to the bees' body hairs, leaving particles behind when the bees move about the hive. Mite Away Quick Strips Formic acid is used in Mite Away Quick Strips, a Varroa mite treatment, to destroy the mites where they reproduce under the brood cap. As a result, it is crucial to put the strips on top of the brood box in your hive.
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