unfortunately this most likely will be the last update to this.
in the field we did timing a bit different it appeared to work well. tested 4 hives when we took the last of the honey off and put apivar in.
got 0, 0, 0 and 9 mites/300, but the hives at home got 12 and 15. not sure if staples didn't work as well on the home hives or if they saved the hives from reinvasion.
what i was planning on doing for next season was to adjust the beequip racks (extend the thread 10mm and lower the height of the racks).
one of the flaws in beequips setup is the weights to stop the strips floating also stops them soaking up the mix.
but if you use them upside down, so the weights sit on the mesh, the staples float and stop on the mesh, this increases the amount of acid the strips take up. (the lowering of the rack is because the containers are a tad short and need to be topped up as the mix soaks in. the other option is to use taller containers).
one issue i noticed in the hives was sometimes they waxed the staples to the frame, then only one side is available for bees to contact, which of course lowers acid in the hive. its one of the reasons i like to use 4 staples per brood box. a little overkill to account for the reduction in area that tends to happen.
i hear one crowd lost a lot of hives this season to mites (dead in autumn) despite them also using alterative treatments during the season. not sure what went on but its of concern. i do hear of more companies going bust so it could well be reinvasion from neglected hives.
so time to put a pin in this and all the best to all of you still out there. i hope you all can survive.
in the field we did timing a bit different it appeared to work well. tested 4 hives when we took the last of the honey off and put apivar in.
got 0, 0, 0 and 9 mites/300, but the hives at home got 12 and 15. not sure if staples didn't work as well on the home hives or if they saved the hives from reinvasion.
what i was planning on doing for next season was to adjust the beequip racks (extend the thread 10mm and lower the height of the racks).
one of the flaws in beequips setup is the weights to stop the strips floating also stops them soaking up the mix.
but if you use them upside down, so the weights sit on the mesh, the staples float and stop on the mesh, this increases the amount of acid the strips take up. (the lowering of the rack is because the containers are a tad short and need to be topped up as the mix soaks in. the other option is to use taller containers).
one issue i noticed in the hives was sometimes they waxed the staples to the frame, then only one side is available for bees to contact, which of course lowers acid in the hive. its one of the reasons i like to use 4 staples per brood box. a little overkill to account for the reduction in area that tends to happen.
i hear one crowd lost a lot of hives this season to mites (dead in autumn) despite them also using alterative treatments during the season. not sure what went on but its of concern. i do hear of more companies going bust so it could well be reinvasion from neglected hives.
so time to put a pin in this and all the best to all of you still out there. i hope you all can survive.
