# Hopguard in a TBH



## JYawn (Dec 6, 2011)

as a matter of fact they have...

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?269942-My-Hopguard-experience&highlight=hopguard

very good results too. check it out.... not sure if it was a TBH, but it sounded effective either way. I'm assuming it would work just as well in a TBH as it would in a Lang.


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

Yup, I saw that thread before I started mine. Was asking mainly about using them in a TBH, particularly how they're installed. I could drape a strip over a couple of bars, but then I'd have a small gap between those bars which I'm sure I'd have to clean off propolis. Not sure if that's an issue or not. Also the preferred location of the strips... nearer the entrance so there's more traffic on them, or more centered in brood nest? I was going to put two strips on this week, then wait two weeks, and replace with two more. My hive only has about 14 or so bars with comb (a couple of empty bars just introduced last week to aleviate a bit of crowding). I also have a solid floor.


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## JYawn (Dec 6, 2011)

I was also wondering that same thing. I'm wondering if you couldn't just hang the strips in between bars every so many bars. Do you think that would work?


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

Not sure. There's several 'options' running around in my head, most of which are probably bad ideas. One thought is to hang a strip horizontally, as if it were a thin spacer bar. Afraid there wouldn't be enough contact that way, but it wouldn't interfere with the established bee space between combs. Don't know if that's an issue to start with. Possibly, I'll tear a strip in half and pinch both ends on the same 'face' of a bar, so as not to make a bar ever so slightly crooked. Then move back 3-4 bars and do the same.

In the end, unless I get a compelling reply that suggests otherwise, I thik I will open up a couple of the strips and drap them over a couple bars, the first one a bar or two away from the entrance, and the other a few bars back on the opposite side of the bar. Toss them in two weeks, then put in two more strips. Quicker to do and I'll just have to hope that the slightly crooked positioning of a bar with a strip hanging on one end won't cause a problem. A second strip a few bars back will take out the 'crookedness' in the bars further back. Again, leave these in place for 2 weeks, then replace with a fresh pair of strips for another two weeks.


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## Bush_84 (Jan 9, 2011)

I have used it in my TBH. Use it as directed in the packaging. The only difference is that you don't have frames, you have top bars. There is no reason why you can't hang them on top bars. Just remember that you need two treatments.


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

Bush_84 said:


> Use it as directed in the packaging.


My bee club buys stuff in bulk. In this case, the packaging was a big plastic tub. The lable said "Sterilite". Not very helpful, hence my questions here.


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## Bush_84 (Jan 9, 2011)

Here's the link to the website.

http://www.betatechopproducts.com/products/varroa-mite-control

They advise one strip per 10 frames of brood. I just figure that one of my top bars equals a frame of brood. They aren't exactly equal, but for the sake of keeping things simple they are equal. Again just remember to do successive treatments. 

http://www.klamathbeekeepers.org/Be...ressive_hopguard_treatment_on_honey_bees.html

That's a link that covers it fairly well. The local guru does two treatments 7-10 days apart, but if you really want to be safe you could do 3.


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks... Just wanted to see if any TBHers has first hand success instead of relying on hype.

My local guru, while not a fan of TBHs (he did keep two for a couple of years just to have experienced them), suggested 2 strips, left in for 2 weeks, then replaced for another two weeks. I have about 14 bars total, with the majority of those bars being a mix of brood and stores. My queen got off to a very spotty start. Very erratic laying pattern, partly caused by the bees putting stores in every empty cell they could find. As they expanded the comb, they seem to have straightened out the 'what goes where' business and she's laying better, more dense patterns. We have rainy weather this week, so after it dries out and we have a sunny day, I'll check them out again (I added some empty bars last week to prevent crowding - probably an over-reaction to my not making sure they had enough space last year resulting in multiple swarms). I'll be sure to put the strips over bars between full comb so as not to interfere with new construction.


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## mmiller (Jun 17, 2010)

I use Hopguard in my TBHs. I drape it over the bar and yes there was a thin gap on each side that they propolised it up which I scrape off. I place it in the middle of the brood nest. Works well.

Mike


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks, Mike.

Always good to hear first hand positive results to help ferret out useful products from the snake oil.

Bruce



mmiller said:


> I use Hopguard in my TBHs. I drape it over the bar and yes there was a thin gap on each side that they propolised it up which I scrape off. I place it in the middle of the brood nest. Works well.
> 
> Mike


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