# Timing for MAQS + Requeening?



## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

I probably should have tested/treated for mites back in August, but I never got around to it. So now it's September.

I also need to requeen at least 2, and maybe 3 of my 5 colonies. 2 are getting hotter and hotter by the day, and one of them has this weirdly-shaped queen, with a dimple in her abdomen, that doesn't seem to be laying well.

I'm guessing I want to requeen after a do a two-step MAQS treatment, because there is a non-zero chance of queen loss from MAQS, but how long should I wait afterward, and will queens be available then?

I bought a queen from Kona Queen back in November of 2014. Do they always have queens available in Hawaii?

Any other reputable sources for late-season queens?


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

MAQS seems to have a knack for killing queens that I think are garbage. Interestingly. I'd toss the double strip dose in and go back in a week (with queens in hand). If you're lucky MAQS will have taken care of the bad ones for you and you'll just have to cut cells and intro the new ones. If not you'll get to sort through looking for her.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

jwcarlson said:


> MAQS seems to have a knack for killing queens that I think are garbage. Interestingly. I'd toss the double strip dose in and go back in a week (with queens in hand). If you're lucky MAQS will have taken care of the bad ones for you and you'll just have to cut cells and intro the new ones. If not you'll get to sort through looking for her.


I'm just wondering if the workers will have settled down enough after 1 week to accept a new queen. I wouldn't want to put a new one in just to have her executed by grumpy bees.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

IAmTheWaterbug said:


> I'm just wondering if the workers will have settled down enough after 1 week to accept a new queen. I wouldn't want to put a new one in just to have her executed by grumpy bees.


We wouldn't have the time around here. Out there maybe you do. It's best to have brood in the hive for acceptance I think. So if the queen's still kicking she should be laying again by the end of the 1 week treatment.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

jwcarlson said:


> We wouldn't have the time around here. Out there maybe you do. It's best to have brood in the hive for acceptance I think. So if the queen's still kicking she should be laying again by the end of the 1 week treatment.


So you'd hit the hives with 2 MAQS, wait 'til the queen starts laying again, and then re-queen?


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

My experience with Mass is not words that I can put here several of us have had issues with it killing mites. My advice is don't waste your money on it


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

IAmTheWaterbug said:


> So you'd hit the hives with 2 MAQS, wait 'til the queen starts laying again, and then re-queen?


In my experience she'll only have shut down with 2-3 days. In all but maybe one occasion there's freshly hatched larva of grafting age when I pull the strips a week later.



suttonbeeman said:


> My experience with Mass is not words that I can put here several of us have had issues with it killing mites. My advice is don't waste your money on it


I'd like very much to hear more.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

We're in the middle of a brutal Indian Summer here in Los Angeles (100 F yesterday, near the coast!), but it's supposed to abate towards the end of the week, and we're going to be in the mid-70s this weekend, which seems like good MAQS-application weather.

The MAQS tub is in the freezer, and I'll put them in the late afternoon or evening to prevent massive outgassing. My bottom boards have the 3/8" high opening, so I'm thinking I should offset the boxes by 1" for the extra ventilation. Or maybe I should just leave my feeder tops on and take off the jars:


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I always leave them space overhead so either three deeps or a double + a super. Place to get away from the strips.

You could always do a single strip and knock them down a little later with something more mild to hedge your bets. This late in the year it might not be a bad idea. I wouldn't be afraid to go with wide open entrances and single strip (no offset).
If you do two follow the instructions EXACTLY.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

jwcarlson said:


> I always leave them space overhead so either three deeps or a double + a super. Place to get away from the strips.
> 
> You could always do a single strip and knock them down a little later with something more mild to hedge your bets. This late in the year it might not be a bad idea. I wouldn't be afraid to go with wide open entrances and single strip (no offset).
> If you do two follow the instructions EXACTLY.


I put these in on Friday evening, just before the sun went down. Temps were in the mid-70s, and they got no higher than upper 70s during the weekend. They'd been in the freezer for a week before application, and I'm pretty sure I followed the instructions carefully.

They're a PITA to open up and separate if you're wearing beekeeping gloves. There are several layers of paper, and when you peel the two strips per package apart it's not always obvious which layer goes with which strip, and I ended up tearing more than one. But I put the paper back on the correct strip and patted it into place, which I hope is enough to control the evaporation rate.

The following morning 4 out of the 5 hives had only a few dozen dead bees out front, and only 2 had dead larvae. My weakest hive had a few hundred dead bees off to the side, but I am fully expecting that colony to die out or get robbed out anyway (despite the robbing screen), so it's almost a science experiment at this point.

I saw no bearding at all, and only a few bees were coming out from the offset/vent that I left on the back side of the hives. There was no apparent smell of formic acid unless I got my face within 12" of any opening, and I could definitely still smell "hive scent."

By Sunday there was some normal looking bee traffic in and out of the hives, although there were still a few bees struggling on the ground and/or behaving rather loopy. But there didn't seem to be an appreciable increase in dead bees on the ground.

I plan to close up the offset (but leave the front entrance wide open) this evening when I get home, which will have been 72 hours since application. Does that sound about right, given that they never bearded up at all? Then I'll look in at the 1-week mark and put the reducers back on.

Once I inspect I should know how many new queens I'll need.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

I did a MAQ2 treatment 3 weeks ago when the temps were in the mid 80s to 90 degrees. I had some brood removed and the queens stopped laying for a few days, but in a week they were up and running again with no queen losses.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

If it were only in the 70s I wouldn't have bothered offsetting the boxes, but yes, I think you're safe to shift the back.

I wish I could monitor my bees like some of you guys. I just throw the pads on and come back in 7-10 days and take them off. I haven't the foggiest if there's bearding or dead bees or riots.


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