# Treating for mites on an apimaye hive



## LeesBeez (Feb 21, 2020)

I’m considering buying some apimaye hives and wanted to know if anyone who has them uses a provap 110 or johnos version to treat for mites? I have one I built myself that I currently use. I can’t see a good way to use it on those hives without drilling a hole in the back or trying to extend the tube on the vaporizer which would cause clogging. Thanks!


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Build a wooden shim with the hole in for treating. Part of performing the treatment will include placing the shim under the feeder, treating, then removing the shim. This is a problem with all of the poly or plastic hives, but it does not take a lot of extra work to use the temporary treating shim.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

JWPalmer said:


> Build a wooden shim with the hole in for treating. Part of performing the treatment will include placing the shim under the feeder, treating, then removing the shim. This is a problem with all of the poly or plastic hives, but it does not take a lot of extra work to use the temporary treating shim.


Less work than a lift shim which raises the four sides evenly, is a pair of tapered shims that can be inserted by prying up front or rear of hive bodies at the point in the stack you want the new entrance. Much easier than lifting the whole hive to insert a spacer. I have a bunch of them cut so I can grab a pair and have an entrance in a minute wherever needed without drilling boxes.


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## Tigger19687 (Dec 27, 2014)

crofter said:


> Less work than a lift shim which raises the four sides evenly, is a pair of tapered shims that can be inserted by prying up front or rear of hive bodies at the point in the stack you want the new entrance. Much easier than lifting the whole hive to insert a spacer. I have a bunch of them cut so I can grab a pair and have an entrance in a minute wherever needed without drilling boxes.
> View attachment 61635
> View attachment 61635


Sorry OT but I am curious, in what instance would you close off the bottom and open a full middle entrance?


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Tigger19687 said:


> Sorry OT but I am curious, in what instance would you close off the bottom and open a full middle entrance?


Reorienting bees to upper entrance preparing to install a Cloake board for cell starting. Sue Cobey, Cloake board queen rearing.

If I wished to do OA treatment I would stuff paper towel in leaving just enough room for snout of vaporizer. Just generally a way of creating instant access for whatever reason anywhere in a stack


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

Tigger19687 said:


> Sorry OT but I am curious, in what instance would you close off the bottom and open a full middle entrance?


Hi Leesbees, you can treat the Apimaye hives through that hole in the mid front by drilling a 3/16" hole in a wine cork then pushing the wine cork over the vaporizer outlet then by pushing that cork into the front hole you can treat through the frames. However I was not all that happy treating in this way so I fitted a 1/2"plug with a 3/16" clearance hole in the center into the right hand side bottom of the Apimay Hive and now treat through there. It is best to do this when you have access to the bottom of the hive as you need to measure exactly where this hole needs to be. The half inch plug I made would not push into the hole as it was so tight and I actually spun it in with a drill. Some folks use a brass threaded insert with a hole in it however I prefer wood as it is more of a heat insulator than brass,


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## LeesBeez (Feb 21, 2020)

Thanks for all the advice guys I appreciate it!


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## LeesBeez (Feb 21, 2020)

johno said:


> Hi Leesbees, you can treat the Apimaye hives through that hole in the mid front by drilling a 3/16" hole in a wine cork then pushing the wine cork over the vaporizer outlet then by pushing that cork into the front hole you can treat through the frames. However I was not all that happy treating in this way so I fitted a 1/2"plug with a 3/16" clearance hole in the center into the right hand side bottom of the Apimay Hive and now treat through there. It is best to do this when you have access to the bottom of the hive as you need to measure exactly where this hole needs to be. The half inch plug I made would not push into the hole as it was so tight and I actually spun it in with a drill. Some folks use a brass threaded insert with a hole in it however I prefer wood as it is more of a heat insulator than brass,


Johno do you have any pictures of what you’ve explained? Are you talking about using the hole where the round entrance gate is with the cork? I may give that a try before drilling into the boxes. Thanks


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Leesbeez, this is a link to a guy that converted his Apimaye hive using threaded inserts. I think he did not try things out before shooting the video so be warned. He is using an Easyvap but has a label over the name since he is reselling them. Suggestions in the comments section are to do it the way johno described by going through the round entrance hole.






Enjoy!


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## DuaneV (8 mo ago)

I am a newbee as well. I purchased three of the Apimaye hive systems. I was also concerned on how to treat with oxalic acid treatments and not wanting to drill a hole in my hives. I did some searching around and found this: Oxalic Acid Vaporizer Adapter Plates | Lorob Bees LLC . It looks to slide into the bottom board for treatment. It is pricey. But, it may be my alternative come later this summer.


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