# Does anyone use apistan?



## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

there is a usda test procedure to find if your mites are resistant to apistan or check-mite. go to: www.ars.usda.gov/services/docs.htm?docid=7474


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The Varroa built up a resistance to it 12 or 13 years ago. The only time I used it it failed completely. I used to have a link but it does not seem to work anymore to an article from UNL by Marion Ellis on the topic. They tested for resistance here in Nebraska and it was widespread. Apistan has been useless for more than a decade.


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

So part of the reason I was asking was because my father bought some apistan strips to treat for mites, and I wasn't sure whether to use them or not, after reading a lot of heresay and no facts I was getting annoyed at the lack of consensus on this issue.

Anyway, we decided to try them on three hives while waiting for the parts to build an OAV. After 2 days on the one hive with a sticky bottom board, we have 5-6 mites per square inch, which according to my math is appx 1200 mites from 12 deep frames. I don't know the infestation rate for this hive but the hive next to it just died from mites, which was why he called me to check it out, and I see the telltale signs like bees crawling around in front of the hive, and I saw two mites on the bees when I opened it so the infestation must be super high. This is his first year and he was planning to fog with FGMO after watching fatbeeman but didn't because the hives "looked strong"

I should have seen it coming, but i've only done package bees so far, which seem to not have much of a mite problem the first year since they don't have brood, and I figured his FGMO would be fine. He got both of his as nucs from a local beek and we split both hives back in May and they seemed good then but I guess when you get brood you also get mites.

I'm debating whether let the apistan run its course, or to pull the strips in 5 days and then do 3 weekly OAV treatments. I'm not sure whether the apistan worked 100%, 50%, 30%, etc.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

tanksbees said:


> I'm debating whether let the apistan run its course, or to pull the strips in 5 days and then do 3 weekly OAV treatments.


If I were going to treat with OAV, I'd pull the apistan now. The reason I would do it is because I don't know the interaction of the OAV treatments with the Apistan..........


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

It sounds to me like you have proved that the Apistan strips are working for you on your hives with your bees and varroa mites. I would say continue it if you feel comfortable with it. I have not used it in twenty years, but back then, it worked great. It appears to be working great for you. 

The active ingredient in the apistan strips is fluvalinate, and I believe that is one of the miticides that will build up in the wax over time. For this reason, I myself would be leery of using it. Keep in mind, it would take time, like multiple usages over multiple years for it to build up to a critical level, but knowing this may help you make up your mind as to whether you want to continue using it or not. Keep in mind that it is what has saved your one hive there so far, it's getting excellent mite drops for you.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

as long as your seeing mite drop, Id say its working for you. 

Im impressed that your monitoring its efficacy. Not many do that!


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

You will not be able to tell how effective the apistan is unless you do one of those usda test procedures. They require some effort to do. I the meantime it appears as if you are getting some results from the apistan but you just do not know if it is only killing 50% of the mites, maybe more, maybe less. At this point keep the strips in, get your oxalic rig together and use it in a few weeks when you pull the apistan out. Varroa mites become susceptible to apistan over time if nobody in the area is using it. I think after 8-10 years you can get a 60-90% efficacy... but do not quote me on this.

Jean-Marc


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

jean-marc said:


> I think after 8-10 years you can get a 60-90% efficacy... but do not quote me on this.
> 
> Jean-Marc


Yes, our provincial apiarist says the same thing. He suggests we keep off fluvalinate until Amitraz quits working. That way we could go back to Apistan if needed.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I went to Bee College this past spring. It is put on by the University of Florida and I asked if Apistan was working any better now a days since it has not been used as much over the past several years. The professor told me he had been having very good results with it and had not seen any resistance. I think one of the big problems with Apistan back in the day was that it had worked so good that no one was checking to make sure it was still working and the resistance caught them by surprise. If you are seeing results I would leave them in and keep monitoring and remember to rotate it with something else next time you treat. Sounds like you have things well in hand.


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

Michael Bush said:


> The Varroa built up a resistance to it 12 or 13 years ago.... Apistan has been useless for more than a decade.


This is not true. 

I just tested 5 hives that flunked out of my "treatment free" test apiary. One Apistan strip per hive generated >3500 mites per hive on the bottom board of each hive in 24 hours since I initiated the test. I held off responding to this thread until I could do a real world 24 hour test -- I haven't used Apistan regularly in years, and I had to dig these test strips out of a deep corner.

Off-label Taktic and then the official Amitraz became universal in commercial beekeeping. As Apistan was not used, the physiologically costly resistance mechanism was lost from the Varroa population. Its alleles are likely still present and can become dominant again quite easily, but for the time being the strategic use of Apistan is likely to be very effective. 

I think the sweet spot for Apistan may be to clean up the small first year hives at the August mite peak. No honey or honey comb to worry about (at least in California summer splits), and you have a clean hive going into the following spring for maximum productivity. Beekeeping is tending toward a "two and done" model due to the difficulty of keeping hives going past the 2nd winter. Limited use and limited focus should keep the resistance from spreading into the overall Varroa population.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Michael Bush said:


> The Varroa built up a resistance to it 12 or 13 years ago....... Apistan has been useless for more than a decade.


This is not true.
We have many reports of excellent efficacy this year after years of rotation.
My question: of all of the treatment options; do you really want fluvalinate in your hives?
:-x


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## rweaver7777 (Oct 17, 2012)

HarryVanderpool said:


> This is not true.
> We have many reports of excellent efficacy this year after years of rotation.
> My question: of all of the treatment options; do you really want fluvalinate in your hives?
> :-x


I agree here. Why use the more problematic treatments when other safer treatments (formic, for instance) is available with similar efficacy, and resistance is probably less likely to be built up?


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

How it may or may not work today is only part of the story. I think its pretty safe to say that resistance will re-emerge pretty quickly. ......"fool me twice, shame on me"


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