# Expired MAQs pail - what to do with it?



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

How have you been storing it? I have stored some in the freezer and used more than a year past the advised Best Before Date. It doesnt in just one day, go from being effective, to poof, ineffective. Your mite counts will tell the story.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

crofter said:


> I have stored some in the freezer and used more than a year past the advised Best Before Date.


According to the manufacturer's rep.... it will last indefinitely in the freezer...


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## JClark (Apr 29, 2012)

I used strips that were 10-11 months past expiration this fall and was perfectly fine. They were stored un-opened in the basement--55F--the whole time. Since opening I have put in the freezer and plan use again this year. Didn't know about freezer storage earlier. Also, bought them on sale last fall to find out they expired the month after purchasing.

I'll use as long as they drop mites.


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## urbanoutlaw (Nov 19, 2012)

Crap! Had I known that it would last indefinitely, I would've kept it cold. Totally missed that bit of info: It's been sitting in the basement all this time. 

While I know it won't go from effective to ineffective overnight, but I'd hate to count on it later and end up having to retreat. Maybe I'll stick it in the fridge and think about it.



JClark said:


> I used strips that were 10-11 months past expiration this fall and was perfectly fine.


Didn't see your post initially. It makes me feel a little better about sticking it in the fridge. Not sure why it didn't occur to me to keep it cold in the first place.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

It is probably fine as I doubt your basement temps have cooked any goodie out of it. If it had been under your pickup seat for a year it would be different. Freeze it until you need it.


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## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

Use and monitor mite drop both early on and after the treatment period is over-- remember that because it kills mites in capped brood, the drop period will be a bit longer than 2 weeks as brood emerges. So a big drop the first few days, and then more. Of course how big depends on your hive level and mite infestation. To hazard a guess 40,000 bees + brood at 3 mites / hundred is 1200 mites. If someone has a better idea of the expected drop, please chime in.


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## JClark (Apr 29, 2012)

RudyT said:


> Use and monitor mite drop both early on and after the treatment period is over-- remember that because it kills mites in capped brood, the drop period will be a bit longer than 2 weeks as brood emerges. So a big drop the first few days, and then more. Of course how big depends on your hive level and mite infestation. To hazard a guess 40,000 bees + brood at 3 mites / hundred is 1200 mites. If someone has a better idea of the expected drop, please chime in.


Close. My notes from last year were 1500-1800 in the first three days, then 200-500 per day for two weeks, then 100/day for a week, then nothing. #s may be a little off (don't have access to my notes right now) but this was the trend. They were heavily infested and I was going to let them die out as part of my selection process. Changed my mind because they are in my warre and I'd have no use for the drawn warre frames if they died. Really perked up after treatment. Should note too that I laid them on the top box of the brood nest--not in between the boxes like instructions state. Brood boxes are fixed frame and I didn't want to rip them apart as it is basically solid comb through both boxes. Had an empty super on top.


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## the small bee steward (Mar 26, 2014)

Dear J Clark,
I am a Warre user, and would be interested to know how many MAQS strips I should use on a well-populated 2-box high Warre. The company, NOD Global, tells me that they have no recommendations, since they have not tested the product with Warres. Thanks. Dennis, the small bee steward


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## JClark (Apr 29, 2012)

I used 2 strips since they were already expired and had been sitting @ 60 F for a year (and they were heavily infested) They did discard some brood but they were happier for it. W/out it they surely would have died in Dec--going strong now.

If this hive does ever die out I will probably sell the Warre stuff as it's a pain to deal w/ come extraction time (the modified frames I have are the size of deeps so I have to flip when extracting--plus, fixed frame brood nest makes it much harder to manage). Even if I used all movable frames the hive boxes would be the height of deeps with the volume of mediums.


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