# Beer kills varroa



## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Hop Guard...
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/product/DC-301.html

Been around quite awhile.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Someone desperate for media fluff content. Even has the Colony Collapse Disorder grabber for search engines . If the rest of their content is similar.................


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

soapy water kills varroa as well, maybe the media can do a fluff piece on that


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## Pooh Bear (Jun 19, 2015)

I grow hops for my other hobby - home brewing. It is an interesting plant and let me tell you those flower heads are pungent if you chew on them. 
Anyone have any experience with the hop guard and whether it works like the manufacturers claims?


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Let's just say a lot of people used it when it first came out, now they're not.


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## johnwratcliff (Feb 24, 2015)

I will never share my beer &#55356;&#57210;!!! Not with my bees at least. Mine!!!


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Just to add to that, when the product came out it seemed like an ideal natural solution if the advertising was to be believed, but one thing irked me about the advertising. They gave the results of their tests, in terms of how many mites were killed and this was accompanied by photographs of dead mites.

But what was missing was the percentage. IE, a drop of 800 mites may seem impressive but is not that useful if the total mite population is 4,000.

So, I emailed them pointing this out and asking what the actual percentage kill is. They emailed back with a nice answer that seemed full but skirted the actual question. So I emailed them back, another fluffy reply. Sent a few more emails but no matter how I rephrased the question, a straight answer was not going to happen.

It became obvious they did not want to give this information, clearly there was something to hide.

Initially the product got some good user reviews with people being impressed seeing lots of dead mites. But then people started reporting queen loss, robbing, and other issues. That, coupled with the unwillingness of the makers to discuss what kind of percentage of the mites it will actually kill, does not leave me surprised that the once popular product has faded into virtual obscurity, customers have voted with their feet.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Fire kills varroa as well. But usually get the bees as well. :lookout:


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I personally develop a high resistance to mites every weekend particularly during football season.


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## ericweller (Jan 10, 2013)

There isn't anything a beer cannot fix!


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

W


Oldtimer said:


> Just to add to that, when the product came out it seemed like an ideal natural solution if the advertising was to be believed, but one thing irked me about the advertising. They gave the results of their tests, in terms of how many mites were killed and this was accompanied by photographs of dead mites.
> 
> But what was missing was the percentage. IE, a drop of 800 mites may seem impressive but is not that useful if the total mite population is 4,000.
> 
> ...


Interesting post. I can personally attest to the fact that HG kills lots of mites but mite kill should not be confused with mite control. 
I used it pretty extensively this spring on 4 comb sized nucs with a newly mated queen and did not experience any queen issues. It seemed to work fairly well in that scenario however if you can catch such nucs before brood is capped I think an OA trickle is probably more effective,'faster and cheaper.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

The discussion that happened here about queen loss came up with the suggestion from those affected that they may have inadvertently got a dob of it on the queen. The robbing had been when a top entrance was used and hop guard had caused the bees to vacate an area around that top entrance. Both these issues could probably be resolved with more careful application of the product.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

What form is it in, liquid, powder, solid? Do you use it on the bare frame or on an active brood frame?


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Here's their video which shows it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2y4rndPhlo


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

I found that the comb cells were chewed back and emptied out under the strip and on the adjacent frame. The bees seemed to shun these areas for weeks. It did knock back the mites and I followed with formic acid on pads in zip lock baggies. Hop guard does not kill mites under cappings so must be repeated at regular intervals in a series if you need to control a heavy or ongoing mite infestation. The literature does not really tell you this. 

I prefer Oxalic acid vaporization or formic acid.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Hops is not beer. Hops is to beer as nectar is to honey. Don't pour stale beer into beehives thinking it will kill varroa mites.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

sqkcrk said:


> Hops is not beer. Hops is to beer as nectar is to honey. Don't pour stale beer into beehives thinking it will kill varroa mites.


Too late. I'm starting a thread now. NO ONE SAID BEER WOULD DROWN MY BEES?!?!


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> Hops is not beer. Hops is to beer as nectar is to honey. Don't pour stale beer into beehives thinking it will kill varroa mites.


I think if you include 3% oxalic acid to "activate it" that it might work Mark! But wait a minute, this is Aces job


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

jim lyon said:


> I think an OA trickle is probably more effective,'faster and cheaper.


This hasn't made an appearance for a while... 
I don't know about its effectiveness, but this dribble / trickle is very affordable.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I don't know anything about hops or beer, so I may be full of whatever is left over after a mammal has finished digesting what they ingest.


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## Maddy (Jan 20, 2014)

ericweller said:


> There isn't anything a beer cannot fix!


How about the timing belt on my 1999 Lexus?
~M


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## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

sqkcrk said:


> Hops is to beer as nectar is to honey.


Hops are the smallest component of beer


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

Maddy said:


> How about the timing belt on my 1999 Lexus?
> ~M


With enough beer I could definitely fix that


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

BeeCurious said:


> This hasn't made an appearance for a while...
> I don't know about its effectiveness, but this dribble / trickle is very affordable.


I am thinking it doesn't much matter where the urine is coming from but if people are going to eat the honey it is best that it doesn't come from humans.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

OT - thanks for your observations on Hopguard. After reading of Mr. Lyon's exploits, we purchased some last year. My observations are that is is not a cure, nor a preventative, but may be an aid. Like mentioned preciously, it was hard on the comb under where it was placed. 

I believe that they chose a very poor vehicle. I would be willing to discus an improved vehicle in a PM.

Crazy Roland


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