# Api Life Var - application



## susanhall (May 10, 2010)

I am confused. I have two deeps on each hive and there is brood in each deep. Do I need to put one wafer on EACH deep or just on one deep?


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## suburbanrancher (Aug 5, 2011)

One wafer, broken (or cut--it cuts very easily with scissors), into 4 pieces. Each piece placed on each of the 4 corners of the TOP brood box (do not place directly over the brood frames). To avoid placing on the brood frames, I placed the wafer pieces on the 2nd or 
3rd frame in.
I also had 2 brood boxes and the information translated from Italian was quite poor thus I asked for clarification from the vendor I buy from. 
I have to say, it was more pleasant to use than the MAQS but at least the MAQS was done with one application.


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## susanhall (May 10, 2010)

suburbanrancher said:


> One wafer, broken (or cut--it cuts very easily with scissors), into 4 pieces. Each piece placed on each of the 4 corners of the TOP brood box (do not place directly over the brood frames). To avoid placing on the brood frames, I placed the wafer pieces on the 2nd or
> 3rd frame in.
> I also had 2 brood boxes and the information translated from Italian was quite poor thus I asked for clarification from the vendor I buy from.
> I have to say, it was more pleasant to use than the MAQS but at least the MAQS was done with one application.


Thanks. for your quick response.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Handle it carefully. It can burn. Don't get it in your eyes!
I wear nitrile gloves when handling.


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## ericweller (Jan 10, 2013)

Sorry to revive this old thread but I applied a treatment to one of my hives and have a couple of questions:
1) The day after the application, the front of the hive was covered with bees. There were occasional fights but not the carnage for a full on robbing spree. Are the bees out on the front of the hive there for robbing protection or is the Api Life Var odor chasing them out?
2) The hive had chewed up the wafers and must have hauled them out. One was completely gone and the remaining three were much smaller than when placed. Should I be enclosing the wafers in screen to keep them from chewing them? Is Api Life Var a contact pesticide or are the vapors the active ingredient?

Thanks!


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## Dave Burrup (Jul 22, 2008)

The bees distribute the thymol by hauling the wafers out. Do not cover them. It is the vapor that kills the mites. Every time you open the hive you let the vapors out. Stay out of the hive if you want it to do the job. The bees bearding on the outside of the hive is normal.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

The instructions actually used to...and may still....tell you to wrap the wafers in hardware cloth. I don't know of anyone who does it though. And I think it is still effective without wrapping.


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## lprikockis (May 19, 2015)

the current instructions don't mention anything about wrapping the wafers... but I will say my bees haul them out of there pronto...

when going back in for the 2nd and 3rd treatments, I couldn't find any trace of the wafers... the odor of thymol however is still quite strong and judging from how many mites are suddenly dropping out onto the sticky board, I'd say it's doing its job.

And yes, my bees spent a lot of time out on the front porch after the first treatment... particularly I think because it got up near 90 that week... fortunately, the temps have been much lower since.


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## hex0rz (Jan 14, 2014)

I thought apivar was amitraz?

...never mind.I'm a dummy. I didn't see the life part in the name.


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