# Api-life Var



## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

sorry, I put it in the wrong topic


----------



## Todd Zeiner (Jun 15, 2004)

Ted- 
I used it this year on all but one hive. I used two treatments instead of three. It seemed to work good for me. The sticky boards revealed about twice the normal drop as normal inspections. I know this is not a scientific measure, but that's all I had time for. The only dead-out I've seen so far has been due to overpopulation going into a warm winter with not enough honey. I will probably use it again this year. 
My goal is not to have to use it at all.


----------



## Toni Bee (Jun 14, 2005)

All in all, ApiLife Var is on probation with me, and I am thinking about going to small cell.

I used it for two hives last fall, and seem to have a lot of mites again now, but a friend who used formic says that she does too. We had awfully warm weather this fall and a mild winter, which probably means that brood rearing hardly stopped, and the mites made it through in capped brood.

To save my bees, I just fumigated with oxalic acid. Once again, there is probably nothing that could have prevented this being a heavy mite year, but it seems to me that changes to my overall management strategy may be just as important as the mite treatment that gets chosen.


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Ted, I've used it. Two years ago I treated 12 hives with it. My only measure of success is that all 12 survived the winter and thrived the following season. 
My advice...ignore the advertisements and read the label. Handle this stuff carefully. When handling the tablets wear gloves, eye protection and a breathing filter. Apply it according to the instructions (enclose in hardware cloth/screen wire).


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

I used it at the end of last summer in my 6 hives and am not seeing many mites now. 24-hr mite drops went from over 100 to less than 10. One looked to have PMS to me, before treatment, but are doing fine now. I also pulled all the capped brood out of that hive during treatment to help, combined it with a NUC and treated it. 
I'll use it again next year. I only do late summer treatments, I don't do spring treatments. 

Also quick and easy application, but 4 visits to hive instead of 2 with apistan. Which is inconsequential to me.

did not like the photo ad. in ABJ where person was not using gloves. This is misleading if you compare it with the label.

[ January 31, 2006, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: MichaelW ]


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

[ January 31, 2006, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: Dave W ]


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

TwT . . .
>and any other info you might have . . .


API-LIFE VAR - Produced in Italy by Chemicals LAIF

Descriptions - A thin vermiculite wafer containing crystalline [BC, 5/05, p7] Thymol (76%), eucalyptol (16.4%), menthol (3.8%) and camphor (3.8%); 20g of active ingredients per wafer [Source???]. This formulation of Thymol is not essential oil Thymol but a purified crystalline form manufactured in one laboratory in Europe. Crystalline Thymol creates a gas which greatly reduces absorbed by comb [BC, 6/05, p7]. Thymol clearly exhibits varroacidal properties, but value and purpose of other essential oil ingredients has not been clearly established. Works as fumigant. [Ref 16, p189]. 

Mode of Action - Efficacy relies, in part, on increasing grooming behavior by acting as an irritant to bees, which leads to increased rates of V-mite removal from adult bees through behavior modifications [ABJ, 6/04, p479]. 

Health Effects - None of active compounds in Api-Life VAR are toxic at levels found in product. 

Lethal Dose to kill 50% (LD50) - 
Thymol: Rats  980mg/kg (oral); 100mg/kg (dermal)	Camphor: Rats  2000mg/kg (oral); 3000mg/kg (dermal)	Eucalptol: Rats  2480mg/kg (oral); 50mg/kg (dermal)	Menthol: Rats  3300mg/kg (oral); 710mg/kg (dermal)

Application - Wafer applied 3 times, every 7 to 10 days [Brushy Mtn Cat, 2004, p37, BC, 6/05, p7].
Effectiveness - 65 to 97% in SE US [ABJ, 6/04, p475].
Do NOT use during honey flow. Use for late-season treatments (little or no brood) [ABJ, 6/04, p479].
Withdrawal Period - ?
Do NOT treat above 90oF
Treatment Period - 21 to 30 days. 
Adverse Effects - Negative effect on brood production (Ellis et al., 2001) [ABJ, 6/04, p479].
Residue in Honey, Wax
Resistance - None Reported
Health Risk - Low
Labor - 3 visits, 1 to 2 minutes per colony per visit [ABJ, 6/04, p476].
Cost - $5.09 per treatment (3 Wafers)

Method #1 - For each application, break one wafer into 4 pieces, place 1/4 of wafer on top of brood frames on perimeter of brood nest [BC, 5/05, p7] (near each side of super), leave on 7 to 10 days. Remove and replace for a total of 3 times. Do NOT treat in temperatures above 90oF. Honey supers can be added 30 days after using product (was 150 days) [Brushy Mtn Cat 2004, p37].

Hive should ideally be broodless and daytime temperatures should not fall below 53.6°F. Bees typically remove remaining product. Thymol is not recommended for application during honeyflow68. 

Package Instructions -

Effectiveness (70 to 90%) - A review of Apilife VAR has shown that in 14 of 22 applications, mite mortality was greater than 90%68, some studies have found mortality rates of below 70%56; 115; 25. Mite mortality has been shown to correlate with evaporation rate27. Levels of active ingredients in Apilife VAR in addition to Thymol do not appear to be significant in causing mite mortality73, and a study comparing generic Thymol to Apilife VAR showed similar levels of mite mortality15. 

Adverse Effect - Negative effect on brood production (Ellis et al. 2001) [ABJ, 6/04, p479]. Colony development is not thought to be impaired by use of Apilife VAR91, although one study reported loss of 50% of bees in treated colonies over winter, and significant reductions in honey crops the next year112. Colonies are reported to have problems storing winter feed during Apilife VAR autumn treatment67. Can exhibit bee toxicity at high temperatures [Ref 16, p189]. Api Life VAR will NOT harm drones, will NOT kill brood, will NOT affect queen [BC, 6/05, p8].

Residue - An autumn application of Apilife VARR resulted in residues of 0.02 - 0.48ppm of Thymol in honey produced the next spring. Beeswax had low residue levels of both Thymol and menthol, and did not increase w/ number of treatments. Thymol was not removed during comb melting, but did reduce rapidly when processed wax was exposed to air during storage9. 

Maximum Residue Level (MRL) - The Swiss have set a taste MRL for Thymol of 0.8ppm to ensure honey does not exceed the taste threshold of 1.1ppm11. No taste MRLs have been set by the Swiss for any of the other active ingredients. 

Resistance - No reports of varroa resistance to Apilife VAR, or any of its active ingredients. 

Registration - Used in Europe for over 13 years [Brushy Mtn Cat 2004, p37], across the world for 15 years [BC, 6/05, p7]. Waiting on EPA registration [Ref 6, p38]. In 2003, Api-Life VARR was granted a Section 18 Emergency Exemption in various US states [ABJ, 6/04, p475]. Authorized (under section 18) in IN, ME, MN, MS, NC, NJ, SC, UT, WI [Bee Culture, Aug 2003, p27].

Source / Cost
Brushy Mtn Catalog, 2004, p37 / $33.95 per 20 tablets.


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Some selected statements from the package insert. I might add that these instructions are considered Federal law.
Danger
Corrosive. Causes irreversible eye damage and skin irritation. Harmful if swallowed, absorbed through skin, or inhaled. Avoid breathing vapors. 
Use a NIOSH approved dust/mist-filtering respirator when handling tablets. Wear protective eyewear and chemical-resistant gloves
To prevent the bees from gnawing the tablet, either enclose each piece of tablet in an envelope of screen wire or place the uncovered pieces above a sheet of metal screen that prevents bees from contacting it.

If you read the package label itself it uses the word fatal on several occasions.not only when swallowed.

Thymol is also the active ingredient in Listerene mouthwash. In Listerene it is .06%. In ApiLife Var it is 74%. It is about 1200 times higher concentration in ApiLife.

My only point with this is that anyone handling any pesticide, including one marketed as containing 'no dangerous chemicals' should rely on the label.


----------



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Last spring I had problems while treating small hives - really just installed nucs with new queens. Problems manifested as queens stopping laying and the hive putting itself on hold developmentaly. 

I had previously been happy with ApiLife in fully developed colonies. I had to treat last spring just prior to flow when I discovered a fairly heavy infestation. The nucs had been made up of those infected colonies. Two of them are over wintering as singles - my fingers are crossed.

In all I think it not a bad choice for a "soft" chemical but by all means monitor your counts.


----------



## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

Beemandan,

Your point is well taken. Relative to couphamous and pyrethrins, I still think that ApiLife seems like a reasonable choice of treatments when biological and management control methods fail. I haven't yet used it, but I bought a package just in case there is a really nice non-resistant hive that I want to salvage.


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Aspera, I am in agreement with you. In spite of my expressed concerns about the safe handling of ApiLife Var, I have used it and will continue to use it when needed.


----------



## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

so from what im reading it is mainly a fall treatment, can or does anyone use it in the spring? if not, what do yall use in the spring treatment?

[ February 02, 2006, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: TwT ]


----------



## Todd Zeiner (Jun 15, 2004)

Fall seems to fit my schedule better. I only treat them when they really need it. I watch the sticky boards and also open some drone brood once in a while. I always seem to get to busy in the spring.


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Late summer for me. Temperature requirements for ApiLife Var just don't seem to fit before first nectar flow in spring here. Also treatments may impact brood and potentially contaminate honey. Generally a bad mix, in my opinion, for spring. I don't do a spring varroa treatment. If the mite load is bad I do them late season. Otherwise I presume that they're going to be OK.


----------



## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

In the spring I split all my hives (which is easy when you only have 5) and requeen all but the very best of the queenright half. So far this seems to work pretty well for spring mite control. The colonies are reinfested by June, and I have to shake out the weaklings by october, but the system seems to work so far.


----------



## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Aspera, I like the comment about "system". Many are focused on "bees" and fail to see the overall "beekeeping systems". I picked up on that in the 1997 ABJ article by Kirk Webster that mentioned about "systems" as a way of keeping bees based on location, resources, and working with what the bees give you. I like his comments on anticipated problems, and managing bees under the premise that everything can not be perfect, and you should manage knowing what is going on. Not trying to change it to your way of thinking it should be...


----------



## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

Bjorn,

While I would like to believe that my bees and there genetics are vastly different from everyone else's, they just aren't. So my thoughts have turned primarily to finding the best way to manage bees for my local, and then selecting stock to match my management goals. Currently those goals are minimizing pesticides, making gentle bees, and drawing comb well. The problem is that I'll probably end up moving by the time I get my yards and queens all figured out.


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

I don't do spring treatments either. In the past 5yrs I've done Apistan in the fall only, now I'm switching to Apilife (or other Thymol) in the fall only. Agree with Beemandan's reasons to not use it in spring.

Looking back, the bees have broken their brood cycle on their own some in the spring through swarm events. So this year as I try and prevent swarming, I plan to do some brood cycle breaks on purpose with a cutdown spit at the honey flow. Any other splits will at least take all the capped brood for the new split.

I'm also now doing mite counts. It would have been nice to have mite counts with the single fall apistan to compare that with what the single fall Apilife did, and compare that with what the mites did in the spring. Oh well, I'm not going back to the neurotoxins to find out as I want to cycle the contaminated comb out.


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

Also, does anyone know if comb that has been treated with Thymol products can be used at a later date in honey supers? I have the same question for Formic Acid.

I'm not familiar with what wax contamination reserach has bee done on this. And the Apilife label isn't very specific on that. 

I have heard of one report of a local honey tasting like thymol. That is not something you want to happen.

Of course cumofos, amitraz, and fluvalinate don't have a taste as far as I know, so at least you know if honey is contaminated with high levels of Thymol.

[ February 04, 2006, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: MichaelW ]


----------



## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> Also, does anyone know if comb that has been 
> treated with Thymol products can be used at a 
> later date in honey supers? I have the same 
> question for Formic Acid.

There is really nothing that would be appropriate 
to "treat" comb that would later be used in honey
supers. Every possible varroa treatment includes 
instructions that says "remove honey supers before
treating".

What this means is that supers and frames must
be managed to prevent this. While comb from
a honey super can be placed in the brood chamber
if you wish, the reverse is not advisable, so the
only thing that can be done with brood comb is
melting.

This is not difficult to do, as brood comb
quickly becomes "stained" from the brood, and
is easy to see. Stenciling each box helps,
as it allows record-keeping.

My personal view is that bees tend to draw out
a frame of foundation more quickly when it is
inserted into the brood chamber in early spring
than they would draw out any frames above the
brood chamber anyway, so I rarely raid my stores
of honey supers to get comb for brood chambers,
as supers of drawn comb are a beekeeper's most valuable asset.


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

Good point, 
I didn't think of the statement "remove honey supers before treating" in this way, but that makes sense. 

I was thinking that, the honey supers would have honey in them that would be contaminated, but thats not EXACTLY what they are saying.

They also clearly say that thymol is absorbed and held for a peroid of time in the wax.

[ February 04, 2006, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: MichaelW ]


----------



## daknoodle (Dec 8, 2005)

What is the "flavor" of Thymol?

Doug


----------



## ikeepbees (Mar 8, 2003)

listerine


----------



## buford (Feb 22, 2005)

i have a question (i haven't read all of these posts so i don't know if it's aready been asked or not).

the add for api-life var says that it's been used successfully in europe for 16 years. that means this stuff has been around since 1990.

why is america so slow with this? it seems that the more toxic stuff was preferred and only when it started to fail did the non-toxic stuff become a consideration.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>why is america so slow with this? it seems that the more toxic stuff was preferred and only when it started to fail did the non-toxic stuff become a consideration. 

Someone has to pay the fees to get the research done and, if it passes muster, pay the certification fees to get it (and pay them repeatedly to keep it) certified. That has to be someone who wants to market it, usually the manufacterer, and thinks there is a large enough market to warrent the costs. Then the government has to do the research.

Some of the Europeans have been using Oxalic Acid for about 18 years now. Most of the Europeans have been using Oxalic Acid for ten years now. We don't have any approval on that either.


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

>why is america so slow with this? it seems that the more toxic stuff was preferred and only when it started to fail did the non-toxic stuff become a consideration. 

Another reason is that coumaphos and fluvalinate were very effective...before resistance....and required little labor to apply. ApiLife Var is MUCH more labor intensive. 

As MB pointed out, someone has to pay the costs associated with certification. Who is willing to do that before a profitable market exists? 

By the way, I hardly think that ApiLife Var is non-toxic nor do I think fluvalinate is 'more toxic'.


----------



## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

One thing to think about when considering fumigation treatments such as Apilife, Formic, oxalic gas, etc....is the condition of your equipment.
The old comment, "The bees don't mind all of those extra entrances!" falls flat in this case.
Most of my equipment is new so vapors are held well during the treatment period.
I have ran tape or plastic wrap around a few hives where the boxes or lid meet where boxes were of poor quality.
Additionally, right or wrong, Bill Ruzika reccomends reducing the entrance somewhat to assist in the pooling of the vapor on the bottom board.
Any thoughts on any of this?


----------



## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> Any thoughts on any of this?

Two words for those of us who keep bees
in the real world, where some boxes are
a tad, ummm... bedraggled.

Duct Tape!


----------



## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

>>Two words for those of us who keep bees
in the real world, where some boxes are
a tad, ummm... bedraggled.

Duct Tape! 

thats a good one and TRUE!!!!!


----------



## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

I would fire anyone that placed duct tape on a hive.
Our "real world" is serious, scientfic beekeeping, that we take pride in.
Our equipment, hive strength and health is a reflection of our commitment to the profession.
Duct tape?!!!! I don't think so.
I guess everyone is intitled to their own world; we'll stay our course.


----------



## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> I would fire anyone that placed duct tape on a hive.

I would fire anyone who placed a hive on a duck
and duct taped it to the duck!


----------



## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I'm with Jim, before we went to bee nets and were closing hives to move them Duct tape was the tool of Choice. Have used it to seal between pollen traps and hive bodies, between 2 queen boards and honey supers, cover upper entrances when moving and occaisionally on my gloves, helmets, veils and suit when some unexpected disaster strikes.

We have nearly 1000 supers in our operation, some are 20 yrs old and still in good shape as we work diligently to keep equipment painted and in good shape. No duct tape, I'm contacting the American Duct Tape Counsel Harry and reporting you, you are not getting away with this!!?


----------



## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Good one Joel!








When my bees were being unloaded in CA a friend of mine said, " God, I've never seen so much new equipment!!"
I told him that I keep my outfit in shape, and that is part of my IPM is tight equipment for various fumigation treatments.
Then I pointed to a shabby bottom board that is probably 30 years old and told him that it was next to go on the burn pile.
He had a melt-down over that.
Anyway, we all have our own ways of doing things and if they are well thought out they just might work.
By the way; who is the head of the Duct Tape Council? wasn't that Garrison Kiellor?


----------



## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

That would be him but we have to very careful about mentioning anyone from NPR here! They'll be calling us communists (really marxists is more appropriate) for even knowing where Lake Wobegone is.


----------



## hummingberd (Aug 26, 2006)

Jim Fischer said:


> > Any thoughts on any of this?
> 
> Two words for those of us who keep bees
> in the real world, where some boxes are
> ...


Ahhh, Canadian Chrome. You can't beat it!!!


----------

