# Apivar and honey supers



## DLNubee (Jul 31, 2013)

I know that you are not supposed to use Apivar strips while honey supers are on, but is it safe to use Apivar and put supers on that have been extracted but need to be cleaned out by the bees? I tried to set a bucket out for cleaning but it was covered with wasps, no bees, so I don't want to set out the supers. I am new to beekeeping. Thank you.


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Posed the same question about 3 weeks ago and not much for responses. 

Then sent the question to Provincial Bee Expert and the following was his response.

"No concern to minimal concern.. It takes 3-5 days for Amitraz material to spread around. In any case, it will go to wax. No worries."

I am still somewhat hesitant to put honey frames above the broods with Apivar srips installed.


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## DLNubee (Jul 31, 2013)

Thank you for the response. Any suggestions on how to store the wet supers?


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Enclosed is link to the thread.

I store my wet frames and supers in a shed. I stack the supers on a vent rim(just a "mini" super out of 2x4 with two 1 inch screened holes on each side) and cover the stack to keep the mice out. Put a queen excluder on top of the stack and plywood above that, but try to get a bit of circulation. Our cold winter more than keeps the wax moth in check. 

I try ro keep my brood frames in the hives and mostly only store honey frames. Had a small problem, over the summer, with wax moths on a few frames that had some brood in them at some time. I try to do a quick check monthly on any stored frames over the summer to see if anything undesireable going on.

Have purchased some paradichlorobenzene pads but chose ot accept the small wax moth problem as opposed to putting the pads.


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## Becky Jackson (Jun 7, 2013)

I am in an area that doesn't freeze much, but I store wet supers as well. After extracting, I put them each in a plastic garbage bag, then into my chest freezer for 48 hours to kill any wax worms/eggs. Then they go out to my unheated storage building, stacked high with a tight cover over them to keep mice out. When I open them next spring to use, there is a slight fermented smell, but the bees clean it up right away and seem to enthusiastically move up into them. I have no to very little trouble with wax worms doing this. If there is a wax worm infestation, it's usually on a brood super that has pollen stored (though brood supers get the same treatment). So I store honey supers separate from brood ones just in case. I'm tending to melt down my old brood combs rather than try to store them, but the honey combs can last 10 years or more in good usable condition.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Something doesn't sound right - Apivar is a six week treatment - I find it hard to reconcile the Amitraz dissipating within 3 days with what I thought I knew of the product. Now MAQS (formic acid) dissipating in three days I can understand.

I can't help with wax moth issues as they are not a problem in my area (yet).


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

My interpretation is that it takes 3-5 days to get spread around the hive and it does get embedded in the wax.

As honey supers are off, apivar only gets embedded in the comb on the brood frames.

Directions on package says to wait two weeks after removing strips in the spring before installing honey supers. It is a contact miticide and must have at least a 42 day life. It is longer than that as it has ?? a package has a two expiration date.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

mgolden - I think what you are saying is this (please correct any misunderstandings) The Apivar that is contained on beekeeper installed strips takes 3-5 days to be spread around the hive leaving little or no medication on the strip. Once spread around the hive, Apivar continues working as a contact miticide for the duration of the treatment period.


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

I'm interpreting the response from the Bee expert. I'm no expert on Apivar!

I think the Apvar gets spread throughout the hive after 3-5 days, but there is still miticide on the strips. 

I was too late putting Apivar in the hives my first year, because I was driving a combine and didn't get to it, but was advised even if it was late, do a 21 day treatment. When you remove the strips wrap them in plastic and they could be reused in the spring if I so desired.


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## Reef Resiner (Jun 9, 2015)

Is it safe to extract frames that have been in contact with apivar after X amount of time or is it once the damage is done it's permanent?


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