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Author Topic: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment  (Read 5581 times)

Offline derekNGA

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What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« on: July 02, 2017, 03:35:02 pm »
Ok, may seem like a dumb question, but I have no idea what one should do with honey supers on hives during Apiguard treatment.  Last year, my first year of beekeeping, it was not an issue since they were still only working on their two brood boxes.  This year is different.  I now have honey supers on.  I have already harvested full boxes after the flow.  And left boxes/frames that were not full or completely drawn out and capped.  In another month or so I would like to treat for Verroa mites with apiguard.  Doing so before the blooming of goldenrod and rag weed.  Which last year lasted about a month and is what produced the honey for them through the winter since for me the time when I receive packages of bees the flow is ending and nothing til fall.  So, apiguard says do not apply with honey supers on. Totally understand that.  But what does one do with honey supers on that may or may not be fully drawn and capped while treating the hive?
I really do not want to harvest this in the event nature decides not to provide much from the fall blooms as last year, then they will have winter food without me feeding syrup.

Offline Dunkel

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Re: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2017, 08:34:32 pm »
Yep, that's the problem I have with many treatments.   Temperature and open honey makes the timing hard.  MAQS saved me last year with a half treatment during a cool spell with supers on.  Then a follow up of oav later but apigard would have been ok.

Offline derekNGA

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Re: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2017, 09:21:44 pm »
Guess I should add to the original post.....I do not want to harvest whats still in the supers now in case there is no decent fall flow to amount to much storage for them.  However, if there  is a good fall, I woukd like to harvest some.  So could supers be taken off and stored while treating with apiguard then replaced afterwards? I guess Im after what do others do or dont do?

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2017, 11:40:07 pm »
Derick,
My first responce is not to use it, you are putting poison in your food source and even if the super is not there, the poison stays in the honey and the wax in the brood boxes. Bees are always moving honey around the hive so the poison will end up back in the honey you and your family eat.
If you must use it, pull the super, freeze or at minimum, refrigerate it, to keeps the bugs from laying their eggs and developing. Then do your treatment, allow the super to warm up to at least 65 degrees and then put it back on.
Jim
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Offline Acebird

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Re: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2017, 07:59:21 am »
Hive configuration and how much honey are we talking about?  If you put the supers back on will they stay on for winter?  What is your plan for overwintering?
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: What to do with honey super during Apiguard treatment
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2022, 06:56:44 am »
Quote
So, apiguard says do not apply with honey supers on. Totally understand that.  But what does one do with honey supers on that may or may not be fully drawn and capped while treating the hive?
I really do not want to harvest this in the event nature decides not to provide much from the fall blooms as last year, then they will have winter food without me feeding syrup.

Quote
Guess I should add to the original post.....I do not want to harvest whats still in the supers now in case there is no decent fall flow to amount to much storage for them.  However, if there  is a good fall, I woukd like to harvest some.  So could supers be taken off and stored while treating with apiguard then replaced afterwards? I guess Im after what do others do or dont do?

Any more thoughts on this?

Phillip
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.