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Apistan is used within the detection and keep watch over of Varroa mites. Mann Lake recommends using their Apistan early in spring or overdue fall. The Mann Lake DC665 Apistan strips must now not be used all over honey waft. An utility price of one strip for each 5 beehive frames is beneficial. The ten-strip pack is appropriate for beekeepers with a beehive or two handiest. For massive apiaries, the 100-strip pack is extra suitable. Alternatively, proper off the bat, we’ll say that whilst the Apistan strips may also be efficient in mite keep watch over, their unwanted side effects and lessening effectiveness over the years make it arduous to suggest in comparison to different mite keep watch over strategies.
Concerning the Mann Lake DC665 Apistan Strips

Mann Lake makes use of a slow-release polymer system in those Apistan strips. The energetic factor in Apistan is Tau-Fluvalinate. This is a synthetically ready fat-soluble pyrethroid. As discussed, the usage of Apistan to your beehives comes with a definite possibility. Mites had been famous to expand resistance to it when used incessantly over the years. It will probably additionally stay a residue in beeswax. If the degrees of Apistan within the wax succeed in deadly ranges for bees, beekeepers are confronted with a colony cave in. Moreover, Apistans stand accused of contributing to the proliferation of the Deformed Wing Virus in honey bee colonies. Exposing your bees to Apistan may cause the queen bee to weigh much less, and drones to die previous than is in most cases observed.
The usage of the Mann Lake DC665 Apistan Strips
The Mann Lake DC665 Apistan strips should be used on the beneficial price of two strips for each 10 beehive frames. Beehives with many stacked packing containers require a excessive selection of strips used. Position the strips in high-traffic spaces of your beehive packing containers. It’s also necessary to unfold out your strips all the way through the beehive. Don’t position all strips in a single position. Strips is also hung between frames, caught to the edges of beehives, and positioned close to entrances.
The Apistan strips paintings by way of freeing a small quantity of the energetic factor to bees entering touch with the strips. Bees regularly unfold the Apistan all the way through the beehive. As mites die, any eggs they will have laid hatch and the offspring dies too. In 6 weeks, your beehive must be transparent of mites and their eggs as neatly. After 6-8 weeks of use to your beehive, remember to take away the strips and dispose of them neatly.
Useless mites fall off the again of bees after remedy with the Apistan strips. Beekeepers would possibly sweep those from the hive themselves in the event that they use cast backside forums. For the ones with screened backside forums of their hives, the mites fall to the bottom underneath the hive. Cast backside forums assist you to simply see the efficacy of Apistan strips.
Execs and Cons
Execs
- The strips has a excessive confirmed efficacy. Within the beneficial six weeks of remedy, your beehive is cleared of mites and their eggs.
- The strips are simple to use. They connect neatly to chose beehive places and keep on.
Cons
- Leaves residue in beeswax, which if amassed sufficient, can develop into deadly to bees.
- Over-application of the strips results in mites creating resistance. This calls for beekeepers to cycle between mite keep watch over strategies. Apistans aren’t efficient after a couple of seasons the place resistance had evolved.
- Apistans can wreak havoc on honey bee colonies when overused. In spite of their low toxicity to bees, they will have an effect on each the peripheral and central anxious programs of honey bees.
A Phrase of Warning
- You won’t use the Apistan strips with honey supers. If honey tremendous packing containers are provide to your beehive packing containers stack, take away them. That is why beekeepers the usage of Apistan strips to keep watch over mites do it in early summer season or overdue fall. Apistan strips aren’t reusable as soon as their 6-8 week duration of use is over.
- Beekeepers must put on gloves when operating with the Mann Lake DC665 Apistan strips since they include a chemical that may be damaging if swallowed.
- Don’t drink, consume or smoke all over the applying of Apistan strips.
- Your beehive won’t expend the entire Apistan strips within the pack. If this occurs, stay the unused strips of their pouch and retailer them in a groovy dry position, clear of foodstuffs. You must additionally stay them separated from different chemical substances that can contaminate the strips.
Checking out for Apistan Resistance in Honey Bee Mites
Resistance to pyrethroids is a priority for beekeepers the usage of the Mann Lake DC665 Apistan strips for mite keep watch over. To test for resistance, first, determine a wholesome mite inhabitants to your beehive on bees. Subsequent, position an Apistan strip within the colony and test for mite drop price over the following 24 hours. If there’s resistance, you’re going to word a low mite drop price. If there’s no resistance, the mite drop price will probably be within the masses.
A 2d extra rigorous check for resistance comes to hanging grownup bees in a check container and assessing mite mortality after 3 hours. The bees you set within the container must have mites on them, and an Apistan strip is positioned within the container. To keep away from mites creating resistance to Apistans, beekeepers are recommended to change remedy varieties seasonally. Resistance to pyrethroids in mites drops by way of vital ranges when pyrethroid remedy is terminated.
Conclusion
The Mann Lake DC665 Apistan Strips do paintings and are efficient in eliminating Varroa mites, however their unwanted side effects a long way outweigh their advantages. Alternatively, if you happen to’re having a dire emergency, the Apistan strips are available to buy each on-line and from beekeeping provides outlets close to you.
Have you ever used the Mann Lake DC665 Apistan Strips to your beehives? Depart a remark under and tell us what you call to mind it.