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Author Topic: MAQS Treatment for Swarms  (Read 27252 times)

Offline 2Sox

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MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« on: May 07, 2013, 06:32:13 pm »
I'm going to start using Mite Away Quick Strips in my operation.  I just can't sustain the losses I've had going treatment free.   I wanted to know when you think it would be best to treat newly collected swarms.  Wait until Fall or treat when there is some capped brood in the hive? 
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline alfred

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2013, 09:04:27 pm »
Why not hit your new swarms with some oxalic aid vapor?
Alfred

Offline 2Sox

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2013, 10:29:26 pm »
Don't know too much about it.  Can you direct me to where I can find out the methods of application and where to get the materials needed?  Thanks.
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline AllenF

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Offline hardwood

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2013, 11:08:20 pm »
That's for the trickle method Allen, just google it :)

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Offline 2Sox

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2013, 11:48:38 pm »
Thanks.  I'd also like to get back to my original question about when to treat a swarm with MAQS.  Can anyone help me out with this?

Still would also like to find out oxalic acid vaporization method.
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline buzzbee

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2013, 08:37:11 am »
Mid August is a good time. A first year swarm should not be too heavy on mites.

Offline Jim134

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2013, 09:05:20 am »
I'm going to start using Mite Away Quick Strips in my operation.  I just can't sustain the losses I've had going treatment free.   I wanted to know when you think it would be best to treat newly collected swarms.  Wait until Fall or treat when there is some capped brood in the hive? 

Are you treatment free or not ???


                         BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
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Offline 2Sox

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2013, 09:49:02 am »
I had been treatment free up until last season.  I lost all sixteen of my colonies over the winter.  I made a post about this previously.  NO more treatment free.  It's like vaccinations: Either every bee colony in the world goes treatment free, sustains unspeakable losses and hopefully reaches balance with the invading pest. OR every colony in the world gets its vaccination until the pest is a thing of the past.  I don't have another answer.  This loss had demoralized me, but I'm coming back.

I'll be using MAQS on my full colonies in the fall. 

I think I'll make a new revised post: "What are the best mite treatments and best timing for newly collected swarms?"
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline alfred

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2013, 11:03:29 am »
Here is an old video of me doing the treatment with a pipe and shim rig I made. You don't need to use the plexiglass you could just put a cover over it. It was just nice to be able to see what is happening.

Beekeeping - Oxalic Acid Treatment


Since then I purchased this gizmo and it works great!!! very easy to use and if you do the treatment when the hive is broodless you kill all the mites.

2012 10 Oxalic acid vaporizer (JB200) for honey bee mite control

I will be doing treatments on new swarms this season. I will make a video of the process the next time I do one.
Alfred

Offline Jim134

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2013, 11:22:35 am »
IMHO oxalic acid vaporization method is the best it will kill the mites under the wax caps and you can leave the supers on

http://youtu.be/i5G27nvlKtk

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-acid-heat-vaporization-and-other-methods-part-2-of-2-parts/
 
You can buy one out of Canada for about $90.00
http://www.members.shaw.ca/orioleln/#

You can buy Oxalic Acid has a wood bleach at most any paint store.





                            BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline johng

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2013, 01:13:28 pm »
The head of the Bee Dept at the University of Fl.   spoke at our bee club recently. He was not a big fan of using powdered sugar on full size hives because it only gets the phorectic mites. But, he said you could powder sugar packages and start off with almost mite free bees. I would assume swarms would be the same as packages if you did it after they were settled in but before they had capped brood. Just a thought. Maqs can be pretty hard on queens I would not want to use it on too many swarms. Something like hopsgaurd should work great on swarms without any queen issues.

Offline danno

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2013, 02:01:38 pm »
couple of things here.  
New swarms should be very low on mites when caught and because there is obviously no brood the count will not rise that quickly.
I would not treat until fall
If you do try to treat a new swarm with formic acid I would bet they will abscond.  
Oxalic acid will not penetrate capping and unless it is done in a broodless time of the year it requires 3 treatments a week apart.   Again I would not use it on a new swarm because they would most likely abscond on you.
The 12volt Canadian oxalic vaporizer is fragile but if handled with care will last for years.  It operates off a VW glow plug that can be bought at the auto parts store for under 10 bucks or you can buy a replacement from the Canadian company for 35.00   Mine is 5 - 6 years old and is still on the original glow plug and has treated up to 70 colonies 2 time a year with 3 treatments each
If you build a burner out of pipe you will save money but I wouldn't use one without a acid cartridge respirator on.   With the 12 volt you can run it for as far away as you wire will reach.  In my case that is about 25 ft.  Even at this distance I have had a wind shift and got a whiff.   It will take your breath away.
according to the Canadian company oxalic should not be used with supers on      

Offline buzzbee

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2013, 09:44:34 pm »
I think the MAQS are supposed to be able to penetrate the capped brood and are listed as suitable for use with honey supers on.

Offline 2Sox

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2013, 08:15:45 am »
Thanks, guys.  Good information. I think I'll leave the swarms alone until fall.

Also, it's my understanding that MAQS will penetrate the cappings - in fact the only treatment that will.

Michael Bush has a great page on his site about the pros and cons of treating.  I've been going back and forth about this for years, but after this 100% loss, I've got to do something else.  http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoursimplesteps.htm
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline danno

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #15 on: May 09, 2013, 09:15:52 am »
quick strips do penetrate cappings so the treatment is just 7 days.   You can have supers on with MAQS  and also hopguard.   You really have to watch the weather with the quick strips.  If it get to hot they kill and can even cause the colony to abcond.  With oxalic you can treat as often as you want (it does require 3 times 1 week apart) and the only temp requirement is it needs to be above 35deg.  You also have the option to use amatraz now.   

Offline Jim134

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #16 on: May 09, 2013, 09:41:44 am »
  It's my understanding that MAQS is approve to be use (in a bee hive) ALL of the states in the USA

  Only a few states for (in a bee hive) Hopguard and Amatraz and oxalic acid is NOT approve in the USA at ALL





                                         BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline danno

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2013, 02:20:24 pm »
 It's my understanding that MAQS is approve to be use (in a bee hive) ALL of the states in the USA

  Only a few states for (in a bee hive) Hopguard and Amatraz and oxalic acid is NOT approve in the USA at ALL




                                         BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

This is all correct.    Hop guard is approved in 38 states including NY where 2sox is from.   Oxalic acid is approved in Canada and EU but will never be in the states because there is no money in it for anyone.   Because most of the world can use it there is a ton of available info on it

« Last Edit: May 09, 2013, 03:45:40 pm by danno »

Offline Washington Yankee

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #18 on: May 09, 2013, 03:32:55 pm »
Always looking to have my cake and eat it too, has anyone found one to be superior to the other as far as killing mites inside and outside the brood with the least impact to the bee's?

Offline danno

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Re: MAQS Treatment for Swarms
« Reply #19 on: May 09, 2013, 03:48:01 pm »
Always looking to have my cake and eat it too, has anyone found one to be superior to the other as far as killing mites inside and outside the brood with the least impact to the bee's?
The only one that kills under capping is formic MAQS