Apiguard

Apiguard is a non-synthetic treatment for controlling Varroa destructor mites in honey bee hives.

This product is registered for use in Australia. Always follow the instructions that come with the product: if it has an Australian label, use it according to that label; if it has an overseas label, use it in line with the Australian permit conditions, which override the overseas label. There are no exchanges or refunds on Varroa treatments, so please choose carefully.

Active ingredient

• Thymol (monoterpenoid phenol)

APVMA approval

• Permit: PER94655

• Registration: 65570

Mode of action (MOA)

• Acts on the mite respiratory system, causing respiratory distress and failure

• Rotate with other Varroa treatments that have a different mode of action (do not rotate with other thymol-based products)

Resistance risk

• Considered low

Targets

• Mites on adult bees

• Mites entering the hive

Chemical safety

• Classified as Schedule 6 poison

• Irritating to skin, damaging to eyes; avoid contact with eyes and skin

• Wear elbow-length chemical-resistant gloves, cotton coveralls buttoned to neck and wrist, a washable hat, and protective eyewear or face shield

• Wash hands and personal protective equipment after use

• If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or Poisons Information Centre (Australia 13 11 26)

• If swallowed, do not induce vomiting

• If on skin, remove contaminated clothing, wash skin thoroughly with soap and water, then with methylated spirits

• If in eyes, hold eyes open, rinse with water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical advice

• Toxic to aquatic life; do not contaminate wetlands or watercourses

Risk to bees

• The second application of gel may disturb colonies and cause agitation or absconding; if this occurs, remove the additional gel

Directions for use

• Treat hives in spring before honey supers are added, or in autumn immediately after honey supers are removed

• Do not treat when maximum daily temperature is below 15°C, when colony activity is low, or when temperature is above 40°C

• Remove all honey supers before treatment

• Do not use in hives where comb honey is to be collected

• To avoid taste taint, do not treat during honey flow

• Do not feed colonies before treatment

• Combine weak colonies before treatment

• Treat all colonies in an apiary at the same time

Application – trays

• Peel back the foil lid of one tray, leaving one corner attached

• Place the opened tray centrally on top of brood frames, gel side up

• Ensure at least 5 mm free space between the top of the tray and the hive cover, then close the hive

• After 2 weeks, place a newly opened tray beside the first tray

• Leave in the colony for a further 4 weeks, or until supers are installed (whichever is sooner)

• Remove the used gel sheet before installing honey supers

Application – bulk (3 kg)

• Place the dosing card in the middle above the brood frames

• Mix the gel thoroughly with a hive tool or similar for about 10 seconds

• Insert the syringe nozzle fully into the gel, ensuring no air enters, and draw up 52 ml of gel

• Apply the gel evenly over the entire surface of the dosing card

• Ensure at least 5 mm free space between the top of the gel and the hive lid, then close the hive

• Wash the syringe in warm water and allow to dry

• After 2 weeks, replace the first dosing card with a new one and repeat the 52 ml dose

• Leave in the colony for a further 2 weeks until the gel disappears from the dosing card

• Remove any remaining product before installing honey supers

Withholding period

• Zero days, but taste tainting may occur if hives are treated during honey flow

Storage

• Store below 25°C in a cool, dry place, protected from light

Disposal

• Dispose of small containers by wrapping in paper and placing in household garbage

• For 3 kg containers, triple-rinse and dispose of rinsate according to local, state or territory regulations

• Do not dispose of undiluted chemicals on site

• If recycling, replace cap and return clean container to a recycler or collection point

• If not recycling, break, crush or puncture the container and deliver it to an approved waste management facility

• If no facility is available, bury broken or punctured containers at least 500 mm deep in a dedicated disposal pit away from waterways, vegetation and roots, in line with local regulations

• Do not burn empty containers or leftover product

Record keeping

• The permit/label does not specify record-keeping requirements, but most states require treatment records; check your local state guidelines.