BBKA Forum

Hello all,

I inadvertently left a couple of apivar strips in a hive over winter (I put them in the hive in September). It got me thinking - will all the traces of amitraz contained on the strips have degraded/disappeared by now? Will the strips still pose an issue for honey after this length of time?

I will obviously remove them on my next visit but it is still cold in Scotland and I don’t want to open them up unnecessarily!

Don’t think it will pose a problem now tbh.

However as any surviving mites will have had an extended low level of exposure to the active ingredient, I would use another control mechanism this year based on formic acid or thymol instead maybe?

Thank you. Yes will seek an alternative this autumn.

I have done the same myself with apitraz strips in two colonies..I will be treating these two with Oxalic Acid mix with my vapouriser this season.

Thanks - should I remove them immediately? It’s still a bit cold at the moment but I could do it quickly?

After this length of time a day or week longer won't make any difference.
Although if you have to it won't do them any harm. Take a apir of pliers as the strips will be "welded" to the frames by now.
We are currently frosty and 4C and I have a very light colony which is not taking down syrup, so will be going in at midday....predicted 6C to add fondant on top of them.
I won't be messing about!