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OSU Honey Bee Lab
Wooster, Ohio
Fact Sheet:Recommended chemical control treatments for honey bee diseases and pests
| Call no.: | HYG-2163-97 (Minor edit April 9, 2008) |
|---|---|
| Author: | James E. Tew |
Important:
- No other chemical compounds other than those listed in this leaflet are approved for use in bee hives.
- Always follow label instructions for handling and applying any chemical in the bee hive. Dispose of waste chemicals as directed on the label instructions.
- Never have any type of disease or pest treatment program underway while surplus honey supers are on the colonies.
Contents |
Tracheal Mites
Precautions: Treatments should not be in colony 4 weeks prior to honey flow. Allow vapors a short time to dissipate before working a treated colony. Menthol crystals should be tightly sealed and stored under refrigeration.
Vegetable Shortening Patties
| Precautions: | As a matter of principle, don't have patties, or any other medications, on during a nectar flow. Always follow label instructions. |
| Product: | Vegetable Shortening (eg. Crisco™) |
| Ratio: | One part vegetable shortening to 2 parts white granulated sugar. Patty size should be about one-half pound (size of a hamburger). |
| Exposure Time: | Continuous (except during nectar flow). Replace as often as needed. Most effective during spring and autumn. |
| Location within the colony: | On broodnest top bars. |
| Comments and Suggestions: |
|
Menthol
Menthol is available in bulk quantities or in 1.8-ounce (50 grams) packets from most major bee suppliers. Treat only over-wintered colonies having no surplus honey intended for human consumption. Colonies should be treated in the fall or early spring when daytime temperatures are expect to be above 60°F but not over 95°F. Treatment must end one month before the first nectar flow to avoid contaminating marketable honey. Use one menthol pact per hive, on top bars in temperatures up to 80°F. Above 80°F, place the packet on the bottom board. Treat for 14 to 28 days with an entrance-reducer on the hive. Replace the menthol as needed during the treatment period.
| Precautions: | Treatments should not be in colony 4 weeks prior to honey flow. Allow vapors a few minutes to dissipate before working a treated colony. When stored, menthol crystals should be tightly sealed and refrigerated. |
| Product: | Pure Menthol Crystals |
| Treatment: | 1.8 oz (50 grams) packet of menthol crystals in a porous bag, such as a folded paper towel. |
| Rate: | One 1.8 oz packet per average 2-story colony. |
| Number of Colonies per treatment: | One (average 2-story colony). |
| Location within Colony: | Above 8O°F, place crystals on bottom board, Below 8O°F, place crystals on top of frames in top supers. |
| Treatment Time: | Spring preferably or autumn secondly |
| Treatment Duration: | 14-28 days with entrance reduced, replace crystals as needed. |
| Comments and Suggestions: | Menthol vaporization is temperature dependant. At temperatures above 7O°F, vaporization proceeds quickly; below 7O°F, vaporization proceeds more slowly. In essence, menthol treatments could stay on colonies anytime the temperature is high enough and there is no nectar flow in progress; however, this practice may be cost and labor prohibitive. |
Varroa Mites
| Precautions: | Never have strips in colony while honey supers are on the hive or while a nectar flow is in progress. |
| Product: | Apistan Strips |
| Rate: | Use one strip for each 5 combs of adult bees in all deep brood chambers. Strips should never be in supers. |
| Exposure Time: | For Survey, leave strips in the hive for 7 days. |
| Treatment Period: | 42–56 days (8 weeks) |
| Location: | In a single deep hive having 10 frames of bees, place one strip between frames 3 & 4 and between frames 7 & 8. Attach strips with staple or thumb tack. Strips also have a tab that can be used to support itself between frames. |
| Comments and Suggestions: | Strips MUST be in contact with brood nest bees at all times for them to be effective. Though Apistan is safe, wear gloves when handling strips. |
American Foulbrood
Precautions: Treatment should stop about 4 weeks before the main nectar flow. Product should not be fed to "cure" AFB. Terramycin only suppresses AFB development. It does not eradicate the disease. Terramycin dust should not be put on open brood.
Dusting Treatment Procedure for all Products: Usually 3 dusting at 4-5 day intervals in spring or fall. Stop all treatments 4 weeks before main nectar flow.
6.4 oz foil packet of TM25
| Product: | 6.4 oz foil packet of TM25 |
| Bulk Dose Mix: | 6.4 oz foil packet of TM25 + 1.5 pounds powdered sugar. |
| Rate: | Use 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) dusted on outer edges of frames per average 2-story colony. |
| Number of Treated Colonies: | Treats about 50 colonies once. |
| Single Dose Mix: | One teaspoon of 6.4 oz foil packet (TM95) + five teaspoons of powdered sugar. |
| Rate: | Use 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) dusted on outer edges of frames per average two story colony. |
| Number of Treated Colonies: | One |
One pound of TM25
| Product: | One pound of TM25 |
| Mix: | One pound of TM25 + 3-3/4 pounds powdered sugar. |
| Rate: | Use 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) dusted on outer edges of frames per average 2-story colony. |
| Number of Treated Colonies: | Treats about 125 colonies once. |
One pound of TM5O
| Product: | One pound of TM5O |
| Mix: | One pound of TM5O + 7.5 pounds powdered sugar. |
| Rate: | Use 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) dusted on outer edges of frames per average 2-story colony. |
| Number of Treated Colonies: | Treats about 250 colonies once. |
Antibiotic Extender Patty
| Product: | Antibiotic Extender Patty |
| Mix: | 1/3 pound vegetable shortening + 2/3 pound granulated sugar + two tablespoons of TM25 |
| Rate: | 1/2 pound pound patty per average 2-story colony. |
| Number of Treated Colonies: | Patty mixture treats about two 2-story colonies. |
Wax Moths
| Precautions: | Air fumigate equipment for a few hours before placing on active colony. Do not use naphthalene crystals. |
| Product: | Pure Paradichlorobenzene crystals |
| Treatment procedure: | Place 6 Tablespoons (3 oz) of PDB crystals on stacks of 5 supers. Close all openings to make stack as air tight as possible. Crystals should be placed on a paper positioned on the frame top bars. Every 2-3 weeks, add more crystals. |
Nosema
Precautions: Feed in fall primarily. Spring feeding is good supplement to fall feeding. Spring feeding should be stopped 4 weeks before main nectar flow.
(1) Product: 1/2 gram glass bottle
Mix: 1/2 gram glass with 5-6 gallons of 2:1 (by weight) sugar syrup mixture.
Rate: One gallon per average 2 story colony.
Number of Treated Colonies: 5-6 average 2-story colonies.
(2) Product: 2 gram glass bottle
Mix: 2 gram bottle with 23-24 gallons of 2:1 (by weight) sugar syrup mixture.
Rate: One gallon per average 2-story colony.
Number of Treated Colonies: 23-24 average 2-story colonies. (3) Product: 9.5 gram glass bottle
Mix: 9.5 gram bottle with 115-120 gallons 2:1 (by weight) sugar syrup mixture.
Rate: One gallon per average 2-story.
Number of Treated Colonies: 115-120 average 2-story colonies.
Comments and Suggestions: (1) Mix sugar syrup with heated water and allow to cool before adding Fumadil-B. (2) Add Fumadil-B powder mixture to a small amount of sugar solution for mixing. The medicated mixture should then be added to the bulk sugar mixture and thoroughly blended.
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