Recently, there have been multiple discussions within the beekeeping industry around what new products will be available to beekeepers next spring. Although the Maritime industry does not have a definitive answer on what products will be on the shelves of local bee supply stores, beekeepers are adjusting their expectations based on what products have recently been registered by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). One new product that has recently been registered for use in Canada is Apivar 2.0®. Read this week’s blog to understand the product formulation and application of Apivar 2.0®.

What Beekeeper's Should Know about Apivar 2.0®

To effectively manage Varroa mites, beekeepers need a variety of chemical treatments with good efficacy to use within their integrated pest management plan. Recently, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has registered Apivar 2.0® for Varroa mite treatment¹. Beekeepers are familiar with Apivar® which contains the active ingredient amitraz (3.33%) and is a contact acaracide delivered using plastic strips. Apivar 2.0® contain the same active ingredient (amitraz) but at a lower dose (3.00%). According to the manufacturer, Véto-pharma, the decrease in the dose of amitraz does not mean the product has lower efficacy compared to the original Apivar®². This is because Apivar 2.0® has been developed to release amitraz at an accelerated rate, particularly during the first few weeks of treatment, which means the product can achieve similar efficacy with a lower dose of the active ingredient. Overall, using the lowest concentration of a synthetic product such as amitraz, but still achieving desired efficacy, helps reduce the risk of miticide resistance. This is because high concentrations and prolonged exposure of miticides can facilitate various mechanisms in Varroa mites that lead to reduced efficacy³.

Another difference between the original Apivar® and Apivar 2.0® is the design of the plastic strips. Apivar 2.0® has improved tabs for hanging strips between frames. Additionally, the product has adaptable strip lengths that are compatible with various hive configurations, including Langstroth and Dadant².

Apivar 2.0 placed in honey bee colony (Véto-pharma^©).

Probably the most significant difference between Apivar® and Apivar 2.0®, that will be of benefit to beekeepers, is that the new product does not have a withdrawal period prior to placing honey supers. As directed by the label, beekeepers will be able to place their honey supers immediately following the treatment period¹. However, honey supers are still not permitted during the treatment period¹.

As directed, colonies should be treated with two Apivar 2.0® strips per brood box, with a minimum distance of two frames between strips¹. Strips should remain in the hive for a minimum of 42 days¹. The label directions instruct that if there is a lot of brood when starting the treatment that the strips should be left in the hive for a total of 70 days¹. Strips must be removed after a maximum of 70 days¹.

Additionally, it is recommended to check strips mid treatment, and potentially scrape the strips to remove propolis, wax and/or honey¹. If the bee cluster has moved away from the strips then beekeepers should reposition the strips within the bee cluster at this time¹.

Now that Apivar 2.0® is registered within Canada, beekeepers can anticipate that the product will be available to purchase in the near future. However, the exact date this product will be available from Canadian beekeeping stores is still unknown. It is expected that there will be a period of time that both Apivar® and Apivar 2.0® will co-exist on the market, but the manufacturer’s intention is for Apivar 2.0® to eventually replace the original product².

A reminder that beekeepers should not apply more than one mite treatment simultaneously, and all colonies in an apiary should be treated with the same product and dosage following the manufacturer instructions. Also, synthetic products such as Apivar and Apivar 2.0® should only be used once every 12 months to help prevent reduced efficacy, and only applied when required as determined through monitoring. Reach out to the ATTTA team for questions regarding Varroa mite treatment and management.

References

1. Pest Management Regulatory Agency. https://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/1_1/view_label?p_ukid=396264759.
2. Véto-pharma. https://www.veto-pharma.com/beekeeping-products/apivar-2-0-varroa-treatment/.
3. Van Leeuwen, T. and Dermauw, W., 2016. The molecular evolution of xenobiotic metabolism and resistance in chelicerate mites. Annual review of entomology, 61(1), pp.475-498.

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email attta@perennia.ca