Over the past six months new commercially-made Varroa mite treatments have been registered for use in Canada, including VarroxSan^TM, Apivar 2.0®, and Amiflex®. The Maritime beekeeping industry has waited eagerly to learn the availability these products from local and national retailers. Read this week’s blog to learn which products are already on the shelves, and when we can expect to purchase each product locally and nationally.

Update on Newly Registered Varroa Mite Treatments in Canada

These past 6 months have brought options for Varroa mite management in Canada, as the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (formerly PMRA) registered three new Varroa mite treatments: VarroxSan^TM, Apivar 2.0®, and Amiflex®. VarroxSan^TM, developed and manufactured by Vita Bee Health Canada Ltd., contains the active ingredient oxalic acid dihydrate (18.42%) and is administered using strips. Apivar 2.0®, manufactured by Véto-pharma, contains the active ingredient amitraz (3.00%) and is a contact acaracide delivered using plastic strips. Amiflex, also manufactured by Véto-pharma, contains the active ingredient amitraz (1.99%) and is administered to colonies as a gel. To learn more about each of these products, review the previous blog posts by ATTTA: “New Varroa Mite Treatment Product: VarroxSan^TM” published on November 13, 2025, “What Beekeeper's Should Know about Apivar 2.0®” published on November 27, 2025, and “What Beekeepers Should Know about Amiflex®” published on January 15, 2026.

The availability of each of these commercial products differs at both the local and national levels. To start, of the three products, currently, only VarroxSan^TM is being sold from Maritime beekeeping stores including Country Fields Beekeeping Supplies (Fall River, NS), Maritime Bee & Agriculture Supplies (Sussex, NB) and Buzzworks Beekeeping & Apiary Supplies (Moncton, NB). All three have VarroxSan^TM in stock in both 20-strip and 60-strip packs. Golden Greens Beekeeping Supplies (Onslow, NS) anticipates selling VarroxSan^TM in the near future. Currently, the local beekeeping stores do not have Apivar 2.0® or Amiflex® on their shelves. Apivar 2.0® is expected to be available locally either late 2026 or in spring 2027, but there is no definite availability date for the Maritime region yet. Amiflex®, although not currently on the shelves of these stores, could be purchased locally as Country Fields Beekeeping Supplies has the ability to bring in bulk orders if requested by commercial beekeepers.

Although not all three products are able to be purchased locally this season, beekeepers can shop outside the region. The national distributors, Bee Maid Bee Supplies and Dancing Bee Equipment, both have VarroxSan^TM, Apivar 2.0®, and Amiflex® available for purchase. These national stores have VarroxSan^TM in stock in both 20-strip and 60-strip packs. There is an expected shipment of VarroxSan^TM into Canada later this summer, which should provide a consistent supply of the product throughout the season. For any Maritime beekeepers eager to use Apivar 2.0® or Amiflex®, both are available to ship to the Maritimes this beekeeping season.

Left to right: VarroxSan^TM, Apivar 2.0® and Amiflex® (Dancing Bee Equipment)

The registration of VarroxSan^TM, Apivar 2.0®, and Amiflex® has provided the Canadian beekeeping industry with 3 new products, which can be incorporated within integrated pest management plans. In order to gain familiarity, ATTTA will be using all three new products this season and be able to answer beekeepers’ questions.  For any questions regarding Varroa mite treatment and management, reach out to the ATTTA team.

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

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

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As the 2026 beekeeping season approaches, Canadian beekeepers are continuing to learn what Varroa mite treatment products and applications are approved for use in Canada. So far, this past fall and winter, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has approved of Apivar 2.0®, Amiflex®, and VarroxSan^TM which will provide beekeepers with a few new options to select from in the near future. Adding to the list, the PMRA has recently approved of a new application method for oxalic acid, which is the use of glycerin strips. To learn more about the glycerin strip method, and how this may benefit beekeepers to manage Varroa mites, read this week’s blog.

New Application of Oxalic Acid: The Glycerin Strip Method

Previously, in Canada, the only approved application methods for oxalic acid were the solution method, also known as the dribble method, and the use of vaporizers. Beekeepers can continue using either of the mentioned methods, but now there is a third option available known as the glycerin strip method. It is important that beekeepers understand that all three methods deliver the same product and have the same active ingredient, however, beekeepers can select the application method that works best within their operation.

Oxalic acid dihydrate

The glycerin strip method requires some effort and work to prepare the product for application. Beekeepers must be willing to devote the time to properly preparing the product if choosing this method. According to the label instructions, the product should be prepared with 99.7% food-grade vegetable glycerin and oxalic acid dihydrate at a 1:1 ratio. The solution should slowly be heated until the oxalic acid dissolves within the glycerin and the solution becomes transparent. When heating the solution the temperature should remain between 45°C and 70°C. Then beekeepers can saturate absorbent strips (e.g. cellulose or other natural fibres) and place them in an open container. Strips should be used within one month of preparation.

Each hive should be treated with 40g of oxalic acid. In order to determine how many strips are required to achieve 40g, beekeepers must weight a strip before it is saturated with solution, and again once it is saturated, and determine how much solution has been absorbed. For example, if one strip absorbs 20g of solution, then half of that would be oxalic acid (10g) and, therefore, 4 strips would be needed to achieve the 40g dosage. Beekeepers can trim strips to achieve the required dosage. Strips can be placed on the top bars of frames or allowed to hang down between frames. Strips must remain in the hive for 42 days.

A main advantage to using this application method is that treatment can occur with honey super on hives, which differs from application using a vaporizer or the dribble method. Another advantage to this treatment method is that oxalic acid is relatively inexpensive, and both the dribble method and glycerin strips do not require an expensive applicator (i.e. vaporizer).

There are a couple of disadvantages to preparing these chemical strips at home compared to purchasing a commercially prepared product. In addition to the time and effort required to prepare the strips, there are also associated risks if the product is not prepared safely and correctly. To start, beekeepers must be diligent when measuring the vegetable glycerin and oxalic acid to get a precise 1:1 ratio, and they must weigh each strip to ensure the correct dosage will be administered to each hive. Providing too much or too little of the active ingredient can be harmful to the bees, will impact the efficacy of treatment and potentially contribute to future reduced efficacy. Furthermore, when heating the solution, it must remain between 45°C and 70°C. Underheating the solution will prevent oxalic acid crystals from dissolving, and overheating the solution will degrade the oxalic acid, both of which will reduce the efficacy of the treatment.

Another thing to be mindful of when preparing these strips at home is your own safety. Oxalic acid dihydrate is a hazardous chemical that can cause acute dermal toxicity and has the potential to cause serious eye damage and/or irritation. Oxalic acid dihydrate has multiple health hazards if the chemical is inhaled or ingested. Therefore, proper personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves, protective eyewear, and a properly fitting organic acid respirator) should be worn while preparing the solution. Ideally, the solution should either be prepared in a fume hood or a well-ventilated area, and extra caution should be taken to prevent contamination of any area, or equipment, food is prepared or consumed in.

It is important to recognize that this treatment does not target mites under capped brood cells. Therefore, the best time for beekeepers to use this treatment is when there is a low amount of brood present (e.g. after a queenless split, early season, or late season).

As with all Varroa mite products and application methods, it is essential that beekeepers follow the precise instructions provided by the PMRA regarding dosage, treatment period, frequency of application and application methodology. Not following the instructions can be harmful to bees, impact the efficacy of treatment and could contribute to future reduced efficacy of products. If you have questions regarding oxalic acid glycerin strips, or other Varroa mite products and applications,  reach out to the ATTTA team.

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

New Varroa Mite Treatment Product: VarroxSan

Across the globe beekeepers continue to rely on various chemical treatments to manage Varroa mites. The use of chemicals is essential for a successful integrated pest management (IPM) approach to controlling mite levels. Researchers are continually assessing the efficacy of current mite treatments, developing novel treatment formulations and applications, and working with various companies and regulatory agencies to make these products available to beekeepers. This week’s blog will discuss a new product which was recently registered by the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

New Varroa Mite Treatment Product: VarroxSan^TM

As part of an integrated pest management approach to controlling Varroa mites, beekeepers need to use a variety of chemical treatments and reduce reliance on a singular product. Having multiple treatment options available makes it easier for beekeepers to work different products into their IPM plan. Recently, the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) registered a new product for Varroa mite management known as VarroxSan^TM. VarroxSan^TM, developed and manufactured by Vita Bee Health Canada Ltd., contains the active ingredient oxalic acid dihydrate (18.42%) and is administered using strips.

VarroxSan^TM strips for Varroa mite treatment (©Vita Bee Health).

As specified by the PMRA label, to treat colonies using VarroxSan^TM, a beekeeper can use a maximum of 4 VarroxSan^TM strips per 10-frame box of bees. The number of strips should be adjusted depending on the total number of frames of bees, but never exceeding 4 strips per 10-frames (see table below).

Table 1. Required number of VarroxSan^TM strips per number of frames of bees, as indicated on the product label.

Number Frames of Bees	0 – 2.5	3 – 5	6 – 7.5	8 – 10
Number of VarroxSanTM Strips	1	2	3	4

Treatment of bees with VarroxSan^TM, as with any miticide product, should only be provided after monitoring indicates mite levels are above the economic threshold (1% or 1 mite per 100 bees). To treat, the appropriate number of strips should be folded in half and hung over one comb frame within the cluster of bees. For example, this may be a singular strip placed over frame 2, 4, 6, and 8, again, considering the number of frames of bees within the box and adjusting accordingly. Strips should be hung so that the bees can walk on the strips, slightly away from the surface of the frames. Strips should be left inside the hive between 42 days to 56 days, and must be removed after a maximum of 56 days. After 42 days, strips should be repositioned to remain within the brood cluster.

To give an indication of cost, American beekeeping supply companies are selling a 60-pack of VarroxSan^TM for anywhere between $78.95 USD to $89.95 USD.  The Canadian price is yet to be determined but local beekeeping supply stores expect the product to be available shortly.

The product label indicates that VarroxSan^TM is a treatment option in spring, summer and fall, indicating that the product does not have strict temperature restrictions and is suitable for the variation of temperatures experienced throughout the Canadian beekeeping season. A main benefit to beekeepers with this new product application is that the label states that VarroxSan^TM can also be used with honey supers on. This will provide a summer Varroa mite treatment option for beekeepers who are focused on honey production.

According to Vita Bee Health, VarroxSan^TM has an average efficacy of 96.80% based on a number of studies conducted in various geographic and climatic conditions. Additionally, Vita Bee Health states that oxalic acid dihydrate, active ingredient, works as a contact acaracide that is lethal to Varroa mites, but the full extent of the mode of action is not yet understood.

It is important that beekeepers understand that VarroxSan^TM does not provide a new active ingredient to the Canadian beekeeping industry, but rather a new application of an already registered active ingredient – oxalic acid dihydrate. Oxalic acid dihydrate is already registered for beekeeper use by administering through vaporizers or the dribble method. So, if beekeepers want to use oxalic acid as part of their IPM it is recommended that they select one of the delivery methods (strips, vaporization, or dribble) and alternate this treatment with another product that has a different active ingredient (i.e. Apivar^®, formic acid, or essential oil products). There may be opportunity for a beekeeper to use an oxalic acid product more than once per season, especially if using VarroxSan^TM mid-season, but beekeepers do need to reduce reliance on a single active ingredient when planning for treatments and alternate with products containing different active ingredients.

A reminder that beekeepers should not apply more than one mite treatment simultaneously. Therefore, VarroxSan^TM, as with all miticides, must not be administered during the treatment period of any other Varroa mite treatments. Applying more than one product at the same time may interfere with the chemistry of a product potentially changing efficacy or causing harm to bees.

Overall, VarroxSan^TM provides the industry with another Varroa mite treatment option, and it is one of few that is allowed to be used with honey supers on. Now that VarroxSan^TM is registered for use in Canada beekeepers can expect the product to available for use in Canada next beekeeping season. 

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

During the upcoming holiday season, we will be partaking in those indulgences saved only for this celebratory time of year.  The odor of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg will fill the air.  As we gather together not only will we be surrounded by these favorite smells and flavors, we will be exchanging gifts.  We all recognize the offerings by the Magi of gold, frankincense and myrrh as the original gifts of Christmas.  What might you ask has this to do with beekeeping?  You will be surprised, so read on to learn more.

Another launch of a “Beekeeping Minute” video.  These short videos are bite size pieces of beekeeping presented to help new entrants understand basics of both the art and science of keeping honey bees.  This week's video is on cleaning hive tools and can be found here: Atlantic Bees: https://youtu.be/4xWgErUbw6w

Essential Oils to Suppress Varroa Mites

Beekeepers are continually battling varroa mite with all the weapons available to us!  Experienced beekeepers know that high varroa mite levels will result in lost colonies.  The arsenal to fight these parasites is down to only one reliable chemical treatment and there is concern that this may be coming to the end of its life cycle.  Resistance seems to be inevitable and we have had a good run with Apivar.  Beekeepers who are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping it remains effective are likely also expecting Santa Clause to come this Christmas!  So alternatives need to be considered.  We have options that due to their mechanism of action and being naturally derived will not create resistant mites as far as we know.  One of these options is essential oils.

What are essential oils is a fair question to ask.  The definition from the Commission of the European Pharmacopoeia, essential oils are odorous products, usually with a complex composition, obtained from a botanically defined plant raw material by steam distillation, dry distillation, or a suitable mechanical process without heating^1..  Closer to home, the government of Canada definition states, “Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds produced as secondary metabolites in aromatic plants. They can be extracted from these plants by distillation, solvent extraction, cold pressing, and other means.”^2.  Therefore, these are plant-based products extracted so as to be little altered from the original botanical compounds found naturally.  Along with the definitions above, these oils must maintain the “essence” of the original plant which for our understanding would mean odor.  The odor being the volatile products, or vapors, of these substances and important for their mode of action as a pesticide.  The original purpose of these substances in the plant are complex but often act as insect repellants.

How do they work?  The mechanism of action is poorly understood.  They operate at a molecular level to perturb cellular, ionic and enzymatic activities.  It would seem that evolutionarily, there are target insects for these plant compounds as either repellants or attractants.  It could also be suggested that entomophilous plants, requiring insect pollination, would not target bees negatively with these natural defenses.  This suggests why certain essential oils are not as toxic to bees as they are to mites!

So a few examples of essential oils include frankincense and myrrh, to bring us back to our Christmas theme.  An additional list of other examples reads like part of a Christmas pudding recipe: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and mace.  For a more extensive list of essential oils tested experimentally as controls for varroa mites, read Evaluating the Efficacy of 30 Different Essential Oils against Varroa destructor and Honey Bee Workers (link provided below)..  With all these examples, we must remember that we can only treat our bees with products which have been registered for use in Canada.  There are two essential oil products available for beekeepers in Canada to control varroa mites.

Thymovar is derived from the herb thyme with the active ingredient thymol and has been licensed in Canada in 2016².^. ApiLife Var is a combination of essential oils including Eucalyptus oil, levomenthol, camphor, and thymol; licensed in Canada 2020^4..  Recent research in Canada has demonstrated that thymol based acaricides can be up to 96.6% effective in controlling varroa mites^5..

Hundreds of essential oils have been tested as acaricides ^6..  We have two essential oil products available for use here in Canada.  These are proven effective and also have the advantage of being a natural plant derived product.  If used correctly they also have no effects on human health and a reduced chance of harmful residue compared to synthetic acaricides.  There seems to be no concerns of resistance developing in mites with these products.  Current research indicates low toxicity for honey bees and even less than formic acid or oxalic acid.

As concern over the long-term efficacy of chemical treatments grows, we are looking optimistically at alternatives.  As part of an integrated pest management approach to controlling Varroa destructor we must use varied strategies to ensure the health of our bees.  As we are now planning our IPM strategies to control varroa mites this coming season, consider all treatment options including essential oils.  As wise men knew in the past, essential oils are to be valued whether as Christmas gifts or in maintaining healthy honey bee colonies! 

 1. Hýbl, M.; Bohatá, A.; Rádsetoulalová, I.; Kopecký, M.; Hoštiˇcková, I.; Vaníˇcková, A.; Mráz, P. (2021) Evaluating the Efficacy of 30 Different Essential Oils against Varroa destructor and Honey Bee Workers (Apis mellifera). Insects, 12, 1045. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34821845/

 2. Pest Management Regulatory Agency (2017) Regulatory Directive DIR2017-02, Essential Oil-based Personal Insect Repellents (EOPIR) https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/pesticides-pest-management/policies-guidelines/regulatory-directive/2017/02-regulatory-directive-essential-oil-based-personal-insect-repellents-dir-2017-02.html

3. Pest Management Regulatory Agency (2016) Registration Decision RD2016-16, Thymol, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/pesticides-pest-management/decisions-updates/registration-decision/2016/thymol-rd2016-16.html#a3

4. Pest Management Regulatory Agency (2020) Racemic camphor,eucalyptus oil, lmenthol and thymol and Api Life VAR, https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2020/sc-hc/h113-9/H113-9-2020-12-eng.pdf

5. Qodratollah Sabahi, Nuria Morfin, Berna Emsen, Hanan A Gashout, Paul G Kelly, Stephanie Otto, A Rod Merrill, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa, Evaluation of Dry and Wet Formulations of Oxalic Acid, Thymol, and Oregano Oil for Varroa Mite (Acari: Varroidae) Control in Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies, Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 113, Issue 6, December 2020, Pages 2588–2594, https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toaa218

6. Abdessamad Aglagane, El-Mustapha Laghzaoui, Sana Ben Elfakir, Omar Er-Rguibi, Abdelaziz Abbad, El Hassan El Mouden & Mohamed Aourir (2021) Essential oils as sustainable control agents against Varroa destructor (Acari, Varroidae), an ectoparasitic mite of the western honeybees Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae): Review of recent literature (2010-onwards), International Journal of Acarology, 47:5, 436-445

                                                

                                                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 abyers@perennia.ca

Happy Fall: Time to Get Out the Mite Sampling Jars

On Wednesday, September 22, 2021, we officially welcomed the season of fall with the Autumn Equinox. Across Atlantic Canada beekeepers are busy working to make sure colonies are sent into overwintering in good strength and health to give the bees their best chance of surviving through to the following spring. Over the past couple weeks, we have been focused on the topic of fall feeding in preparation for winter. This week, we get back to the basics and discuss some important aspects of fall varroa mite management.

Apivar is now available at beekeeping supply stores! There was a delay in shipping, but the product is now back on the shelves and ready for use. It is not too late to treat! Strips that go in the end of September come out the beginning of November, leaving enough time to get hives wrapped before tucking them in for winter. As always, before using Apivar, first confirm that mite levels are above the economic threshold for using a synthetic chemical treatment (fall: 2 mites/100 bees).

If you have not already been following the excellent podcast series, The Wild View on Blueberries, check it out.  This podcast, created by blueberry specialist Hugh Lyu, is of interest to anyone involved in wild blueberry production and pollination!  Available anywhere you download your podcasts or through the link: https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/wild-blueberries/ 

Happy Fall: Time to Get Out the Mite Sampling Jars

Varroa mite control is one of the most important parts of honey bee colony management, especially during autumn when beekeepers are preparing hives for winter. In the fall, as brood rearing decreases, the population of varroa mites in a hive appears to increase. However, this apparent increase is because the colony is producing less brood which leaves less active brood cells available for mites to reside and reproduce in. This forces the mites in the colony to shift from brood cells onto adult bees, making them more likely to be subject to a round of mite treatment. Thanks to this shift, fall presents an opportune time for more direct and intentional varroa mite management.

SAMPLE

A proper varroa mite sample gives the beekeeper an accurate representation of the current infestation level of varroa mites in a particular hive. This sampling indicates whether treatment is warranted. Since mites move from brood cells to adult bees in the fall, the bees working on brood frames are most likely to act as hosts for mites and are therefore the best candidates for varroa mite samples. For more information on how to properly sample for varroa mites, see ATTTA’s “Summer Disease and Pest Monitoring in Honey Bees” factsheet.

TREAT

Since there is a larger proportion of mites on adult bees in the fall, the economic threshold for treating mites with a synthetic chemical is higher in the late summer/early fall compared to late spring/early summer (2 mites/100 bees in Aug vs. 1 mite/100 bees in May).  If the infestation is above the economic threshold, treatment is recommended. If the sample is positive but the infestation is below the economic threshold, perhaps an organic chemical or other approved non-synthetic chemical treatment may be used. Whatever your decisions are for management of varroa mites, ensure to follow the best practices as outlines for Integrated Pest Management (IPM). For more information on varroa action options, see ATTTA’s “Varroa Mite Management Options for Atlantic Canada” factsheet.

RE-SAMPLE

Perhaps the most important step of varroa mite management is re-testing varroa mite infestation levels after the treatment period. By re-sampling after treating, a beekeeper is able to:

• Determine whether the treatment used was successful
• Get an indication of resistance development in the mite population
• Take immediate, informed, and intentional action as required

This is part of an IPM approach to varroa mite control and recommended as best management practice!

RESISTANCE*

Synthetic chemical varroa mite treatments (e.g., Apivar) must be used responsibly.

Mites have developed resistance to synthetic chemical miticides in the past and many beekeepers suffered significant losses because of it. As an example, one synthetic miticide used to treat varroa mites in Canada, a pyrethroid fluvalinate branded as Apistan®, was a very popular product that was widely used with little treatment variation in operations. By 2001, beekeepers from multiple Canadian provinces found Apistan-resistant mite infestations in their hives*. As an emergency solution, Canada issued permits to beekeepers for an organophosphate miticide, coumaphos (Checkmite+®, Bayer), to use for varroa mite management. However, varroa mites quickly developed resistance to this treatment product as well, first in Ontario by 2002 and later throughout other regions of Canada*.

Reviewing this significant event in the near past reminds present day beekeepers of the importance of maintaining good integrated pest management strategies with reliable cultural and physical controls, and not repeatedly relying on one treatment application, especially those to which pests are capable of developing resistance.

*Currie, Robert W., Stephen F. Pernal, and Ernesto Guzmán-Novoa. “Honey Bee Colony Losses in Canada.” Journal of Apicultural Research 49.1 (2010): 104-06.

 

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 abyers@perennia.ca