Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar Review

Mite control is a major concern for every beekeeper. The Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar is an efficient way to control mites in your apiary. It is an in-hive method of mite control for beekeepers. It is made by Mann Lake, a trusted supplier of beekeeping supplies. Mann Lake has a number of quality beekeeping equipment in the industry. It recognizes that bees have a role in agriculture around the globe. Mann Lake is employee-owned and has been serving the beekeeping community for a significant period of time.

About the Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar

The Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar aims to keep your beehive clear of mites. It easily kills the mites once it is placed into your beehive over a 6-week period. Its main active ingredient is Amatraz, which is not harmful to bees. What’s more, the Apivar leaves no chemical residues in your hive.

The Apivar comes in the form of strips that you put in your hive. The recommended application rate is one strip per 5 frames. In one application, you are able to kill up to 99% of the mites in your hive. The packaging for the strips comes with directions for use on the backside. The instructions are simple and easy to understand. The Apivar is listed as one of our best treatments for varroa mites.

Usage

Using the Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar is easy for both beginners and professionals. It is an effective way to control mites in your hive.

1. In full protective gear, remove the cover of your beehive.
2. The recommended application is one strip per 5 frames, so if you have a 10-frame hive, place one strip at the entrance and another at a high-traffic location.
3. The Amitraz will be released from the strips when bees come into contact with them. This way it spreads over the entire swarm slowly and keeps the hive clear of mites. It will clear out from the hive quickly once the strips are exhausted.
4. Removal of the honey supers is necessary during the 6 weeks of application. This will ensure that the honey does not contain any Amatraz.
5. Remember to remove the strips after six weeks and properly dispose of them.

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• The Apivar releases a chemical that only harms mites into the hive. It is suitable for hives that have broods.
• The use of strips is a non-invasive method of clearing mites from your beehives. You only visit the hive, place the strips and leave. After 6 weeks, the hive should be clear of mites. Regular inspection of beehives helps identify mite invasion early.
• The Apivar is suitable for more than one beehive type. It can be used in a top bar hive and in the more popular Langstroth beehive design. It also works well with Flow hives.
• Differently sized packs of the Apivar are available. The sizes cater well to both small-scale and larger-scale beekeepers.
• The strips fit easily into your beehive. They are easy to put in place and stay in place. The best place to put the strips is near hive entrances. Other places that have high traffic in the hive are also suitable for strip placement.

Cons

• For those who are doing beekeeping as part of environmental conservation, the release of chemicals into the environment may be an issue. However, your bees need to stay clear of mites.
• Other methods of getting rid of mites may not be as effective as the Apivar. Additionally, some alternative methods of mite control may cause losses due to interfering with the swarm’s brooding.
• The strips of the Apivar cannot be used while honey supers are present. You have to remove them within six weeks of application.

Further Thoughts

The effect of mites invading a beehive can be devastating for beekeepers. They weaken your bees and make them less capable of producing honey. They even lead to diseases appearing in your bees. Mites are also believed to spread viruses that cause deformities in honeybees. Significant infestations by mites are injurious to your bee colony and may even lead to the death of the whole colony. Mites are the parasites with the most notable economic impact on beekeepers. They affect both amateurs and professional beekeepers.

The Mann lake DC-799 Apivar depends on bees to distribute it throughout the hive. Proper placement of the strips will make sure that the bees interact with them. With poor placement, the chemical will not get onto bees and thus will not be spread throughout the hive.

Mann Lake manufactures the Apivar in France. It is made under strict quality control. Mann lake puts into use years their years of experience creating beekeeping supplies. The result is a product that effectively solves an important need for beekeepers. The Apivar has a shelf life of two years. Once purchased, it lasts long even when not in use.

Conclusion

After clearing mites from your hive using the Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar, you could consider taking some preventive measures against a repeat infestation. Different preventive practices are suitable for varying beehive designs and build. These include the use of chemicals and the design of the hive itself. Some hives like the Apimaye Beehive have built-in mite control.

Each method has varying degrees of efficiency and effectiveness. They also take varying time periods to be effective. The Apivar gives you excellent results in a short period of time. Within the first 3 weeks of use, you should start noticing fewer bees with mites. By the end of the 6 weeks of application, your whole beehive should be clear.

The taste of individual beekeepers and the reason they keep bees also determine the preventive measures a beekeeper takes. Indeed, some beekeepers prefer a treatment-free approach to issues such as mite control, but to each their own. The Apivar works well as part of an integrated control routine, and its effectiveness cannot be denied.

Have you used the Mann Lake DC-799 Apivar in your beehives? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of it.

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