Use Apivar strips

Place Apivar (amitraz) strips in the brood nest for 6-8 weeks to kill varroa mites through sustained contact exposure. Amitraz disrupts mite nerve function while remaining safe for bees at label doses.

Why It Works

Bees walk over the strips and distribute amitraz throughout the colony via physical contact. The extended treatment period ensures mites emerging from capped brood cells are also exposed. Apivar typically achieves 90-95% mite kill when applied correctly.

Tips

• Rotate treatments annually with a different active ingredient (e.g., oxalic acid or formic acid) to prevent amitraz resistance
• Apply in late summer after the honey harvest so residues do not enter harvested honey
• Monitor mite levels with an alcohol wash or sugar roll before and after treatment to confirm efficacy