(Thomas) (Cornick) wrote:
>
> 3  When using Apistan in early spring how much brood do you wait for to use
> these as early as possible and still be effective?
>
> 4  As the honey flow here is mainly a fall flow with goldenrod/aster being
> the main source would I be better to not feed my colonies this spring and
> wait until the July nectar dearth to build them up with syrup?
 
I have no opinion on your first and second questions, so I'll start here.
#3- Apistan affects not reproductive stages but mature mites.  Therefore, it seems to me that
you would want to get it into the hive as soon as possible to kill mites on adult bees before
they can hide in a lot of brood cells to reproduce.  Remember that you also have to get it out
of the hive before putting on honey supers, so again - the sooner the better.
#4- I would only supplement the colony's stores with syrup if they actually need it.  Some of my
colonies need feeding even now, most don't.  Here in SE Michigan our main honey flow lasts from
early June to mid August, with a fall flow in September, so I usually don't have to feed until
October, if then. But in any event, check your colonies and if they are taking stores down in
summer, then feed.  As soon as the flow starts up again, however, you want to pull off the syrup
or you'll get it into your honey.
 
Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan, USA