Karen DeHond wrote:

>I feel we should treat them with terramycin, I think I prefer the dry
>mix with sugar.  According to the directions feed 3 times over a 15 day
>period,
>
>1) I can sprinkle it on the inner cover or dust the frames, is there a
>preference?

IMHO, between these two choices I would sprinkle it over the brood frames.
This will hasten the bee's consumption.  Terramycin breaks down chemically
(becomes ineffective) in short time when mixed or dissolved in water.  That
is the main reason most suggest medicating with Terramycin mixed with
powdered sugar and sprinkled, or mixed into grease patties (vegetable
shortening and sugar).  Mixed into the syrup, the bees often don't consume
it fast enough before the compound breaks down.

When you dust the frames, as mentioned, dust the tops of the brood frames.
Use care to prevent dusting the brood themselves, though, as the mix will
kill the uncapped brood if sprinkled directly on them.  The powdered sugar
mix will usually be consumed more rapidly when placed in this area than if
it was sprinkled on top of the inner cover, especially with a newly hived
package or swarm.  Even with a strong nuc, I would make it easy for them.

>2) I don't expect to add honey supers until early to mid august.  Will this
>be enough time to get the meds out before honey comes?


Wait six weeks after your last treatment of Terramycin before you super for
surplus.  If using medicated grease patties, wait six weeks after they have
been consumed, or removed from the hive manually.

>3) We installed nucs which had apistan in them, the nucs were very mature,
>when should I take the apistan out?
>
>Thank you all
>Karen DeHond
>upstate NY, USA


Contact your supplier of the nucs and see when the Apistan strips were
installed.  The strips are usually left in for 4-6 weeks, and then removed.
It's imperative the strips be removed in a timely fashion to prevent Varroa
mites from building a resistance to fluvalinate (the active ingredient) in
your area.  Be sure to over-estimate rather than under-estimate the time
they've been in the nucs if the Apistan installation date can not be
confirmed.

--David Scribner <[log in to unmask]> - Ballwin, MO, USA
  Niche on the Net! - <www.bigfoot.com/~dscribner>