- Question 1 - Can Apiwarol be used after the expiry date?
- Art. 11 of the Pharmaceutical Law, J.L. of 2008 no 45 item 271 • wording since 12 July 2015
2. The Veterinary Summary of Product Characteristics, referred to in art. 10, para. 2b, item 12 shall contain the following:
c) shelf-life and, when necessary, after reconstitution of the veterinary medicinal product or when the immediate packaging is opened for the first time,
d) special precautions for storage,
According to the Pharmaceutical Law (as above), no veterinary medicinal product, with Apiwarol as such, can be used after the expiry of its shelf life. Changes which may occur in the product after the expiry date will reduce product effectiveness, which means that the product may be less active in contact with the Varroa destructor mite. Storage in improper conditions may also affect the quantitative composition of the product, reducing the content of the active substance. This may lead to the occurrence of the parasite lines resistant to amitraz. - Question 2 - Should the air temperature during fumigation exceed 10°C for the whole day?
- The temperature exceeding 10°C measured externally (in the apiary) makes the worker bees still actively ventilate the hive atmosphere. On the one hand, it leads to a relatively even distribution of the active substance between the combs occupied by the bees, and by that enables contact of amitraz with the parasites on adult bees. On the other hand, it leads to a quite fast removal of amitraz-containing fumes from the beehive after removal of insulation made for the period of fumigating bees with Apiwarol. Summing up, the temperature during fumigation should be above 10 °C.
- Question 3 - Can I leave Biowar strips in a hive for more than 8 weeks?
- When Biowar strips are attached correctly, the time of their presence in the hive should not exceed the time indicated by the producer, i.e. 8 weeks. Exceeding this period will reduce the dose of amitraz reaching the parasites and may reduce effectiveness of the product impact plus lead to the occurrence of line of the Varroa destructor mite resistant to the active substance. The only exception is when as a result of incorrect fixing of the strips, the worker bees inside the hive are moving away from the strips not collecting the active substance from their surface. In such a situation, the location of Biowar strips should be changed to the one which is intensely visited by the bees and the treatment period may be extended by another 2 weeks.
- Question 4 - How many times a year should fumigation with Apiwarol be applied (what is the allowed maximum number)?
- Application of products such as e.g. Apiwarol is based on their administration in non-brood colonies or with the lowest possible presence of brood. Fumigated amitraz does not reach the parasites present in sealed cells and moreover, if improperly administered, it may be toxic for non-sealed brood. Thus, it works only on parasites present on adults bees, and such “patients” should be treated. In the Polish climate, non-brood periods in bee colonies can be observed in early spring and late autumn, however it has been changing in the recent years. This should be the time when bees are treated with Apiwarol. Fumigation should be applied twice in the spring, and two or three times in the autumn, when there is the smallest amount of brood in the bee colony and the external temperature on the day of treatment is at least 10 °C. In some cases, an additional treatment can be applied when the queen stops brooding preparing for the winter brood cycle. In such a period the amount of brood in the colony significantly decreases; in average climatic conditions in our country it is usually between mid-August and first days of September. However, it is necessary to precisely determine this period so that treatment does not lead to negative changes in the brood. Summing up, the maximum number of treatments with Apiwarol should not exceed 5 to 6 times during the whole hiving season6 razy podczas całego sezonu pasiecznego.
- Question 5 - What is the time for using Apiwarol after opening?
- The contents of an open package of Apiwarol should be used within 24 days.