Apiguard® is a natural product specifically designed
for use in beehives. It is a sophisticated slow release
gel matrix, ensuring correct dosage of the active ingredient
thymol. Thymol is a naturally occurring substance derived
from the plant thyme. It has a proven high efficacy against
the varroa mite and is also active against both tracheal
mite and chalkbrood.
Apiguard® is a specially designed and patented
slow release gel containing thymol. Apiguard gel, presented
in 50gm ready to use aluminium trays, regulates the liberation
of thymol within the honeybee colony and provides a much
more efficient control of hive pests than was possible
before.
Apiguard® is also presented in 3kg and 1kg tubs
for use by beekeepers with larger numbers of hives. Dosage
tools are presented with each tub to ensure correct and
easy dosing. A 25gm sachet presentation is also in development.
Apiguard® has no harmful effect on the honeybee
colony, neither on brood nor on adults.
Apiguard® is extremely easy to use. It is simply
a matter of placing the opened tray face upwards in the
top of brood frames, preferably centred over the colony.
After 10 days examine the tray and if depleted replace
with a second tray. If there is product left in the tray
after 10 days leave until day 14 and then replace. Leave
a second tray in position for a further 2-4 weeks and
treatment has been completed (duration of treatment therefore
lasts 4-6 weeks).
Apiguard® is extremely well tolerated by bees and
the EC maximum residue limit has been classified as Annex
II, "No MRL necessary" due to the low toxicity and hive
residue profile.
After administration of the product homogeneous distribution
within the bee colony is assured by vapour release and
also by the bees' social behaviour (feeding exchange
and cleaning activities).
Sublimation: During the first few
days, vapour plus solvent is slowly given off. Unlike
some other formulations, or with raw crystals, this does
not disturb the bees. The concentration of the thymol
vapour from the gel gradually increases to a set level.
Contact: Worker bees climb into the
APIGUARD tray and begin to remove the gel, as a hive
cleaning behaviour. The gel adheres to the bees' body
hairs and as the bees run through the hive they distribute
the product to the colony. The gel that the worker
is carrying is eventually thrown out through the hive
entrance but the trail it leaves behind on its journey
through the brood nest remains until it too in cleaned
APIGUARD trials have been completed in more than 600
honeybee colonies in 10 countries across Europe, the
Middle East and North America .
APIGUARD was shown to be an easy to use treatment (even
easier than Apistan!) and, under normal conditions
giving an average efficacy of 93%. Often the control
levels are higher sometimes a little lower.
At low temperatures (shown by trials in Germany ) APIGUARD
takes longer to evaporate and the lower activity of
the bees means that gel is not distributed as efficiently.
It is therefore essential to use APIGUARD when the
colony is active and when temperatures are not too
low (above 15°C/60°F) Apiguard will work at
lower temperatures although the treatment period may
need to be extended; the level of efficacy is generally
better at higher temperatures but studies on cool period
treatments are ongoing.
Six reasons why you should look forward to Apiguard:
1. Very easy to apply
2. High efficiency against three types
of hive past
3. Natural product
4. No withdrawal time
5. No risk to users
6 . Use against OP & pyrethroid
resistant mites & in IPM programmes.
