MAAREC Publication 4.1 Revised November 2005 CHEMICALS & DRUGS APPROVED FOR LEGAL USE IN HONEY BEE COLONIES FOR THE CONTROL OF PARASITES AND PESTS OF HONEY BEES
All pesticides listed here are registered for use in honey bee colonies as of January 2000. If any material listedshould lose or change its registration, or if new materials become available, a notice will be posted on the MAARECweb site at: http://MAAREC.cas.psu.edu. If you do not have access to the world wide web and are unsure aboutthe registration status of a pesticide or chemical, contact your state apiary inspector or your extension specialistfor the most up-to-date information on materials registered for use in honey bee colonies. It is illegal to useunregistered materials in honey bee colonies. Use only registered materials and follow label directions at alltimes!
Note: In the following list, chemicals in boldface type are active ingredients. Common brand names are italicized and are followed, in parentheses, by the name of the company holding the product registration. AMERICAN FOULBROOD oxytetracycline Terra Brood Mix® (Mid-Con)Tetra Bee Mix® (Dadant)
Terra Patties® (Mann Lake)Terra Pro® (Mann Lake)
Terramycin Soluble Powder is used for the prevention ofEuropean and American foulbrood. This product is available
Terra Brood Mix or Tetra Bee Mix. These products are identi-
in a 6.4-oz packet. The package directions can be confusing;
cal. This is premixed Terramycin and is used in the preven-
to determine the correct application amounts, follow these
tion of American and European Foulbrood. It takes the
guesswork out of how much Terramycin and sugar to mixtogether. For both products, the dosage is 2 tablespoons,
• The legal dose is 200 mg, three times, at 4–5 day intervals.
three times, 4–5 days apart. Spread the Terramycin mixture
• One package contains 10 grams (10,000 mg) of Terramycin.
over the end of the top bars in the hive body with the most
• 10,000 mg ÷ 200 = 50 treatments per package.
brood in it. Treat colonies in the fall after honey supers are
• 50 treatments ÷ 3 = 17, so one 6.4-oz package treats 17
off and again in the spring at least 45 days before putting
The package calls for one teaspoon of Terramycin Soluble
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved
Powder per ounce of powdered sugar. Use the following
TYLAN (tylosin tartrate) Soluble for the control of American
foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae) in honey bees. This drug is used only in cases of AFB that has been identified as
• One level teaspoon of Terramycin = 200 mg, or one
resistant to Terramycin by the state apiary inspection service.
• Each 6.4-oz package contains 50 treatments, so mix one
package with 50 oz (just over 3 lbs) of powdered sugar. EUROPEAN FOULBROOD
Store in a tightly sealed container. (Exposure to air ormoisture will break down Terramycin.)
Follow the directions for American Foulbrood.
• The dosage per colony is 2 tablespoons of this mixture,
given three times, 4–5 days apart (for a total of 600 mg per
colony). Spread two tablespoons of the Terramycin mix-ture over the end of the top bars in the hive body with the
fumagillin
Preventative treatments can be applied to colonies in the
The dosage is 1 teaspoon of Fumidil-B per gallon of syrup.
fall after honey supers are off and again in the spring 45 days before putting honey supers on.
• 0.5 gm—makes 5–6 gallons of medicated syrup (follow
temperature highs exceed 82ºF) within the first 7 days
• 9.5 gm—makes 100–120 gallons.
• Remove the Mite-Away II™ from the outer pouch. DO
The fall treatment is 2 gallons of medicated syrup per hive
NOT REMOVE THE PAD FROM THE INNER PERFO-
given after the honey supers have been removed. The spring
RATED POUCH .
treatment is 1 gallon of medicated syrup per hive, given at
• Place one Mite-Away II™ with the HOLES DOWN on
least 30 days before the honey flow.
two 4 inch x 0.5 inch x 0.5 inch spacer sticks placed 4inches apart on the frame top bars. Mixing instructions. Fumidil-B mixes best when added to
• Place a 1.5 inch rim on the top box to accommodate
warm water. Use 4 ounces of water per teaspoon of Fumidil-
the pad, the spacer sticks, and an additional 0.5 inch
B, let it set for a few minutes until the water is absorbed,
space between the pad and inner cover.
shake it, then add it to 1 gallon of prepared syrup. For a larger
• Leave the Mite-Away II™ pad in place for 21 days.
quantity (the 9.5-gm jar), mix with approximately one gallonof warm water and add to 100–120 gallons of prepared syrup. essential oils ApiLife VAR® VARROA MITES
• Remove any supers. Colony size must be reduced to 1-
fluvalinate
2 deep hive bodies or the equivalent.
• Use when average daily temperatures are between 59oF
and 69oF. Do not apply the treatment when bees arerobbing.
• Remove ApiLife VAR tablets from hives at least 1
• Wear rubber dishwashing or chemical gloves when han-
month (30 days) prior to harvesting the honey.
• Do not use ApiLife VAR at temperatures above 90oF.
• If the honey is to be used for human consumption, do not
• Take one tablet and break into four equal pieces.
treat colonies with surplus honey supers.
• Place pieces on the top corners of the top hive body as
• Use one strip for each five frames of bees (deep frames or
close in to the brood nest as possible without placing
• Treat all colonies within the yard at the same time;
• After 7-10 days, replace with a fresh tablet broken into
treatment is most effective when brood rearing is lowest.
• Leave the treatment in the colony for at least 42 but not
• Repeat procedure again, 7-10 days later and leave last
tablet for 12 days. After 12 days remove residuals from
coumaphos CheckMite+® (Bayer)—section 18 only, emergency use registration TRACHEAL MITES
• Wear rubber dishwashing or chemical gloves when han-
• Remove honey supers before application, and do not
replace super until 14 days after the strips are removed.
• Remove all surplus honey and empty supers. Honey for bee
• Use one strip for each five frames of bees (deep frames or
• Menthol treatment is 50 grams or 1/3 cup of menthol
• Treat all colonies within the yard at the same time;
pellets or crystals, in a 7- by 7-inch screen packet.
treatment is most effective when brood rearing is lowest.
• Place the menthol packet on the top bars immediately
• Leave the treatment in the colony for at least 42 but not
above the broodnest and below any winter stores. Posi-
tion the packet in a back corner of the hive so it is not
• Do not treat for varroa more than twice per year.
directly above a lot of brood. If the daily temperatures are
• Sale of comb honey from hives treated with coumaphos is
above 80°F for more than a day or two, place menthol in a
back corner of the bottom board to avoid driving the bees
formic acid
• Menthol requires warm temperatures to vaporize and kill
mites. The label says to apply treatment when tempera-
• Wear acid resistant gloves at all times when handling
tures reach at least 60°F. Penn State research, however,
has shown that daytime high temperatures above 70°F for
at least 7 consecutive days are required for good treat-
• Do not set pads on any metal surfaces due to corrosive
• The recommended treatment period is 30 to 45 days.
• Remove entrance reducers and screen bottom boards
formic acid
from hives during application of this product. Remove
(See formic acid on previous page)
any supers. Colony must be reduced to 1-2 deep hivebodies or the equivalent. All holes in the hive should
WAX MOTHS
be sealed except the bottom hive entrance which mustremain fully open. paradichlorobenzene*
• Outside daytime temperature highs should be between
50-79ºF at the time of application.
• It is highly recommended that the pads be removed
from the hives in the event of a heat wave (if daily
SMALL HIVE BEETLES
MAAREC, the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium, is an officialactivity of five land grant universities and the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The following
coumaphos CheckMite+® (Bayer) - section 18 only; emergency use registration
• Wear rubber dishwashing gloves when handling the strips.
• Remove honey supers before application of CheckMite+
and do not replace supers until 14 days after the strips are
• Remove the paper from one side of a 6- by 6-inch piece of
corrugated cardboard. Cut the CheckMite+ strip in half
Requests for information or publications should be sent to: MAAREC, 501 ASI Building,
and staple both pieces to the corrugated side of the
University Park, PA 16802 Phone: (814) 865-1896 Fax: (814) 865-3048 Web site: http:/
cardboard. Place the cardboard in the center of the bottom
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
• The treatment should remain on the colony for at least 3
The mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is for illustrativepurposes only and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Mid-
• Do not treat for small hive beetles more than four times
Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium or their employees.
The U.S. Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide
• Sale of comb honey from hives treated with coumaphos is
Equal Opportunities in employment and programs. Participants in MAAREC also include state beekeeper associations, and State Departments of Agriculture from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Visit the MAAREC Website at: http://MAAREC.cas.psu.edu
MAAREC Publication 4.1