Beekeeping > Treatments > ApiGuard
ApiGuard Verroa Treatment
The active ingredient in ApiGuard is thymol, which is derived from the oil of the thyme plant.
How much does ApiGuard cost?
I've listed the prices from some of the main UK suppliers below. It's worth signing up to a few mailing lists, occasionally there will be offers. For example one supplier had an offer for 8 packs of 10 for £168.75 with shipping which works out at £21.10 for a box of 10.
- Simon the beekeeper - £21.49
- Beekeeping supplies uk - £22.85
- Bee-equipment - £23.89
- Old Castle Farm Hives - £25.95
- Abelo - £24.00
- Gwenyn Grffydd - £25.00
- Thorne - £27.00
- Cwynne Jones - £22.50
- Paynes - £24.96
- National Bee Supplies - £29.50
- Honey Fountain - £20.99
- BBear - £32.50
- Beckys Bees - £27.00
- Old Forge Honey - £24.99
- Heather Ball Honey Bees - £29.50
- Northan Bees - £27.50
How does ApiGuard Work
ApiGuard is a gel that, when placed in the beehive, slowly releases thymol vapours. These vapours are spread throughout the hive by the bees' normal activity.
Thymol is toxic to Varroa mites. It disrupts their normal function and ultimately leads to their death. The precise mechanism of how thymol affects Varroa mites is complex, but it's believed to interfere with their nervous system and muscular activity.
Beekeepers typically apply ApiGuard on top of the frames in the hive. The bees come into contact with the gel, spreading it and its vapours throughout the hive. This ensures that the thymol reaches the mites.
Thymol is considered safe for bees at the concentrations used in ApiGuard. It's a naturally occurring compound in plants that bees would encounter in their environment.
How to apply ApiGuard
The treatment usually involves two applications, about two weeks apart. This is to ensure that mites emerging from brood cells (where they reproduce) after the first treatment are also exposed to thymol.
Place the opened tray face upwards in the top of brood frames, preferably centred over the colony.
After around ten days check the tray, if it's almost empty, replace with a second tray.
If it's not empty leave it until day 14 and then replace.
Leave the second tray in for a another two to four weeks before removing.
When to use ApiGuard
It's recommended to use ApiGuard when temperatures are above 15°C (59°F), so the conditions are better for the thymol to be released and spread around the colony. This makes it more suitable to use towards in the Autumn in the UK, you shouldn't use this treatment while the honey supers are on as it could taint the wax.
If using in colder conditions you may need to increase the time it's left on the hive, in this scenario read the directions of use that come with the treatment.