Apivar - 4 Strips
Amitraz-impregnated strips for Varroa knockdown. 4-strip pack treats 2 hives.
- Amitraz active ingredient — broadest spectrum miticide available for Varroa
- Highly effective: 93–95%+ mite knockdown in clinical trials
- 4 strips treats 2 full colonies (2 strips per hive)
- Place between brood frames — bees walk across strips and carry amitraz throughout the colony
- Must remove before or during a honey flow — no supers on during treatment
What it is
Apivar is an amitraz-based varroa mite treatment from Véto-pharma, the French pharmaceutical laboratory that's been supplying beekeeping medicines since 1982. This is the four-strip pack — enough for a single-brood-box treatment on one colony, or a replenishment for a beekeeper already running Apivar in a larger operation.
When to use it
Apivar is the tool you reach for when your mite counts are above the treatment threshold and you want a long-acting strip treatment that doesn't depend on outside temperature. Most Arkansas beekeepers apply Apivar in late summer or early fall, after the last honey harvest, to knock back mite loads before the colony raises its winter bees. Treatment duration is set by the product label — follow it.
How it works
The strips release amitraz slowly over the treatment window. Bees walking across the strip carry the active ingredient through the colony on contact. Apivar works on phoretic mites — mites riding on adult bees — which is why it's most effective when brood rearing is slowing down and more mites are exposed on adults rather than hiding in capped cells.
Important context on resistance
Peer-reviewed research has documented rising amitraz resistance in US varroa populations. Apivar still works in many apiaries, but you shouldn't assume. Do an alcohol-wash mite count before treatment and another 2–3 weeks after. If the mite drop is less than 90%, consider rotating to a different chemistry (Apiguard, Formic Pro, or an oxalic acid-based treatment) next round.
Usage notes
Supers off during treatment — Apivar is not labeled for use with honey supers on. Store unopened packs cool and dry; once opened, the strips are intended for the current treatment only.
