How to Use Apivar Correctly: Application, Timing, and Removal

Apivar strips left beyond 56 days do not increase efficacy but significantly increase amitraz wax residue levels. This is the most commonly violated Apivar label instruction, and it's the one with the most serious long-term consequences for your operation.

This guide covers every step of Apivar application, from opening the package to logging the removal in VarroaVault.

TL;DR

Place Apivar strips in the brood nest between frames, not in the honey super
Use 1 strip per 5 frames of bees; do not underdose as this accelerates resistance development
Leave strips in for the full 42 days; removing early reduces efficacy and contributes to resistance
Remove strips before adding honey supers; check your state's PHI requirements
Calculate pre- and post-treatment mite counts to verify the treatment worked as expected
VarroaVault tracks your Apivar application history and flags when efficacy drops below 90%

What Apivar Is and How It Works

Apivar contains amitraz, an acaricide that works by disrupting the octopamine nervous system in mites. It's delivered through a slow-release plastic strip that bees contact as they move through the hive. The amitraz transfers from the strip to the bees and then to mites via contact.

Apivar is highly effective when used correctly: 95%+ efficacy against susceptible mite populations in properly placed, full-duration treatments. The "properly placed" and "full-duration" parts are where most mistakes happen.

Before You Start: What You Need

Apivar strips (2 per hive)
Nitrile gloves (required when handling strips)
Hive tool
VarroaVault open on your phone for logging
Your pre-treatment mite count from the previous 48-72 hours

When NOT to use Apivar:

When honey supers are on or if you plan to add supers during the treatment period
If you're in a certified organic operation (Apivar is prohibited under USDA NOP)
If local resistance data shows amitraz resistance is common in your area

Step 1: Perform a Pre-Treatment Count

An alcohol wash or sugar roll 48-72 hours before application gives you the baseline you need for efficacy calculation. Log it in VarroaVault as a pre-treatment count.

If your count is at threshold (2-3% or above depending on season), treat. If you're below threshold but rising and within 14 days of your projected breach, treat. If you're below threshold with a stable or declining trend, hold off and count again in 2 weeks.

Step 2: Prepare the Hive

Remove honey supers before applying Apivar. The label prohibits application when supers are in place for honey production. This is both a legal requirement and a practical one: amitraz in honey is a significant residue concern.

No other hive preparation is required for Apivar. Unlike formic acid or thymol, Apivar doesn't require specific temperature conditions for application. You can apply at any reasonable working temperature (above 45-50°F for safe hive opening).

Step 3: Unwrap and Activate the Strips

Apivar strips come in sealed foil packets. Wear gloves when opening and handling. The strips are plastic with amitraz impregnated throughout; they don't require activation, but they should be placed in the hive within 1 hour of opening the package.

Each strip should be scored or perforated slightly with your hive tool just before placement to increase surface area. This improves amitraz release rate and treatment efficacy.

Step 4: Position the Strips Correctly

This is the step most often done incorrectly. The strips must be in direct contact with the bee cluster to work. Bees that contact the strip transfer amitraz to their nestmates through grooming.

Correct placement:

Place one strip between frame 3 and frame 4 from the left
Place the second strip between frame 7 and frame 8 from the left (or equivalent spacing)
Strips hang from the top bar, hanging between frames, making contact with bees on both adjacent frames
The strip should hang fully into the cluster area where brood is present

Incorrect placement:

Strips placed at the outer edges of the box (bees don't contact them)
Strips lying flat on the bottom board (not in the cluster)
Both strips clustered near each other in the same center location (single contact zone instead of two)

Step 5: Log the Treatment in VarroaVault

Immediately after applying the strips, log the treatment in VarroaVault:

Product: Apivar (amitraz)
Date: today
Dose: 2 strips
Hive: select from your list
Applicator: your name or employee name

VarroaVault automatically calculates:

Day 42 reminder: check strips and perform first efficacy count
Day 56 reminder: final removal deadline

These reminders fire as SMS and email alerts based on your notification settings.

Step 6: Leave Strips in Place for 42-56 Days

Apivar works slowly. The amitraz continues killing mites through contact over the full treatment period. Unlike OA vaporization (where efficacy peaks quickly), Apivar's power comes from the sustained release over 6-8 weeks.

Do not remove strips early. Early removal before day 42 dramatically reduces total mite kill. The label minimum is 42 days.

Do not leave strips beyond 56 days. Strips left beyond 56 days don't kill more mites (the amitraz is largely depleted by this point), but they do leach increased amounts of amitraz into beeswax. Wax contamination from prolonged strip exposure is a documented problem in operations that neglect strip removal.

Step 7: Perform a Post-Treatment Efficacy Count

At day 42, before removing strips, perform a mite count. Log it in VarroaVault. The app calculates your efficacy percentage against your pre-treatment baseline.

If your efficacy is above 90%: excellent. Remove strips by day 56.

If your efficacy is 75-89%: acceptable, but worth investigating. Consider whether placement was correct. Check if reinfestation may have occurred. Remove strips by day 56.

If your efficacy is below 75%: possible resistance signal. Report to your state apiarist. Remove strips by day 56 regardless.

Step 8: Remove the Strips

Remove both strips by day 56. Don't leave one in place if you can't find the other. Dispose of used strips in household trash (not compost or burn pile).

After strip removal, log the removal date in VarroaVault. The app closes the treatment record and clears any remaining Apivar-related reminders.

Step 9: Add Supers When Appropriate

You can add honey supers after strips are fully removed and there is no remaining concern about residual amitraz exposure. The Apivar label doesn't specify a PHI after strip removal for supers, but it's prudent to wait at least 2 weeks after removal before adding supers to a colony that had extended strip exposure.

See also: Amitraz treatment guide and [pre-harvest interval tracker](/pre-harvest-interval-tracker).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place Apivar strips in the hive?

Place one strip between frames 3 and 4 and a second strip between frames 7 and 8 of the brood box, hanging from the top bar into the cluster area. The strips must make direct contact with bees. Strips placed at the hive edges or outside the cluster area significantly reduce efficacy.

When do I remove Apivar strips?

Apivar strips should be removed no earlier than day 42 and no later than day 56 after application. Leaving strips beyond 56 days doesn't increase mite kill but does increase amitraz wax residue accumulation, which can persist in comb for years.

Does VarroaVault remind me to remove my Apivar strips?

Yes. When you log an Apivar application, VarroaVault automatically schedules a day-42 reminder to check efficacy and a day-56 removal deadline reminder. Both reminders are sent via SMS and email based on your notification settings.

How do I know if my varroa treatment is working?

Run a mite count 2-4 weeks after the treatment ends and compare it to your pre-treatment count. The efficacy formula is: ((pre-count - post-count) / pre-count) x 100. A result above 90% indicates effective treatment. Results below 80% should trigger investigation for possible resistance, application error, or reinfestation. Log both counts in VarroaVault to track efficacy trends across treatment cycles.

How often should I check mite levels in my hives?

At minimum, once per month (every 3-4 weeks) during the active season. Increase to every 2 weeks when counts are near threshold or after a treatment to verify it worked. In fall, monitoring frequency matters most because the window to treat before winter bees are raised is narrow. VarroaVault's monitoring reminders can be set to your preferred interval for each apiary.

What records should I keep for varroa management?

Each record should include: date of count or treatment, hive identifier, monitoring method used, number of bees sampled, mites counted, infestation percentage, treatment product name and EPA registration number, dose applied, treatment start and end dates, and PHI end date. State apiarists typically expect this level of detail during inspections. VarroaVault captures all of these fields in a single log entry.

Sources

American Beekeeping Federation (ABF)
USDA ARS Bee Research Laboratory
Honey Bee Health Coalition
Penn State Extension Apiculture Program
Project Apis m.

Get Started with VarroaVault

The information in this guide is most useful when you have your own mite count data to apply it to. VarroaVault stores every count, flags threshold crossings automatically, and builds the treatment history you need for state inspections and effective management decisions. Start your free trial at varroavault.com.