Treating Mites With Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS)

Learn how to use Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS). Did you know Varroa mites are the number 1 killing pest of honeybees? For this reason treating for mites inside the bee colonies is a must for their survival. Mites infect the bees with viruses that shorten their life. In most cases, these viruses cause the colony to collapse over winter.
In this video, I show the complete process in using Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS) to treat for mites. I will show everything you need to know to treat your own bee hives. This treatment takes 7 days to complete and can be done with the honey supers on.
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Would you like to know the details on Mite Away Quick Strips? Like how many part per million (ppm) it takes to kill a mite. Or why this treatment is considered organic. Read more on my blog here:
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Learn To Do A Mite Count

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*Other Mite Treatmeants*
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Link to Gov. Regulations regarding MAQS being a organic treatment.

**Amazon Affiliate

[peggyclark]

Thank you, Jason; for this video on treating for varroa mites. I just took a class yesterday on wintering bees. But the class did not go into detail; as you have in your video. Your video is very thorough and even had the follow-up on removing the mite strips. You answered all my questions about treatment.

[GoneWildKennels]

Great information for a first time bee keeper. Thank you from Cochrane, Alberta, Canada !

[RedMoonsEcho]

Thank you the mite quick strips I got didn’t come with directions so you helped alot

[jimkovac]

Thanks, Treated hives today (8/12). Location, Warren Ohio. Hoping for a mild winter.

[suzygillman]

Jason - I’m a second year beekeeper located in southeastern Indiana. I purchased the Mite Away Quick Strips after watching several YouTube videos, hoping to treat in a more organic manner. Last year my two (2) hives were treated with Apivar strips by my mentor. It’s been too hot here for me to treat yet, so I’m waiting for cooler conditions. I have had Several people (including my mentor) tell me that this method will kill my bees and/or my Queen. I realize beekeepers have differing opinions on most Everything, but being new to all of this is frightening to say the least. I’m thinking if the temps r in range, I treat in the evening with the entrance fully open, things Should play out ok? Guess I’m just looking for some reassurance. Thx for ur videos! I’ve learned a lot from you!

[Westernwilson]

A great beekeeper I know recommends adding some Honey B Healthy or equivalent to the strips to help minimize queen loss during treatment...I will try that this year. I also wait to treat till I get temperatures under 20C = 68F

[waynelogan]

Hi, Im in Australia and only a few weeks ago the sentinel hives located at Newcastle's port was found to have Varroa (Destructor) mite. There are now a total of 24 sites and our Government Department are still trying to eradicate them entirely. A commerical keeper moved his hives around with knowing he had some infestations. All the sites have been traced back to the Newcastle hives. Wherever there is now an infected site they are killing off all hives in a 10km excursion zone to hopefully get rid of the mites before it becomes out of control like they in many other countries. If we loose our battle in keeping Varroa out of Australia, do these strips also contain other pests like wax moth or small hive beetles or just the Varroa mite?? Thanks in advance for your reply

[danshankle]

Thank you, Jason for a great, simple to understand, Posting!

[nightborne]

Thank you for doing this video. Very informative and straightforward.

[mauriceupton]

It works but at NZ$ 10 treatment per hive its very expensive.
The main advantages are and you can treat with honey supers on, you don't get any residue in the works of a honey and it kills varroa mites inside capped brood cells.
It's recommended you must give them plenty of honey and room to move and no reduced exists, .
The problem is it's a pain to have to break your hives down to get the varroa treatment strips in especially if you got double brood boxs, by there is no residue in wax or honey because oxalic and formic are natuarally found in honey....however does kill bees and queens especially if you have virus infected bees, using formic acid they die by the cup full over the seven days, so dont be surprised if they get really agro too after treatment.

[louiselarson]

I had a VERY severe mite problem with significant DWV and probably tracheal mites as well, based upon the "crawlers" I was seeing outside my hive. Although I had purchased Mite Away last year, I was afraid to use it. Now, I realized it was use it or my hive would die! I got confused with the instructions and put 4 strips on my hive with one deep and 2 mediums. I was amazed at the mites killed for the first 3 days or so. Now the dead mites on the bottom board has dropped off to almost nothing and although this is only day 6, I have removed the strips (since I now realize I had doubled the dosage).

There was a LOT of sanitation activity during this treatment period. The first day I saw larvae being pulled out of the hive, along with dead bees, but mostly I saw "sick" bees being pushed out of the hive. They either had obvious DWV or looked ok, but couldn't fly and seemed disoriented. Now, however, the girls look quite happy with pollen coming in, some orientation flights occurring, and much less sanitizing behavior.

I don't know what to expect as we move into winter. I am supplementing now with sugar water and pollen patties; hoping that I have not disrupted things too much with my over-treatment. Luckily, the weather had turned a bit cooler last week, so that probably helped to limit the fume production, but I did see a lot of "fanning" at the hive entrance for a couple of days. This will be my 3rd winter as a "beekeeper". The first two seasons, I lost my hives during winter. No I know it was likely from Varroa mites left untreated.

Because I had such a severe mite problem, my question is whether this initial treatment (even though excessive) will be sufficient for the hive until early spring. Or, should I treat again (this time with only TWO strips) in a couple of weeks?

[cqammaz]

That was easier then butting the strip between the frames and holding it there with toothpicks. How well does this method work as a pose to the cooking style?

[selinnacar]

Can I still feed sugar water while treating?

[RobbinsScott]

Jason... My bottom boards are not full width openings. They are 6" wide by 3/8" high screened bottom boards. What is your advice? I'm assuming opening up the screened bottom is too much air flow... Not sure what to do. They are a mix of double brood boxes and single brood boxes.

[joestocker]

Thanks Jason, I haven't been on your channel for a while. I've had several losses and I'm going to start treating now. Lot of deformed wings and stuff probably viral, some folks just flying off in mini-swarms. Anyway, I will buy at Amazon. Hope you had an affiliate thing in your link so you will at least make something from it. Thanks again!

[bluemtb]

Jason... do have queen loss with MAQS? thinking about trying them but am reading about a lot of queen loss. no time for raising new queens. Your Thoughts please

[thomasbutcher]

will this take care of tracheal mites to. thanks

[constantgardener]

Hi. Last week I used the same product in four of my hives in order to compare the results with those obtained with Thymol. I counted the mites that fell each day and found that with the formic acid the biggest falls came within the first 48 hours and by the 7th day there was virtually nothing. The Thymol treatment lasts 24 days and is much more gradual even though there are significant falls in the first few days. My concern is the effect of the formic acid on the bees themselves. It is pretty harsh stuff!

[buggytracks]

Thanks for the video Jason. Are you using an inner cover and are you venting the top?

[aaronabner]

Daytime temperature range 50 - 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Do night time temperatures matter?