ApiLife Var is Back and Ready to Kill Varroa Mites

We are happy to announce that Betterbee is now the United States distributor of the long-standing and reputable varroa mite treatment, ApiLife Var!

ApiLife Var (ALV) is a thymol-based varroa treatment used for decades to knock down mite levels in honey bee colonies. ALV comes in a package that includes two wafers made of a sponge-like inert material that allows for the gradual evaporation of the mix of four natural ingredients: thymol, eucalyptus oil, L-menthol, and camphor. Because of its slow-release nature, bees are less likely to become overwhelmed and disrupted by the treatment.

What is ApiLife Var? Is it new?

ApiLife Var has been used for decades all across the world to fight against the diseases spread by varroa mites, and its reputation precedes it. Through various studies under different field conditions in over 12 countries, ALV’s efficacy in killing varroa mites steadily clocked in at >90%. Though it has been legal and available in the United States for many years, it has sometimes been hard to come by since not every beekeeping supplier always had it in stock.

Results from countries across the world show that ApiLife Var is an effective varroa mite treatment in a wide variety of ecosystems.

ApiLife Var works through the coexistence of both the liquid and solid forms of the active ingredient thymol. Together, these two states fight off varroa mites through direct contact and by "suffocating" the mite that breathes the vapors of the essential oils. This causes the mite to detach and fall from the body of the bee.

Check out more of the science behind how it all works in the image below:

Learn how the liquid and solid phases of thymol work together in ApiLife Var to target and kill varroa mites.

Information on how to use ApiLife Var

ApiLife Var features thymol as its main active ingredient, which effectively kills phoretic varroa mites riding on honey bees but does not kill mites living beneath the brood cappings. That mite-killing action is helped by eucalyptol, menthol, and camphor: derived from eucalyptus, mint, and evergreen tree resins, respectively.

To make this treatment more effective against those new mites emerging from cells with new bees, the course of ALV treatment is broken into three applications, with each application lasting 7-10 days. To complete a full treatment, you will apply the ApiLife Var wafers three consecutive times.

When to use ApiLife Var: 

• Apply ALV to your hives after removing your honey supers. Never use this treatment during a honey flow with honey supers on, or when robbing is taking place. Remove ApiLife Var wafers from the hive at least 1 month (30 days) prior to harvesting honey.
• Only begin your treatment if daytime average temperatures fall between 64 and 95°F.
• For best results, apply ALV in the early morning or late afternoon.

ApiLife Var packages each contain two wafers, or two applications.

Let’s break down the steps on how to treat using ApiLife Var:

• Each package of ApiLife Var features two, full wafers.
• Each of these wafers is one application, and three applications are needed to complete a full treatment (each wafer = one application).
• Wafers are extremely fragile: use care when opening the package. We recommend bringing scissors with you to the bee yard to cut open the top of the package and to cut each wafer into quarters. Click to watch this video for tips on properly opening the packaging.
• For a single application, break one wafer into four smaller pieces, then lay them on the four corners of your uppermost hive body, as far away from the heart of the brood nest as possible to avoid overwhelming the brood with too much ALV vapor.
• Reduce entrances and other openings to your hive (e.g. close up screened bottom boards).
• However, keep the entrance wide open if daytime temperatures are at the higher end of the recommended temperature range.
• Treat your entire apiary at the same time to avoid robbing between colonies.

Check out this video overview of ApiLife Var:

Final thoughts

The tried and true ApiLife Var varroa treatment is back, more affordable than ever, and supported by the knowledge and experience of Betterbee! 

We are happy to offer ApiLife Var in three different sizes:

• 3-pack: Treats two hives
• 15-pack: Treats up to 10 hives
• 100-pack: Treats up to 66 hives