The world of beekeeping is fraught with difficulty, and king among them are the varroa mites . These pests cause a lot of issues for beekeepers and honey bees and are the #1 reason a colony will fail. Not only do they physically harm bees, but they will also harm subsequent generations.
Fortunately, varroa mite control products on the market can help beekeepers control varroa. It would be better if we didn’t have to use these, but I’m glad that we have them.
One of the newer ones is called Varroxsan and is made by our friends who make Apiguard . Vita Bee has been producing Apiguard and other miticides to help beekeepers and their honey bees and their latest is Varroxsan.
Varroxsan uses oxalic acid as its active ingredient, which plays a crucial role in controlling varroa mites effectively. They have been advocates of honey bee health for decades with their wide range of products ranging from Apistan to Varroxan now.
If you want to find out if Varroxsan is for sale in your state, learn more and purchase through our Varroxsan product page
Varroxsan fits the need for beekeepers to have a product that works year-round to keep mite levels low and knock high mite levels down quickly without temperature requirments.
Vita Bee’s Varroxsan combines oxalic acid in cardboard strips for powerful varroa mite control. Offering high efficacy and safety for bees and honey, it’s ideal for year-round use.
Varroxsan provides excellent varroa mite control with its slow-release oxalic acid strips. This product is easy to use, ensures high efficacy, and remains safe for both bees and honey.
What is Varroxsan for Varroa Mites?
If you have been keeping bees for some time, you will know that Oxalic Acid is a product that beekeepers use with mites.
There are several ways to use it, and it works very well, ranging from dribbling it in the brood nest to turning OA into a vapor inside the hive and now through a slow-release exposure.
Thanks to the research from Randy Oliver and his Oxalic Acid Dihydrate towels , we know the slow-release method works well. The slow-release technique means the bees have low exposure to the oxalic acid chemical over a long period of time.
If you have read our post on Aluen Cap, which is pretty much the same product as Varroxsan, then you are familiar with how it is made and used.
But to put it here, high-quality glycerin and oxalic acid are mixed together and poured over cardboard strips with a cardboard internal matrix.
The cardboard absorbs the solution, and these strips are placed inside the hive and hung between the frames in the brood box.
Oxalic acid, the active ingredient, ensures the product's effectiveness by consistently targeting Varroa mites while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance.
Benefits of Using Varroxsan
Varroxsan is a game-changer in the realm of varroa mite control , offering numerous benefits that make it a standout choice for beekeepers. Here are some of the key advantages:
High Efficacy : Independent studies have shown that Varroxsan achieves an impressive average efficacy of 96.80%. This high success rate makes it a reliable option for beekeepers aiming to control varroa mites effectively.
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Excellent in Low Mite and High Mite Situations: In US Trials,VarroxSan successfully reduced mite levels from 14.6% to 1.9% in heavily infested colonies, providing strong control while maintaining colony health.
Easy to Apply : The slow-release strip form of Varroxsan simplifies the application process. Beekeepers can easily place the strips in the brood box, reducing the risk of bee mortality and overwintering bee loss.
Longer Acting Application : Thanks to its unique impregnation system, Varroxsan provides a consistent and reliable dose over an extended period. This longer acting application ensures continuous control of varroa mites, giving beekeepers peace of mind.
Safe for Bees : Varroxsan is well-tolerated by honey bees, including brood and adult populations. This safety profile makes it an excellent choice for maintaining honey bee health while controlling varroa mites.
No Detectable Residues : One of the standout features of Varroxsan is that it leaves no detectable residues in wax or honey. This ensures that beekeepers can continue to produce high-quality honey without compromising on varroa mite control.
Convenient : Varroxsan can be used at any time of the year and is not dependent on temperature conditions. This flexibility makes it a convenient option for beekeepers, regardless of their location or climate.
Part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Approach : Varroxsan can be integrated into a broader IPM strategy, which includes other methods like the Bee Gym and regular varroa mite monitoring. This holistic approach enhances overall effectiveness in controlling varroa mites.
Registered with the EPA : Varroxsan is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ensuring it meets stringent safety and efficacy standards. This registration provides beekeepers with confidence in the product’s reliability.
Supports Honey Bee Health : By effectively controlling varroa mites, Varroxsan plays a vital role in supporting honey bee health. Healthy colonies are essential for robust honey production and the overall well-being of the bees.
In summary, Varroxsan offers a highly effective, easy-to-use, and safe solution for controlling varroa mites. Its high efficacy, longer acting application, and compliance with regulatory standards make it a popular choice among beekeepers dedicated to maintaining healthy and productive colonies.
Varroxsan For High Mite Loads
Varroxsan has proven itself as a highly effective and safe solution for varroa mite control, with multiple trials highlighting its ability to manage even heavily infested colonies while supporting overall colony health.
Global trials have demonstrated Varroxsan’s effectiveness against severe mite infestations:
- In a Michigan State University trial, Varroxsan reduced mite levels from 14.6% to 1.9% over 55 days in a heavily infested colony, outperforming other treatments. With a drop to 5.5% after just 2 weeks.
- Studies in Uruguay and Argentina saw colonies with initial mite loads above 6% achieve a 100% reduction in mites, showcasing its reliability even in challenging conditions.
Unlike some treatments that can weaken colonies, Varroxsan supports robust colony health:
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Trials reported no queen loss, no adverse effects on brood, and consistent egg-laying, even near the strips.
- Honey and beeswax analysis revealed no detectable oxalic acid residues, ensuring hive products remain pure and safe.
- Michigan trials showed colonies treated with Varroxsan increased cluster size by up to 7.5 frames , while colonies treated with formic acid experienced losses of 1–7 frames.
- Even in high-mite-load situations, colonies treated with Varroxsan grew significantly, such as one colony that increased from 12 frames to 17.5 frames during the trial.
Read the latest Varroxsan FAQ from October 2024
Varroxsan Treatment Period
When you want to control varroa mites, you have to be aware of the instructions on the package. In the past several months, the EPA has registered new Varroa mite control products, including Varroxsan, and the EPA has authorized Varroxsan as long as the user follows the directions.
The Fiberboard (Cardboard) strips are hung over the hives and each strip is designed to fit over a deep frame . However, you can still use it on medium frames.
The strips are placed inside the hive for 42-56 days, which would cover 3 open brood cycles, and removed after 56 days.
It can be used any time of the year and also during honey production when you have honey supers on the hive.
42-56 day treatment period
18.42% Oxalic acid
Safe for bees, brood, queens year around
Safe for use with honey supers on
Includes 60 strips
1 strip per 2 1/2 frames of brood
98.6% Efficacy on average
Testing The Fibreboard Strips
These types of strips have been used around the world for years and are common in other countries, but it is new to the United States.
As of writing this in January 2024, Varroxsan is not available for purchase in the US, but according to our supplier, Foxhound Bee Company will have it this summer. You can add your name to the waiting list using this link .
Over the past several months, it has been tested in a limited capacity by beekeepers and researchers in preparation for the EPA to approve its use. Washington State University has been testing throughout the year to test for its use and effectiveness.
Before Varroxsan was approved by the EPA, the oxalic acid towel treatment was tested by several universities, including Auburn and the University of Georgia, and it had mixed results.
The general consensus of the results is they did not work well at knocking down mite loads, but there was potential in the solution working to keep mite levels down.
Humidity, oxalic acid percentage, medium design and application all played a significant role in the results of the study.
This test was authorized by the EPA for trials, but in the test using the blue shop towels, the amount of oxalic acid dihydrate was very low. This is likely the cause of the low efficacy, but it was inconclusive.
Applying Varroxsan with Oxalic Acid
In order to install the strips correctly, you do have to have access to the brood nest. In order to do this, you have to remove the honey boxes to get to the bottom of the hive in a Langstroth hive.
If you are using other types of bee hives, these strips can be used, but you’ll have to modify the technique.
Per the instructions, it’s important to use 1 strip for every 2.5 frames of brood. For most operations, this will be about 4 strips per hive, with all 4 strips being placed in the same box.
As with other hanging mite treatments, it’s important to put the strips where the varroa mites area, which is the brood box and frames with brood on them.
The strips are not laid on top of the frames but are actually pushed down between the frames. It’s important to be careful doing this as you don’t want to push it onto the queen, so having a little space between the frame when you install it will be helpful.
The treatment period is 42-56 days, but it is likely that since this is a slower-release product and varroa mites have not shown any resistance to oxalic acid, the bees can naturally remove the strips.
Bees naturally remove foreign products in their hive , and that is part of how this product is designed to work.
How Foxhound Bee Company Will Use Varroxsan for Honey Bee Health
It’s important to understand how varroa mite treatments fit into the overall honey bee health, as not all treatments work well in all situations. We see three major advantages of these Oxalic Acid strips compared to the other pesticides used for bees.
Bees don’t show any resistance to exposure to Oxalic Acid
There are not any temperature restrictions for Varroxsan
It is safe to use with honey on the hive and during a honey flow
This combination of features lends itself to great use during the honey flow. In our operation in Alabama, we would likely use these strips in our hives during the spring and early summer.
When we go to drop honey boxes on the hive , we will install these strips first. Then when it is time to remove the boxes about 2 months later, we can remove any strips that remain.
Using this technique would work to keep mite levels down and possibly prevent high might counts that often plague us in the mid to late summer.
Adam Hickman owns Foxhound Bee Company and is a certified EAS Master Beekeeper. Before ever selling a box through Foxhound Bee Company, Adam wrote beekeeping blogs for education. Adam regularly teaches beekeeping classes through Foxhound Bee Co and also through his local beekeeping club.
