{"id":240,"date":"2012-02-15T19:31:17","date_gmt":"2012-02-15T19:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/beehealth\/?page_id=240"},"modified":"2025-08-01T11:41:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T10:41:00","slug":"apistan","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/product\/apistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Apistan: Varroa Control"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/vita-apistan.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/using-vita-apistan.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Apistan<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;is probably the best and simplest defence against the varroa mite. Since the 1980s it has been the benchmark treatment and is now registered for use in more than 40 countries. It is very easy to apply \u2013 simply insert two strips in the brood box of a standard colony for six weeks at the end of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, mis-use of pyrethroids has accelerated natural biological processes which means that in some areas resistant mites have developed. There is a&nbsp;<a href=\"#test\">simple field test for resistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/distributors\/?address%5B0%5D&#038;post%5B0%5D=stockist&#038;tax%5Bregion%5D%5B0%5D&#038;tax%5Bproduct%5D%5B0%5D=523&#038;per_page=200&#038;lat&#038;lng&#038;swlatlng&#038;nelatlng&#038;country&#038;form=6&#038;action=fs\">Where to buy this product<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High proven efficacy in a six-week treatment period<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long-term control<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy to use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No detectable residue in honey<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Safe for bees and beekeepers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The strips release exactly the right amount of active ingredient<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Effective again after a few seasons of non-use even where resistance was once present.<a title=\"use\" name=\"use\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use Apistan for Varroa Control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to use Apistan from Vita to control varroa\" width=\"1400\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/a3jc2pG2yio?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Insert two strips in the brood box for a period of six weeks (two brood cycles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The strips should be inserted, spaced apart hanging on different frames fairly centrally in the brood nest where bees will walk over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apistan should not be used during a honeyflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s in a pack of Apistan?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Apistan - what&#039;s in the pack\" width=\"1400\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3oI3x4lu29w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a title=\"work\" name=\"work\"><\/a>How Apistan works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"602\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-apistan-works.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23433\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As the bees come into contact with the Apistan strip, they pick up a minute amount of tau-fluvalinate \u2013 whilst another similar minute quantity emerges from within the strip to take its place on the surface becoming available for other passing bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the bees interact within the hive, the active ingredient is spread throughout the colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to tackle&nbsp;resistant mites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vita has been monitoring the slow spread of mite resistance to pyrethroids for many years. Resistance is an entirely natural phenomenon and there are ways of slowing down its development and even reducing the number of resistant mites so that Apistan can again become effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An&nbsp;Integrated Pest Management strategy&nbsp;will vary treatment types from season to season and inhibit the development of resistant mites. Apistan and&nbsp;<a title=\"Apiguard\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/blog\/beekeeper-apiguard-query\/\">Apiguard<\/a>&nbsp;are ideal alternating treatments where resistance has not yet become an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"\/?p=3845\">Researchers have shown<\/a> that the number of mites resistant to pyrethroids drops rapidly if pyrethroid treatments are stopped. Then after a few seasons pyrethroid treatments can be restarted successfully as part of an alternating IPM treatment regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This also bears out results of research performed previously in Italy and explains why many UK beekeepers who have used Apistan for the first time in several years are seeing good mite control levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No single type of treatment should be used repeatedly, as this can lead to resistance building up in the varroa mite population. Registered (legal) treatment types should be alternated wherever possible.<a title=\"test\" name=\"test\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to test for resistance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two tests for resistance, one based on a rule-of-thumb for very rapid testing, the other more rigorous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rule of thumb test<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Place an Apistan strip in a colony. If after 24 hours there is a mite drop rate in the hundreds, Apistan\u2019s active ingredient will be having a sufficient effect to enable its use for that season. Of course you need to be sure that the mite drop is not being removed by bees or other creatures before you retrieve it and the assumption is that your bees have a significant population of varroa in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rigorous test<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Field resistance test: Around 300 adult bees are collected in a test container, to which an Apistan Package Bee Strip is inserted. After 3 hours the mite mortality is assessed and the presence or absence of resistance can be determined<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list downloads-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Apistan-UK-Label.pdf\">Apistan label for the UK<\/a>&nbsp;(pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Apistan-UK-Sweden-SPC.pdf\">Apistan Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for the UK and Sweden<\/a>&nbsp;(pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/MSDS-Apistan-10March2016.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Apistan Safety Data Sheet<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Apistan-The-Right-Rotation.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apistan &#8211; The Right Rotation<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Control-of-Pyrethroid-and-Coumaphos-Resistant-Mites-in-North-America-using-Apiguard.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Control of Pyrethroid and Coumaphos-Resistant Mites in North America using Apiguard<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Efficacy-of-Apiguard-Plus-Apistan-Treatment-Against-Varroa-destructor.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Efficacy of Apiguard Plus Apistan Treatment Against Varroa destructor<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Monitoring-Effectiveness-of-Treatments-with-Apiguard\u00ae-and-Apistan\u00ae-in-Combination-in-the-2010-2012-Period-North-East-Italy.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Monitoring Effectiveness of Treatments with Apiguard\u00ae and Apistan\u00ae in Combination in the 2010 &#8211; 2012 Period &#8211; North East Italy<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-content\/uploads\/Monitoring-Techniques-of-Varroa-Resistance-and-Rotation-of-Varroa-Treatments1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Monitoring Techniques of Varroa Resistance and Rotation of Varroa Treatments<\/a> (pdf)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/blog\/beekeeper-apiguard-query\/\">Apiguard&nbsp;<\/a>for an alternative treatment \/ medicine for varroa mites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/product\/bee-gym\/\">Bee Gym<\/a> for another element of IPM that will help bees groom themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/product\/vita-feed-gold\/\">VitaFeed Gold<\/a>&nbsp;to stimulate honeybee colonies and boost their immune systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See Vita\u2019s information on the honeybee diseases implicated with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/disease\/varroa-mites\/\">varroa mite (<em>Varroa destructor<\/em>)<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/disease\/chalkbrood\/\">chalkbrood<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/disease\/tracheal-mites-acarine\/\">tracheal mites \/ Acarine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/distributors\/?address%5B0%5D&#038;post%5B0%5D=stockist&#038;tax%5Bregion%5D%5B0%5D&#038;tax%5Bproduct%5D%5B0%5D=523&#038;per_page=200&#038;lat&#038;lng&#038;swlatlng&#038;nelatlng&#038;country&#038;form=6&#038;action=fs\">Where to buy this product<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Apistan\u00ae is one of the best and simplest defences against the varroa mite. Introduced in the 1980s, it became the benchmark treatment and is now registered in over 50 countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1507,"featured_media":23273,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-240","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","product_type-varroa-mite-control"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Vita Bee Health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Vita Bee Health\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VitaBeeHealth\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"CollectionPage\",\"@id\":null,\"url\":\"\",\"name\":\"\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.vita-europe.com\\\/beehealth\\\/#website\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.vita-europe.com\\\/beehealth\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.vita-europe.com\\\/beehealth\\\/\",\"name\":\"Vita Bee Health\",\"description\":\"Global Honeybee Health Experts\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.vita-europe.com\\\/beehealth\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Vita Bee Health","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_site_name":"Vita Bee Health","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@VitaBeeHealth","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"CollectionPage","@id":null,"url":"","name":"","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/#website"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/","name":"Vita Bee Health","description":"Global Honeybee Health Experts","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vita-europe.com\/beehealth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}