Antivarroa Entrance

This Anti Varroa entry vent cleans each bee as it goes in and out. With the brush it cleans the upper part of the thorax and the obstacle of the grid cleans the lower part of the bee’s abdomen. The trapped varroas fall through the grate into a drawer where they are killed. This drawer can be checked by the beekeeper at each visit to the apiary.

With this system several things are achieved:

• Decrease the amount of varroa in the hive. Each removed varroa is a huge relief at the end of the honeydew. Varroa is known to triple in number every month. Therefore 1 varroa eliminated in March, represents 243 fewer varroas at the end of August. Each varroa removed decreases the amount of varroa at the end of the honeydew. It can make the difference between the survival or the death of a hive.
• Helps prevent reinfestations. It is known that hives suffer reinfestations by the derivative of bees, by visits of drones from other apiaries, pillage and by nearby apiaries that are not properly treated against varroa. The deworming spike manages to clean the bees that enter with varroas.

The amount of dead varroas in the container gives us a very approximate idea of ​​the level of infestation of each of the hives. It helps us make decisions.

NOT. As you have seen, it only removes the phoretic varroas that it goes in and out the hive. However, it is a very powerful weapon to keep the varroa level within bearable levels for hives. This is especially useful in organic beekeeping.

Absolutely. No pollen is trapped in the hole. The brush only cleans the top of the bee and does not touch the bee’s legs which is where they carry pollen.

It is useful for all beekeepers, but especially for those who are with organic beekeeping. Organic treatments are known to be less effective than conventional treatments. Therefore, organic hives suffer from varroa levels higher than conventional ones. Any help in the elimination of varroas will be very useful. Obviously, since no chemical product is used, the Antivarroa entrance is compatible with organic beekeeping.

The amount depends on the following factors:

• Bee population. Obviously, as more bees are in a hive, the larger the varroa population will also be.
• Activity. If the bees are very active going in and out to the hive, the brush will act on a highstest number of varroas.
• Level of infestation. As higher the level of infestation in the hive, as the greater the number of varroas trapped. The amount of varroa that falls is an indicator of the level of infestation in the hive

It has also been detected that the amount of varroa trapped is greater at the beginning of the placement of the antivarroa entrance. This is due to the fact that the first few days most of the phoretic varroa are trapped by the entrance. After this first phase, the process stabilizes and the varroas that come out of the cells are trapped and that pass to their phoretic phase.

Undoubtedly yes. As every beekeeper knows, if a hive reaches 4000 – 4500 varroas level  it is doomed to death.

We must try by all means never to reach these levels. If a beekeeper does the treatments before and after honeydew, the amount of varroa usually does not skyrocket. The problem is that the hive can be re-infested for reasons beyond the beekeeper and the hive itself. In these cases, the antivarroa entrance is a huge help. Possible reasons:

• Drift of bees.

• Pillage

• Mobility of drones. As is known, drones move freely between apiaries and are one of the reasons for the movement of varroas between hives.

• Nearby hives that are not properly treated.

When any of the above circumstances occur in a hive, the antivarroa entrance solves them because it does not allow new varroas to enter the hive.

In addition to the above, it is known that approximately 20% of the varroas in a hive are in the phoretic phase. The antivarroa spout systematically eliminates them.

Everything mentioned above keeps the varroa infestation from reaching problematic levels. For this reason it is so interesting for beekeepers. The antivarroa entrance can be the difference between life and death for a hive.

YES. We are doing the final tests for a second system aimed at killing the varroas found in the capped cells. The results are excellent and we hope to have it operational very soon. The combination of both systems will be definitive in the fight against Varroa without the need to use any chemical product.

The first thing it does is kill varroas. As a consequence of this, varroa levels during honeydew and especially at the end of the season are lower. This greatly increases the hive’s chances of survival the following winter. As all beekeepers know, the survival of a hive is tied to the amount of varroa it has endured. Lowering the amount of varroa means stronger hives and more likely to survive.

No. Only on the first day after placement do bees need to learn to use the new entrance, but they quickly get used to it.

The opening is designed primarily for the workers, but both the drones and the queen can pass through without a problem. The brush is soft and allows the passage of all bees.

Yes. It is very simple to assemble. The flight board is removed and the new antivarroa entrance is fitted. We invite you to watch our videos wich explain it.

It can be used in both versions of hives. For transhumant hives, a special piece has been designed to block the passage of bees during transport. In this way they can be transported more easily and without risk of breaking the spout. Please take a look to our videos.

The antivarroa entrance is designed to be mounted all year round. It is not necessary to remove it at any time of the year.

The device is very strong. It has been made with UV resistant food plastic.

At certain times of the year, looting can cause serious problems in the apiary. This possibility that we incorporate can help in the management of pillage.

You do not need to do anything. The only thing we recommend is to smear the inside of the lower box with Vaseline to catch the varroas that have fallen and try to climb back into the hive.

There is no problem. Eliminated varroas fall directly to the ground and will die there.

We hope that the production honey will be increased, since the hives are healthier and will increase their production. We are doing studies because we still cannot quantify it.

The Antivarroa Piquera is incompatible with the Piquera to collect pollen. It must be removed during the time the pollen is being collected.