Mann LakeHopGuard 3, Optimal Bee Colony Mite Control, Compatible with Various Hives, Residue-Free, Engineered for Extreme Weather Conditions, 24 Strips (12 Treatments)

Good

Easy to use, however the treatment can be messy, use proper gloves and check the hive thoroughly before using.

It is a mess to use but if it keeps my bees healthy it is worth it.

Treatment seemed to work but there is a lot in the package. Wish this was sold in small quantity for those of us that don't have so many beehives to treat.

First time ever using this product. Beekeeper for 8 years. Did treatment on 4 hives. Added additional empty medium super on each.Massive die off visible on ground around hives at 24 hours. Subsequently, very little brood, colonies were weak. 3 were gone beginning of December, last hive dead by Christmas. Even if product was not detrimental to my hives, which I believe it was, very messy to install. Strips are dripping with molasses like substance. Very expensive mite treatment in that I have to replace 4 hives that previous to treatment had given me 180 pounds of honey.

Know that 3 applications can also mean 1 per week for 3 weeks to treat for fall mites. Don't leave it in the hive over the winter. We are helping varroa develop resistance to the tools we have for getting rid of them when we are sloppy in our keeping. Hop Guard is considered a "soft" chemical treatment which is great that we don't have to hammer varroa with "hard" treatments. Pounding varroa is also pounding the bees.

This treatment seems more organic and readily accepted by the bees. Wear neoprene gloves to work with since the strips are soaking in the fluid. I transferred the unused strips to a 1 gallon freezer zip-lock baggy to be used for the follow-up treatments. You simply unfold a strip and slide in down over a frame. The bees readily walk over it and will eventually chew up the cardboard strip to remove it.

A mess to apply and handle, but the fall mite load really decreased.