Thymovar 15 g Bee-hive Strips for Honey Bees

Composition

Each beehive strip contains:

Active substance:

15 g thymol

Excipient:

Qualitative composition of excipients and other constituents

Cellulose sponge cloth

Medicated cellulose sponge cloth (yellow wafer of 50 x 145 x 4.3 mm)

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Pharmacological properties

4.1 ATCvet code: QP 53 AX 22

4.2 Pharmacodynamics

Thymol is a phenol and naturally occurs in the essential oil fraction of many flavouring plant species.

Its mode of action is not fully understood. It may directly act on the mite through inhalation or diffusion by damaging structures at different unknown locations (the nervous system of the mite may be affected).

Through volatilisation from the beehive strip the thymol saturates the air in the beehive. The thymol is inhaled or absorbed through unknown intake by the varroa mite and harms the mite.

A concentration of more than 5 µg thymol / l air in the beehive kills the phoretic mites on the honey bees.

4.3 Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetics of thymol in bees is not known.

The 15 grams of thymol per beehive strip are sublimated in the beehive over a period of 3-4 weeks (21 to 28 days). Appropriate sublimation of thymol takes place at temperatures between 15 °C and 30 °C. After the removal of the beehive strips the vaporised residual thymol is exchanged by the natural air replacement of the colony. Residues in the wax of the combs are quickly released.

Environmental properties

As a natural substance thymol is rapidly metabolised and naturally decomposed in the environment.

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Target species

Honey bee (Apis mellifera).

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Indications

Treatment of varroosis on honey bee (Apis mellifera) due to Varroa mite (Varroa destructor).

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Dosage

In-hive use

Dosage:

Beehive strips

* Beehive strips can be cut with a pair of scissors.

Multiple-storey One chamber

Multiple-storey Two chambers

Dadant

Figure 1: Appropriate placement of the strips in the open hives viewed from the top.

Application:

Prior to treatment, remove all honey supers, close or replace open or screened hive floors with solid floors, and reduce the hive entrances to normal size.

It is recommended that part of the feeding is carried out before the treatment, if the infestation of varroa and the temperatures allow.

Begin the 1st application of a treatment by placing appropriate number of beehive strips (positions shown in Figure 1) on top of combs of the brood chamber (upper brood chamber if two). Beehive strips should be close to, but not directly over open or sealed brood (preferable distance > 4 cm).

Close the hive, leaving space (about 5 mm) between the beehive strips and the hive cover to improve the evaporation of thymol. Do not place plastic cover foils directly on the beehive strips.

Remove the 1st set of depleted beehive strips after 3-4 weeks.

Begin the 2nd application immediately with a new set of beehive strips in appropriate numbers and positions, as shown in Figure 1. Remove these beehive strips when they are depleted at the end of the 2nd 3-4 week application period.

Do not treat with the veterinary medicinal product more than twice a year.

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Contraindications

Do not use when the maximum daytime temperature is above 30 °C as this leads to increased stress and mortality of adult bees and brood.

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Adverse reactions

Honey bee:

Undetermined frequency (cannot be estimated from the available data):

Food removal1

Reduced food intake2

Brood removal3, bee brood mortality (increase)4

Increased mortality rate (bees)4

Agitation (of colony)4

1 from directly under the beehive strip.

2 if feeding takes place at the same time as the treatment.

3 for brood too close to the beehive strip (< 4 cm).

4 slight, during the treatment at high temperatures (above 30°C).

Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian, to either the marketing authorisation holder or its local representative or the national competent authority via the national reporting system. See the immediate packaging for respective contact details.

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Warnings

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:

Treat all hives in an apiary at the same time to avoid robbing behaviour. Never place beehive strips near a sugar feeder as this may reduce feeding.

If the sugar feeding begins to stagnate during the product application, the colonies can be fed before the 2nd application in the following sequence: Finish 1st application by removing the beehive strips after 3 weeks, then place the sugar feeder into the hive and finish the feeding before inserting the beehive strips for the 2nd application.

Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal product to animals:

Avoid contact with skin and eyes because of possible contact dermatitis and irritation. In case of skin contact wash thoroughly the affected area with soap and water. In case of eye contact wash the eyes thoroughly with copious amounts of clean running water and seek medical advice.

When handling the product, wear impermeable gloves as well as the usual protection equipment.

Special precautions for the protection of the environment:

Not applicable.

Other precautions:

Do not treat during honey flow to avoid potential taste tainting.

3.11 Special restrictions for use and special conditions for use, including restrictions on the use of antimicrobial and antiparasitic veterinary medicinal products in order to limit the risk of development of resistance

Not applicable.

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Use during pregnancy, lactation or lay

Not applicable.

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Interactions

No data available.

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Overdose

The use of a higher dosage of the beehive strips than recommended can lead to impetuous behaviour of the colony and abundant dead bee and larvae (> 20) in front of the hive entrance. To normalise the behaviour of the colony, remove excess beehive strips of the hive.

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Special warnings

Reduced product efficacy occurs if average temperatures fall below 15 °C during the treatment. Best efficacy is achieved when maximum daytime temperatures are between 20 °C and 25 °C throughout treatment.

The efficacy may vary between colonies due to the surrounding conditions (temperature, reinfestation etc.). The veterinary medicinal product should therefore be used as a treatment amongst other within an Integrated Pest Management programme, and mite drop regularly monitored. Colonies with an average mite drop of more than 1 mite per day two weeks right after the last treatment must be subjected to an additional winter or spring treatment for varroa (preferably with another active ingredient).

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Withdrawal period

Honey: zero days.

Do not use before and during the collecting period of the bees (honey flow) to avoid residues in the honey. Do not extract honey from treated brood chamber combs in the following spring.

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Incompatibilities

Not applicable.

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Immediate packaging

Sealed airtight double sachet (160 x 460 mm) of a SiOx coated PE foil, containing two sets of five beehive strips.

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Storage

Store below 30 °C. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Protect from frost. Protect from direct sunlight.

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Shelf life

Shelf life of the veterinary medicinal product as packaged for sale: 4 years. Shelf life after first opening the immediate packaging: use immediately.

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Disposal of unused product

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater. The veterinary medicinal product should not enter water courses as thymol may be dangerous for fish and other aquatic organisms.

Use take-back schemes for the disposal of any unused veterinary medicinal product or waste materials derived thereof in accordance with local requirements and with any national collection systems applicable to the veterinary medicinal product concerned. Normally, used beehive strips and the sachets can be discarded as household refuse.

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Additional information

Vm 36234/4000

8 DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION

15 June 2010

9 DATE OF THE LAST REVISION OF THE SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

May 2025

10 CLASSIFICATION OF VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS

Veterinary medicinal product not subject to prescription.

Find more product information by searching for the ‘Product Information Database’ on www.gov.uk.

Detailed information on this veterinary medicinal product is available in the Union Product Database (https://medicines.health.europa.eu/veterinary).

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Registration holder

Andermatt BioVet GmbH

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