Product DetailsVarroMed^® 555 ml

Active ingredient and other components

Usage and Dosage

Package Contents

Weight

Notes

Special warnings for each target species

This veterinary medicinal product should only be used as part of an integrated Varroa control program. The severity of mite infestation should be monitored regularly.
Efficacy has only been studied in colonies with low to moderate mite infestation.

Special Precautions for Use in Animals

After treatment, worker bees with protruding proboscis were observed. This could be related to insufficient access to drinking water. Therefore, ensure that treated bees have adequate access to drinking water.
The long-term tolerability of the veterinary medicinal product has only been studied over a period of 18 months; therefore, adverse effects of the veterinary medicinal product on queen bees or colony development following longer treatment periods cannot be ruled out. It is recommended to regularly check whether the queen is present. However, avoid disturbing the colonies in the days following treatment.
All bee colonies located at the same site should be treated at the same time to minimize the risk of reinfestation.

Special Precautions for the User

This veterinary medicinal product is irritating to the skin and eyes. Avoid contact with the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. When handling the veterinary medicinal product, the user should wear protective equipment consisting of protective clothing, acid-resistant gloves, and safety goggles. Remove heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and wash it before wearing it again. In case of accidental skin exposure, wash the affected areas immediately under running water. In case of accidental eye exposure, rinse the eye(s) immediately under clear running water for 10 minutes.
− Children should not come into contact with this veterinary medicinal product. Accidental ingestion may lead to side effects.
− Individuals with known hypersensitivity to formic acid or oxalic acid should use this veterinary medicinal product with caution.
− Do not eat, drink, or smoke while using this product.

Interactions with Other Medications and Other Interactions

None known.
Concomitant use of other acaricides should be avoided, as this may result in increased toxicity to bees.

Incompatibilities

Do not mix with other veterinary drugs.

Contraindications

Do not use during the nectar-flow season.

Side Effects

In clinical and preclinical trials, an increased mortality rate among worker bees was very commonly observed following treatment with VarroMed. This effect is likely due to the oxalic acid in VarroMed and increases with higher doses and/or repeated treatments.
The frequency categories for side effects are defined as follows:
- Very common (more than 1 in 10 treated colonies exhibit side effects)
- Common (more than 1 but fewer than 10 out of 100 treated colonies)
- Uncommon (more than 1 but fewer than 10 out of 1,000 treated colonies)
- Rare (more than 1 but fewer than 10 out of 10,000 treated colonies)
- Very rare (fewer than 1 in 10,000 treated colonies, including isolated case reports).

Use during pregnancy, lactation, or the laying period

Not applicable.

Dosage and Method of Administration

For use in bee colonies.
To be dripped onto bees in occupied comb lanes of the brood chamber.

Dosage:
Shake well before use.
The dose should be carefully adjusted to the colony size (see dosage table). Determine the colony size and the number of bee-occupied comb sections to be treated, and select the correct, required amount of the veterinary medicinal product. The following dosage schedule applies:
Number of bees:
5,000 – 7,000: 15 ml VarroMed 
7,000 – 12,000: 15 to 30 ml VarroMed
12,000 – 30,000: 30 to 45 ml VarroMed
> 30,000: 45 ml VarroMed

The use of this veterinary medicinal product according to the dosage schedule listed above applies only to hives with vertical Boxes that can be accessed from above, as the treatment of bees in other hive types has not been studied.

The multi-dose container features a dosage scale for precise dosing.

Treatment Frequency:
Repeated administration of the veterinary medicinal product at 6-day intervals may be necessary during treatment in the spring and fall. Repeated applications should only be performed if mites are present, in accordance with the following table:

Spring: 
Number of applications: 1 or 3
Threshold for the first treatment: Treatment should be administered at the start of the season as colony strength increases, when natural mite fall exceeds 1 mite per day.
Repeat treatment: Treatment should be repeated twice (i.e., a maximum of 3 treatments) if more than 10 mites are found on the floor within 6 days after the first treatment.

Fall:
Number of applications: 3 to 5 times
Threshold for the first treatment: Treatment should be carried out as early as possible in late summer/early fall as the colony strength declines, when the natural mite fall exceeds 4 mites per day.
Repeat treatment: The treatment should be repeated twice at 6-day intervals (i.e., 3 applications).
The treatment should be carried out two more times (i.e., a maximum of 5 treatments) if more than 150 mites (for colonies in their second year or older) or more than 90 mites (first-year nucleus colonies) are found on the bottom board within 6 days after the third treatment.

Winter (brood-free):
Number of applications: 1
Threshold for the first treatment: The treatment should be performed at the start of the broodless phase in colonies infested with Varroa.
Repeat treatment: Not applicable (single treatment only).

Instructions for Proper Use
Time of administration: The veterinary medicinal product should be applied primarily during times when the bees have low flight activity (late afternoon, evening). Darkness facilitates the distribution of the veterinary medicinal product among the bees. To avoid overdosing individual bees, care should be taken to distribute the veterinary medicinal product evenly among the bees, especially within the cluster.
The veterinary medicinal product should not be used during the nectar flow or when honey supers are in place.
Before use, the veterinary medicinal product should be warmed to 25 °C to 35 °C and shaken well.
It is recommended to remove the wax bridges from the top of the Frames before administering the veterinary medicinal product.
Do not lift the frames during and for about one week after the last treatment.
To determine the extent of Varroa infestation in a colony, mite fall must be monitored: mite fall on the bottom of the hive should be recorded before the first treatment and up to 6 days after each treatment.

Overdose (Symptoms, Emergency Measures, Antidote), if necessary

72 hours (h) after administration of a 10-percent oxalic acid dihydrate solution in a 50-percent sugar solution, permanent lesions were observed in the digestive and excretory organs.
Oxalic acid concentrations of 20% in a 50% sugar solution resulted in acute bee mortality of more than 60%.
In the event of an accidental overdose (e.g., spilling large quantities of the veterinary drug into a colony), the best course of action is to replace the hive and clean the Boxes with water to remove all visible splashes of the solution.

Withholding periods

Honey: Zero days.

Pharmacological properties 

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Ectoparasiticides for topical use, including insecticides, organic acids, and combinations.
ATCvet code: QP53AG30.

It is believed that formic acid kills Varroa mites by inhibiting electron transport in their mitochondria through binding to cytochrome c oxidase, thereby inhibiting energy metabolism. After evaporation into the air inside the hive (at least 500 ppm), formic acid may have a neuroexcitatory effect on the neurons of arthropods. There are no data available to confirm this activity following the application of a 0.5% formic acid solution. However, it is assumed that the formic acid in the fixed combination of the veterinary drug prolongs the duration of action of oxalic acid and improves the tolerability of the veterinary drug.
The mechanism of action of oxalic acid against Varroa mites is unknown. However, direct contact between the mites and the oxalic acid is required. It is assumed that oxalic acid acts through direct contact or through the ingestion of hemolymph containing oxalic acid. The acaricidal effect is likely due primarily to the low pH of the formulation. Treatments with oxalic acid administered in water are ineffective, but administration in sugar water enhances efficacy due to better adhesion to the bees.

Pharmacokinetic Data

The pharmacokinetics of the veterinary medicinal product have not been studied.
However, data from the literature indicate that oxalic acid is absorbed to a limited extent following topical application at therapeutic doses under normal beekeeping conditions. Data also show that oxalic acid can be ingested by bees due to increased grooming after application to the skin, which could lead to increased toxicity.
The pharmacokinetics of formic acid in bees are unknown.

List of other ingredients

Ammonium sulfite caramel (E150d)
Sugar syrup
Propolis tincture 20%
Star anise oil
Lemon oil
Citric acid monohydrate
Purified water (Ph Eur.).

Shelf Life

Shelf life of the veterinary medicinal product in the unopened container: 2 years.
Shelf life after first opening the container: 30 days.

Special Storage Instructions

Special Precautions for the Disposal of Unused Medicinal Products or Waste Materials, if Necessary

Unused veterinary medicinal products or waste materials derived from them must be disposed of in accordance with national regulations.

Marketing Authorization Holder

BeeVital GmbH
Wiesenbergstraße 19
A-5164 Seeham
AUSTRIA

BeeVital GmbH
Goldschlagstraße 40/8
1150 Vienna
Austria