1. What is Terramycin®?
2. Should I Use Terramycin® in My Hives?
3. Recipes for Mixing Terramycin®
4. Terramycin® Protocol
5. Tips on Using Terramycin®
6. Pros and Cons of Different Terramycin® Formulations

• Terramycin® is the trade name for the antibiotic oxy-tetracycline – HCl, the only antibiotic registered for the PREVENTION of American foulbrood (AFB). Terramycin® is also registered for control of European foulbrood (EFB). Terramycin® is often called TM for short.
  
• Products labeled for use with honey bees include Terramycin® Soluble Powder (TSP for short), TM-50D and TM-100D. The latter two names are based on the number of grams of active ingredient (AI) per pound of product. Terramycin® Soluble Powder contains 10 grams oxytetracycline - HCl per 6.4 oz. packet, or 25 grams AI per pound. TM-10 is no longer produced.

• Several factors will influence your decision to use or not to use
  Terramycin® to control EFB or prevent AFB. These include:
• Your personal beliefs about using chemicals in your hives.
  
• The requirements of the market you serve. TM is not appropriate for producers serving the natural foods market.
  
• Your assessment of the risk your bees face. If the AFB incidence in your area is low, you may do fine without the use of antibiotics. However, if you live in an area with a high incidence of AFB, you may want to consider using antibiotics.
  
• Remember! If you decide to use TM as part of your AFB management program, use it only as a PREVENTATIVE. Do not treat colonies with AFB scales or active AFB. If a colony is infected with AFB, it is necessary to destroy the bees, combs, honey and hive parts. Check with your state Department of Agriculture for local requirements.

• Terramycin® should be mixed as a dust with powdered sugar to deliver 200 mg active ingredient per 1 oz dose of TM/sugar mixture.
  
• Three, 1 oz doses are applied at 4 - 5 day intervals in the early spring and again in the fall after removing the crop.
  
• You may also apply Terramycin® in sugar syrup or in an extender patty with vegetable shortening and sugar.

     Recipes for Mixing Terramycin® in Sugar Syrup

These recipes provide the legal dose of 200 mg Terramycin® in every 5 lb. dose of medicated syrup. Each colony should be fed 5 lbs. (2 quarts) of medicated syrup 3 times at 4-5 day intervals.

     Terramycin® Protocol

• In the spring, apply 3, 1 oz. doses of the TM/SUGAR mix at 4-5 day intervals AFTER a thorough inspection has revealed that AFB IS NOT present.
  
• Apply TM/SUGAR mix around edges of the brood nest. Make last application at least 42 days before adding supers for a marketable nectar flow.
  
• In the fall, apply 3, 1 oz. doses of the TM/SUGAR mix at 4-5 day intervals AFTER removing the fall crop AND AFTER a thorough inspection has revealed that AFB IS NOT present.
  
• You must observe a 42-day withholding period after your last application of the TM/SUGAR mix before adding supers for marketable honey.
  
• For summer treatment of European foulbrood (EFB NOT AFB), remove honey before treating. Depending on when this occurs, you may or may not be able to use that colony for additional production of consumable honey that season. If you cannot satisfy the required withholding period, consider using the surplus honey from that colony as winter feed for other colonies.

• REMEMBER!
  
  • Use TM only as a PREVENTATIVE for AFB!
    
  • Do not treat colonies with AFB scales or active AFB!
    
  • Burn colonies and equipment with AFB scales or active AFB!

     Tips for Using Terramycin®

• .When mixing large quantities of TSP, TM-50D or TM-100D for dusting, make a premix by thoroughly blending the total specified amount of antibiotic with an equal amount of powdered sugar. Next, thoroughly blend this pre-mix with an equal amount of powdered sugar. Repeat until all of the powdered sugar has been used. This method will help to ensure a more equal distribution of the active ingredient throughout your mix.
  
• The use of a commercial mixer is advised when blending large quantities of materials for extender patties.
  
• When mixing TM in syrup, always mix with powdered sugar first, and then mix in the other ingredients. TM is not as stable in sugar syrup as it is in the dust and patty formulations.
  
• Always check expiration dates when ordering chemicals. Never purchase more of a chemical than you will use before its expiration date.
  
• You must observe a required withholding period for many of the chemicals used in the hive. This is the period immediately prior to a honey flow during which time a chemical may not be present in the hive. The withholding period for TM is 42 days. This requires careful planning in the spring, but poses no particular problem in the fall because TM is applied only after removing the fall crop.

     Pros and Cons of Different Terramycin® Formulations

Dust

• Fast acting
  
• Good stability
  
• Minimal residues

• 3 trips to apiary

Extender Patty

• 1 trip to apiary
  
• Good stability

• Initially, slow acting
  
• Easy to violate label restrictions regarding withholding period.
  
• If you fail to remove a TM patty from a colony, you increase the chances of TM residues in honey, and you may promote the development of TM resistance in the pathogen population.

Syrup

• Fast acting
  
• Provides feed at the same time

• 3 trips to apiary
  
• Greatest chance of residues
  
• Poor stability