British Beekeepers Association Official Forum
treating
- General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
I get the varroa under control during the Autumn and Winter treatments..to date I have not had to do a spring treatment..however if I ever had to do one I would vape Oxalic Acid mix five days apart four times..
I would say not out of choice but assuming you have found a varroa level that requires treatment before August, the options are:
A late treatment of Apiguard for two weeks (half dose) or even Apistan - just to knock it back enough to last until after the main flow - but take any super frames on during the treatment completely out of the food chain.
An MAQ's treatment, but recognise that it is harsh and can interfere with brood cycles at an important time and may result in brood loss or even result in queen supercedure/loss - if anyone wants to argue that please read the full MAQ guidance not just what is on the packet before arguing that you have done it and got away with it because that is no argument at all when you go against what the manufacturer says can happen.
On April 21st, this is not a question to be asking and one that suggests an earlier assessment would have been good.
Sorry to be short - but varroa is still the no. 1 hive pest.
A late treatment of Apiguard for two weeks (half dose) or even Apistan - just to knock it back enough to last until after the main flow - but take any super frames on during the treatment completely out of the food chain.
An MAQ's treatment, but recognise that it is harsh and can interfere with brood cycles at an important time and may result in brood loss or even result in queen supercedure/loss - if anyone wants to argue that please read the full MAQ guidance not just what is on the packet before arguing that you have done it and got away with it because that is no argument at all when you go against what the manufacturer says can happen.
On April 21st, this is not a question to be asking and one that suggests an earlier assessment would have been good.
Sorry to be short - but varroa is still the no. 1 hive pest.
Oxalic Acid is harmless to bees Queens and brood..that is why it is my first line of defence when thymol or miteasides can not be used.
Errrum...surely Steve you meant vapourized Apibioxal /slight grin/....
All you can legally do with pure Oxalic acid is clean your woodwork. Although I have been trying it vaporised to see if can also clean the insides of my poly hives/nudge wink/
Andrew, couldn't agree more..... varroa is one of the biggest problem we have. Alas many ignore it until far too late.
All you can legally do with pure Oxalic acid is clean your woodwork. Although I have been trying it vaporised to see if can also clean the insides of my poly hives/nudge wink/
Andrew, couldn't agree more..... varroa is one of the biggest problem we have. Alas many ignore it until far too late.
No it is not harmless to brood. Open brood can be lost and for some time after treatment. Furthermore, it doesn't kill the circa 75% of varroa in a hive that is in sealed brood cells that quickly repopulate the colony when that brood emerges. As a varroa treatment when sealed brood is present it is next to useless. That is why is it recommended for use when the colony has little or no brood.Steve 1972 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2020, 18:33Oxalic Acid is harmless to bees Queens and brood..that is why it is my first line of defence when thymol or miteasides can not be used.
Unless you want to stop your colonies dead in the water and keep trickling/vaping every few weeks, until the whole colony collapses, it would be advisable to find another treatment.
Andrew...trickling solutions of OA causes these problems...vaping doesn't. It's important to be clear about what methods of OA application we are discussing,
Vaping has little (if any) affect on open brood, trickling solutions of OA can and does have an affect if applied at wrong time of year...hence winter when no brod present is recommended time of application for solution of OA in liquid form.
Vaping has little (if any) affect on open brood, trickling solutions of OA can and does have an affect if applied at wrong time of year...hence winter when no brod present is recommended time of application for solution of OA in liquid form.
Why is is not a question to be asking if "Varroa is the No 1 hive pest" !!!AndrewLD wrote: On April 21st, this is not a question to be asking and one that suggests an earlier assessment would have been good.
My lot got both dates and appear to have done well for it
I simply would not rather drop the ball now.
My priorities this year are not including a honey crop so I could easily do another dose at least ,if it were feasable.
To use NP's previous 'cat flea' analogy,I'd rather squirt the Bob Martin before the host starts scratching again.
Nigel - if it doesn't kill the varroa in sealed cells then we are splitting hairs.
Alfred - I think that if you have a varroa problem at this time of year that requires treatment then you should review what you have done to date and choose a control regime/method that works better.
I do not use oxalic acid but I can see that it has its devotees. I think doing Oxalic treatment through the spring/summer is misusing a treatment that is supposed to be used for broodless or near broodless conditions. At this time of year we are really talking Oxalic treatment for swarms that are broodless. However, there are those who would prefer to sugar dust every two weeks than use any other treatment - ultimately they are not my bees so as long as you are using an approved veterinary medicine according to its instructions up to you.
Alfred - I think that if you have a varroa problem at this time of year that requires treatment then you should review what you have done to date and choose a control regime/method that works better.
I do not use oxalic acid but I can see that it has its devotees. I think doing Oxalic treatment through the spring/summer is misusing a treatment that is supposed to be used for broodless or near broodless conditions. At this time of year we are really talking Oxalic treatment for swarms that are broodless. However, there are those who would prefer to sugar dust every two weeks than use any other treatment - ultimately they are not my bees so as long as you are using an approved veterinary medicine according to its instructions up to you.
During a period when brood is presant oxalic acid mix works well hence the four vapes five days apart to catch the varroa through out the brood cycles...I have vaped a lot over the past five years..hundreds of times and not a single dead brood or Queen has occurred..unlike when I used Api lifevar in my first year..the dead brood on the inspection board was sickening..to date from my experiences..vaping oxalic mix only kills varroa and very effectively..but as we know each to there own weapon of choice.