Oxalic acid treatments

[bee-nuts]

I have some questions about oxilic acid again.

First, I would appreciate any links to good information on oxalic acid vapor treatment on varroa mites.  I am reading up to 96% mite death rate.  Does anyone have a few years experiance with this stuff and results that back it up?

Second, can one vapor treatment a year (Keep in mind Im in Northern WIsconsin) be effective enough to prevent the dirty mites from getting out of control if done in October or November when there is little or no brood in hive (if 90% kill is achieved).

The more I read on bees and miteasides the worse they seem to be.  Sorry I dot have links to give but I read that queen performance is affected with apistan.  Both her life span and her egg laying performance.............more bad stuff and more bad stuff...........  I want to stay away from as much poisoning to the bee as possible.

Thanks for any insight

bee-nuts

[danno]

I'm across the lake from you and have used vapor going on 3 years.  I do treat more than once though.  Actually 6 times.  3 in spring and 3 in late summer.  The acid does not penitrate the cells so the only way you get away with less would be to wait until they were broodless and I think thats to late.  I treat right after thistle and before goldenrod.  I pull supers and treat 3 times 1 week apart.  This will give you a couple of mite free brood cycles going into winter.  Spring time as soon as temp get into the 40s

[Robo]

I no longer treat, but when I did, the last method I used was OA vaporizing (the only thing I found to consistently work, though I never tried formic because it was not readily available at the time) .  The first year I started, my hives where just about ready to crash so I did 3 treatments 1 week part in the Fall.   For the 3 years after,  I did one treatment a year in November and never had a varroa problem.  Key is to monitor and be prepared to treat if you need to.

[David LaFerney]

I no longer treat, but when I did, the last method I used was OA vaporizing (the only thing I found to consistently work, though I never tried formic because it was not readily available at the time) .  The first year I started, my hives where just about ready to crash so I did 3 treatments 1 week part in the Fall.   For the 3 years after,  I did one treatment a year in November and never had a varroa problem.  Key is to monitor and be prepared to treat if you need to.

I did two treatments a week apart this fall and mite drop went from too numerous to count down to about 35/24 hours - about a month later.     I used 1 gram of OA per treatment, and I suspect that I should have used a larger dosage for better results.   

Good how-to and dosage info is hard to find.  How much would you use if you were going to do it again?

[Robo]

I used the 2gram measuring cup that came with the vaporizer and would continue to use it.  Is is just a standard 1/2" copper cap with a handle soldered on.

[David LaFerney]

Thanks, that's helpful. 

[danno]

I used the 2gram measuring cup that came with the vaporizer and would continue to use it.  Is is just a standard 1/2" copper cap with a handle soldered on.

The cups that come with the vaporizer now are small plastic and require 2 scoops.   My copper one one is right where i left it. Problem is I dont know where "where" is.  Have to make a new before spring.  So Rob you got away with one Nov treatment.  Thats interesting.  What were your losses back then?