Page 9 of 9 FirstFirst ... 789
Results 81 to 86 of 86

Thread: Oxalic Acid.

  1. #81
    Senior Member EmsE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Longbenton
    Posts
    404
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    I treated all my hives with Apiguard in the autumn. In some of them, the Queens stopped laying about this time too. I didn't check the mite drop as carefully at this time (plan to this year though) but did see a lot of mites fall during the treatment, however I have also been concerned that whilst there was a good fall of mites in the autumn, the Apiguard may not have been as effective as it could have been due to the cool weather at the time.

    The hive that has given me the biggest mite drop so far is one that I didn't think would still be here due to the queen not laying and their refusal to take stores in the autumn. There are now 6 seams of lively bees bees and they are enthusiastically making their way through a slab of fondant.

  2. #82
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Aberdeenshire, on top of a wind-swept and exposed hill.
    Posts
    1,190

    Default

    Thanks for the replies. I did wonder whether the kind of treatment might play a role in the necessity of using OA during winter. I used Apistan until the autumn of 2011, and then Apivar spring and autumn last year. I was shocked at the amount of varroa I found in one of my hives last spring on my first inspection - so it would be interesting to see what I'll find this coming spring having changed to Apivar and still not using OA. Will let you know.
    Kitta

  3. #83
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Norfolk East Anglia, South Scotland
    Posts
    962

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mellifera Crofter View Post
    Thanks for the replies. I did wonder whether the kind of treatment might play a role in the necessity of using OA during winter. I used Apistan until the autumn of 2011, and then Apivar spring and autumn last year. I was shocked at the amount of varroa I found in one of my hives last spring on my first inspection - so it would be interesting to see what I'll find this coming spring having changed to Apivar and still not using OA. Will let you know.
    Kitta
    Kitta,
    A commercial beekeeper I speak to occasionally uses Apivar and he says that it works very well so he treats once per year. Puts it in in Autumn and removes it in the Spring. He does no other varroa treatment.

    I have no problem with oxalic acid over bees, it works well and I have not seen any issues with it. (I even put acid on my chips but that's dilute acetic of course).

  4. #84
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Rosneath Peninsula Helensburgh
    Posts
    691

    Default

    I used Apivar for this first time in autumn last year and got a significant large drop in all my hives. I have followed this up with a winter treatment of 3.2% Oxalic acid which is a soft chemical to get the last few varroa that the Apivar did not get. Beekeepers in Denmark have been using Oxalic for years with no adverse affect as long as you keep to the correct concentration.

  5. #85
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Belfast, N. Ireland
    Posts
    5,122
    Blog Entries
    94

    Default

    As Jimbo says, Oxalic acid has been used all over Europe since the 1990s and there is stacks of research looking at the best dosage to use and whether there are any negative consequences for the bees.
    It is not a controversial treatment and is one of the least aggressive ways of keeping varroa numbers down.

    http://ebookbrowse.com/oxalic-acid-t...-doc-d83040618

    http://www.ibra.org.uk/articles/Oxal...idues-in-honey

    Randy Oliver has a load of info on his scientific beekeeping site

    http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxal...-1-of-2-parts/

  6. #86
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Aberdeenshire, on top of a wind-swept and exposed hill.
    Posts
    1,190

    Default

    Thanks for the links, Jon, and the reassurance from everybody that I won't harm my bees using OA. I believe you. Interesting about that commercial beekeeper, Adam. I'll see how my bees have coped in spring.
    Kitta

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •