What is the best time of day to do oxalic acid treatment?
It doesn’t really matter what time of day you do your oxalic acid treatment. But, very early morning or later in the day will expose more bees to the vapor quicker. As for best time of year to treat, doing your mite counts is the only way to know the level of varroa infestation in your hives.
How far apart should I use oxalic acid?
Some folks advised her to use three treatments five days apart, another advised three treatments seven days apart. She wants to know which is best. I think the big question here is how long after a treatment does the oxalic acid continue to kill mites.
Do you have to let oxalic acid sit before cleaning?
When cleaning with Oxalic, it may be necessary to let the product sit on the stain to be effective. Also, badly stained areas may need to be cleaned multiple times. After cleaning with an Oxalic Acid solution, rinse thoroughly with plenty of water and let the surface dry clean. How much Oxalic Acid do you need to use?
What is oxalic acid used for?
Oxalic Acid is a reliable & effective cleaner when used in appropriate applications. Oxalic Acid may be used to remove rust and other difficult stains from areas such as buildings, boats, swimming pools, concrete driveways, sidewalks, iron machinery, wood decks, stairs or trim.
How often can you treat with oxalic acid?
A common approach is to treat again 6 days later and then again another 6 days after that. Some beekeepers prefer a 5 day period but we're getting a little subjective at that point (another beekeeper debate topic right there!).
How many times do you treat bees with oxalic acid?
They treat once in the Winter when colonies are naturally broodless, and once again in the late Summer after inducing an artificial state of broodlessness by caging their queens for 21 days.
How long does oxalic acid last?
If you must store your oxalic acid-containing syrup for any length of time it should be in the fridge (4°C). Under these conditions HMF levels should remain well below toxic levels for at least one year. However, don't store it for this long … use it and discard the excess.
How often should you treat for Varroa mites?
At least for now, any one interested in keeping bees must have a plan to deal with this external pest of the honey bee. Beekeeping involves hive management and varroa management. When do you need to worry about varroa mites? For most beekeepers, it is a necessity to treat bees for varroa mites several times a year.
Does oxalic acid damage brood?
Oxalic acid is known to cause damage to open brood (Terpin et al. 2019). Damaging brood during honey flow can weaken the colony later in the summer. We already have treatments that are labeled for use when honey supers are on and that work through the cappings—Mite Away Quick Strips and Formic Pro.
Can you eat honey after oxalic acid treatment?
No implication at all. The honey is not at all unsafe to consume. The treatment for varroa mites using oxalic acid is permitted by the EPA with a condition that supers not be in place during the treatment process.
When should I treat with oxalic acid?
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO USE OXALIC ACID TO TREAT? The most effective time to treat a hive with Oxalic Acid is when a hive has little to no sealed brood. It cannot penetrate capped brood so it will have no effect on the next generation of mites that were left in capped brood.
How many Varroa mites is too many?
It would also seem that Varroa are transmitting more virulent strains of viruses with each passing year. Because of this, I recommend to keep mite levels below 1 mite/ 100 bees in the spring and below 3 mites/100 bees in the fall. With Varroa loads any higher, beekeepers risk high colony losses.
Can you treat for Varroa mites in summer?
Of the three products, formic acid (available commercially as Formic Pro) is the summer mainstay because it has two important features: It can be used when honey supers are in place and it kills varroa mites under brood cappings, meaning all of the varroa in the hive are vulnerable to it.
How many times a year should you treat bees for mites?
Some like to treat when they find one mite per 100 bees, others like to wait for 2 or 3 per hundred. In short, I think every three months, beginning when you first receive your bees, is a good place to start.
Is it too late to treat for varroa mites?
If you're wondering if you still can, the answer is yes! Although late summer treatment is the best for protecting your winter bees, a delayed treatment is better than no treatment. Whenever you need to treat for varroa, you have to consider which treatment is the best for the time of year and the status of your hive.
What month do you treat varroa mites?
As an example, if beekeepers want to control Varroa mites in their colonies by 31 August when the first Winter bees are emerging as adults in the prairie provinces, then miticide treatments should be applied before 17 August; that is the date when worker larvae are being sealed into their cells that will emerge as ...
How to vaporize oxalic acid?
The most popular method of using oxalic acid is – “ oxalic acid vaporization “. A small amount of Oxalic Acid crystals are placed on a special wand. The wand is inserted into the hive and heated to vaporize the crystals. There are many types of wands available to purchase.
Where can I find oxalic acid?
It is a white crystalline solid that is colorless in water. You will find it in such things as: peanuts, sweet potatoes, wheat bran and pecans. Some oxalic acid occurs naturally in honey.
How to use oxalic acid in a hive?
Dribble Method of Using Oxalic Acid. In the dribble method of using oxalic acid, the acid is mixed with warm 1:1 sugar water (equal parts of sugar and water). Then, the mix is sucked up into a syringe applied between the frames in the hive – directly wetting the bees.
Can you inhale oxalic acid in a vaporizer?
This is an overview of one way to use oxalic acid with a vaporizer in your bee yard. Please use appropriate safety gear to protect your skin and lungs. Do NOT inhale the vapor – do not.
Is oxalic acid stronger than vinegar?
Oxalic acid is several thousand times stronger than vinegar. It is bitter to the taste and irritating to the nose and mouth. Beekeepers should use proper protective wear when using this or any other acid. Oxalic Acid (OA) has been used by European Beekeepers for many years.
Is OA good for bees?
Oxalic Acid (OA) has been used by European Beekeepers for many years. With reports of 90-99% efficacy in killing mites, they found it be a useful tool in the fight with varroa. It was only approved for use in the US in 2015. Products available in stores are labeled for use in beehives. Some beekeepers use generics too.
Does oxylic acid kill phoretic mites?
Oxalic acid treatments only kill phoretic mites. Those are the foundress mites that are riding around on the adult bees. Most of the time, the majority of mites in a hive will be inside the capped brood. Oxalic Acid does not kill mites under the cap.
How To Clean With Oxalic Acid
First, pre-clean the stained area by removing any dirt, grease, grime, or debris from the surface, possibly including the use of soap and hot water. When the stained area has been pre-cleaned, you will need to prepare an Oxalic Acid solution.
How Oxalic Acid Works
Oxalic Acid is widely known for its ability to remove rust stains. How does Oxalic remove a stain that many other types of cleaning chemicals can’t budge? Here are the fascinating facts!
Wear Protective Equipment When Using Oxalic
When cleaning with Oxalic, keep in mind that it is a strong acid and a poison. Wear protective clothing such as goggles and rubber gloves. Oxalic may cause skin irritation, and any skin that is exposed should be washed thoroughly after handling.
Where To Buy Oxalic Acid
Request a quote for Oxalic Acid in 55 pound bags. Or, for smaller volumes, check your local hardware store for products labeled ‘wood bleach’ or ‘rust remover’.
How much does anhydrous oxalic acid weigh?
Anhydrous OA has a molecular weight of only 71.42% of that of the common oxalic acid dihydrate obtained by most beekeepers. *Distilled water may be necessary if you have “hard” (calcium-rich) water that reacts with the OA. To test, heat up some of your tap water in a clear glass container, then stir in a tsp of OA.
How does oxalic acid react with calcium carbonate?
Update April 2020: Oxalic acid will react with the calcium carbonate in hard water to form a precipitate of calcium oxalate, which you may see as a fine white layer on the bottom of the container. But this isn’t really something to worry about. The “hardest” water contains around 200 mg of calcium carbonate per liter. For an OA dribble, you use around 35 grams of OA per liter. The 200 mg of carbonate in that liter would neutralize only a tiny portion of the OA.
What is the reaction of oxalic acid to calcium carbonate?
Oxalic Acid Treatment Table. Update April 2020: Oxalic acid will react with the calcium carbonate in hard water to form a precipitate of calcium oxalate, which you may see as a fine white layer on the bottom of the container. But this isn’t really something to worry about. The “hardest” water contains around 200 mg of calcium carbonate per liter.
How much OA water to use for bees?
Early use of OA by European beekeepers involved spraying each comb of bees in broodless colonies with a 2%-3% OA water solution. The technique was effective but time consuming since each comb covered with bees had to removed and sprayed on both sides for control.
How long can OA syrup be stored?
Solutions can be stored for a maximum of six months at a storage temperature of 59 degrees.
Is oxalic acid dihydrate toxic?
Although OA is considered an organic mite control, it has a ìDanger-Poisonî signal word on the label meaning it is highly toxic and corrosive.
Is oxalic acid toxic to bees?
The toxicity of oxalic acid (OA) to Varroa has been known for nearly three decades based on experiments conducted in Asia and later in Europe. The initial tests compared spraying weak OA solutions on bees, trickling OA sugar syrups into honey bee colonies and OA fumigation (vaporization). All of these methods demonstrated very high efficacy ...
Is OA good for broodless?
Research clearly demonstrates that OA is most effective in broodless colonies for both the trickle and fumigation techniques.
What to wear when handling oxalic acid crystals?
When you’re handling the crystals, wear safety glasses and gloves: thin (so you’re not clumsy) nitrile or latex gloves are fine (Kimberly-Clark 2006). The crystals that you will be buying are oxalic acid dihydrate (dihydrate, as opposed to dehydrate–which means that there are two molecules of water bound to each molecule of acid). Because of this, common oxalic acid crystals have a “damp” feel, and don’t go flying all over the room. You’re not going to inhale them or get them in your eyes unless you fling them up there by using a springy cheap plastic spoon. Unless–you purchase it in the little plastic 12 oz containers at the hardware store, as they have a diabolically-designed lid that wants to fling crystals everywhere when you try to pry the dang thing off! I suggest that you do all your opening of containers and mixing in, or next to, a sink (see Common Sense Safety below).
What is the formula for oxalic syrup?
Most Europeans use w:v (weight of acid to volume of syrup) formulas (easy to use: e.g., 35 g oxalic in a liter of syrup is 3.5% w:v); some Europeans, and most Americans, use w:w (weight oxalic: weight sugar + weight water + weight oxalic again). If you’re not careful, it’s easy to screw up.
Is oxalic good for bees?
The overwhelming evidence is that oxalic is most effective and easiest on the bees during the winter broodless period. However, it is handy for making “clean” nucleus colonies–if you hit a mating nuc with oxalic just as the last of the old brood is emerging, you can start with a nearly mite-free colony. This treatment apparently does not affect new queen survival.
Can you use oxalic acid on bees?
Oxalic acid treatments fall into two categories: Winter broodless application Oxalic acid is well researched for a Fall/Winter broodless application, or can be used in colonies made broodless by manipulation—such as (1) to treat package bees, or (2) to make “clean” nucs.
Does oxalic acid kill mites?
This leads us to the hope that OA might be a long-term “organic” weapon for mite control. Funny thing is, no one really knows how OA kills mites, although there is a great deal of conjecture in the literature! One might assume that its mode of action would be similar to that of formic acid, which forms a vapor at hive temperatures. According to Imdorf (Anonymous 1999), formic kills by “respiratory inhibition,” although he doesn’t cite a source for this statement.
Can oxalic acid be absorbed into rabbit eyes?
In other words, don’t get it into your eyes, and wash it off your skin.
Is oxalic acid safe?
Conclusions. Oxalic acid appears to be an inexpensive, easy to apply, safe, highly effective, environmentally benign mit icide to include in our arsenal of mite control weapons in an overall IPM strategy. It does have its limitations and problems, and the potential for personal injury if handled carelessly.
How to apply oxalic acid treatments
The most common way of applying oxalic acid is by trickling. For this, the oxalic acid solution is trickled with a syringe on the top bars of the frames at a dose of 5 ml per occupied frame. For instance, if your colonies occupies 5 frames, the right dose is 25 ml. If it’s on 8 frames you trickle 40 ml.
Good and bad applications
If I had to chose an application method, I would chose trickling. It’s quick and easy. If the handling with a syringe bothers you, there are also applicators which are easier to handle. Sublimating oxalic acid is as efficient and safe for the bees, too. However, the user safety isn’t as high as with trickling.
When to treat with oxalic acid
Now that you know how to treat, the next step is knowing the right moment. Oxalic acid acts only on the mites on the adult bees. Therefore, it’s a treatment for colonies without brood. This can be a natural break in winter or during drought periods in summer. But it’s also possible to produce an artificial break by caging the queen.
Sweet and sour – misunderstandings about oxalic acid treatments
The first available recipes or products for treating against varroa with oxalic acid by trickling always indicated that the solution must be prepared with sugar (sucrose, to be exact, the same sugar you use in cakes or your coffee). Beekeepers often think that it’s for making it more attractive for the bees.
An issue and a solution
There’s a caveat, though. Oxalic acid solutions with sugar don’t remain stable for long time. After a few days, the solution gets brownish. This is a sign that the sugar degraded in presence of the acid. The concentration of HMF, a substance that results when sugar degrades in an acid environment, increases.
Why you should know the science behind oxalic acid treatments
If you got this far: congratulations! It’s for a reason I told you all this science stuff: I want you to make good and informed decisions. Oxalic acid is the most efficient treatment we have against the varroa mite. Also the most flexible one. Beekeepers worldwide use it, in hot or cold regions alike.
What is oxalic acid?
Oxalic acid is completely natural. It is a natural organic substance present in many plants, including vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, nuts, seeds, and others. Herbivores find oxalic acid repulsive, which is useful if you’re a plant!
Why is oxalic acid of interest to beekeepers?
It has proven to be a direct and successful treatment for Varroa ticks. People used it for this purpose for many years in Europe and Canada. It was only in 2015 that it was allowed to be used in beehives in the United States. Oxalic acid is inexpensive, natural, and has the potential to be very successful.
How much oxalic acid per hive?
The recommended dosage is one gram per brood chamber. Most have two brood chambers, so use two grams (which is very close to a ½ teaspoonful). You could use a ½ teaspoon measure in lieu of two grams (a quarter teaspoon). More is not better
Oxalic Acid vaporizing for Varroa mites
The use of vapor to deliver oxalic acid into the beehive is an efficient way. It makes use of the physical features of oxalic acid by sublimating it with heat. This necessitates the use of specialized equipment known as vaporizers.
Oxalic acid fogging for Varroa mites
The second way of treating Varroa mites with oxalic acid is fogging. Oxalic acid fogging delivers a considerable volume in a single application. It is quite quickly, allowing beekeepers to travel from one hive to the next in quick succession.
Oxalic Acid bees recipe
An oxalic acid fog is created with a combination of ethyl alcohol and oxalic acid. To 100ml of ethyl alcohol, 25 grams of oxalic acid powder or crystals are added. Stir the oxalic acid until it is completely dissolved. Depending on the degree of the Varroa mite infection, this is enough to treat 30 to 50 hives.
How to mix oxalic acid for bees
Many countries allow the use of oxalic acid to treat beehives for Varroa ticks. Once there, it is used in powder or crystal form. Beekeepers who use oxalic acid foggers to administer the acid in solution for Varroa mite control must appropriately mix the acid. During treatment, people often mix oxalic acid with water, ethyl alcohol, or mineral oil.
How many days apart should I use oxalic acid?
Some folks advised her to use three treatments five days apart, another advised three treatments seven days apart. She wants to know which is best. I think the big question here is how long after a treatment does the oxalic acid continue to kill mites.
Does oxalic acid return to normal after vaporization?
More recent reports say that levels of oxalic acid in the hive quickly return to normal after a vaporization treatment, which makes more sense. In deciding how much time to leave between treatments, you have to decide how long the chemical stays active in the hive.
Is oxalic acid harmful to honey bees?
Although this substance is not particularly harmful to honey bees, it is deadly to varroa mites.
An Effective and Popular Treatment
What Is Oxalic acid?
- Much of the debate around the use of treatments by beekeepers focuses on the use of harsh chemicals in the hive. Indeed, some commonly used treatments are based on unnatural chemicals and any beekeeper following natural beekeeping principles will likely have an aversion against such treatments. Oxalic acid, however, is entirely natural.It is an organic compound foun…
Why Is Oxalic Acid of Interest to Beekeepers?
- So, with that, why is oxalic acid of such interest to us? It has been shown to be a direct and effective treatment for Varroa mites and has been used for this purpose in Europe and Canada for many years. It was only approved for use in beehives in the US in 2015. Oxalic acid isn't terribly expensive, is natural and can be very effective. What's not to like? So, let's dig deeper.
How Does It Work?
- Truth be told, it's not entirely understood why oxalic acid is so effective in treating Varroa. But the most popular theory is that it enters the mite through its feet (yes, really!) and then moves into the bloodstream. From that point the mite is a goner! Meanwhile, bees don't have a particularly adverse reaction to the correct application of oxalic acid. When we choose oxalic acid as a treat…
When Oxalic Acid Works - and When It Doesn't
- A large percentage of Varroa in the mid-summer hive do their damage under the protective cover of the capping on a cell. As well as sucking the life out of the larvae resident in the same cell, the female Varroa that entered the cell initially will reproduce. Eventually, a single cell will be home to many Varroa. Oxalic acid is not effective against Varroa in capped brood. This, of course, has im…
Popular Methods For Applying Oxalic Acid
- So, you've decided to treat with oxalic acid. How do you do this? There are a few different ways in which oxalic acid can be applied. Two popular options are the dribble and vaporization methods. Let's take a look at these two options.