Acetic Acid & Open Mesh Floors

[BernardBlack]

Ok so i plan to fumigate (or whatever the word is) hive parts with Acetic Acid.

Lost hive in winter with signs of nosema (should have got it confirmed for sure, I know).

Anyway, I know I need to cover nails with Vaseline to stop them rusting with the acid. But how do I fumigate the open mesh floor? I mean, it’s metal.

Any thoughts?

 

[Spikedog]

Bernard,

The process involves fumigating brood boxes – it is recommended to place the brood box on a solid hive floor or simply on a sheet of timber… not the mesh floor. I use Wheelie bin liners to accommodate the boxes, they provide a good sealing-in of fumes. The black colour allows for marginal daytime heat retention. It is recommended that Vaseline is used on metal parts, however the short time exposure (7-10 days) will likely not prove too detrimental.

 

[masterBK]

I made my OMFs using stainless steel mesh so no problem. Ethanoic fumes will certainly attack the galvanised mesh.

 

[BernardBlack]

Bernard,

The process involves fumigating brood boxes – it is recommended to place the brood box on a solid hive floor or simply on a sheet of timber… not the mesh floor. I use Wheelie bin liners to accommodate the boxes, they provide a good sealing-in of fumes. The black colour allows for marginal daytime heat retention. It is recommended that Vaseline is used on metal parts, however the short time exposure (7-10 days) will likely not prove too detrimental.

Surely there’s a need to fumigate the OMF if there’s been nosema present? Won’t there be traces of nosema still on the OMF?

 

[Ian123]

Just flame the floor if there is any worry

 

[Hivemaker.]

Surely there’s a need to fumigate the OMF if there’s been nosema present? Won’t there be traces of nosema still on the OMF?

Nosema Apis has been pretty much displaced by Nosema Ceranae, freezing is quite an effective way of killing the spores. Found that Thymol also works well.

 

[Curley]

As Ian says - flame the floor - scrape wax and propolis off first (dispose of scrapings carefully). Flame with blow torch paying special attention to corners - don't need to blacken but need a discernible colour change

 

[masterBK]

Don't flame mesh made of plastic encoated wire!

 

[For want of a better word]

Don't flame mesh made of plastic encoated wire!

True!!
Only way would be to soak/boil the OMF in lye solution ( domestic washing soda strong mix) for half an hour to melt out any wax and propollis... jet wash and then into a 5% solution of bleach ( 1 liter red label farm bleach to 5 liters fresh water) for another half hour.... even kills wax moth!


Chons da

 

[Ian123]

Don't flame mesh made of plastic encoated wire!

More to the point dont buy mesh coated in plastic...lol

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Nosema Apis has been pretty much displaced by Nosema Ceranae, freezing is quite an effective way of killing the spores. Found that Thymol also works well.

Same as OP, Id like to treat for Nosema. Ive got a deep freezer which can take BBs and frames and would rather risk my fingers with cold than acid.

Do we all agree that a week freeze is a comfortable treatment rather than messing with acid?

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[BernardBlack]

Nosema Apis has been pretty much displaced by Nosema Ceranae, freezing is quite an effective way of killing the spores. Found that Thymol also works well.

So, acetic acid treatment for the brood boxes/supers/crown board?

Freezing for all other hive parts? (Open mesh floor, entrance block etc)?

 

[Hivemaker.]

You could freeze the combs and scorch any wooden hive parts or clean with a strong bleach solution if poly.

I used to do this acetic acid fumigation stuff years ago, but no longer bother, found it's not needed, have effectively treated heavily infected Nosema colonies and not changed any combs, no problems, even a few seasons later... and no serious recurrence of Nosema in those colonies.

 

[Madge]

True!!

Only way would be to soak/boil the OMF in lye solution ( domestic washing soda strong mix) for half an hour to melt out any wax and propollis... ...

Washing soda is not lye!

You can buy washing soda in the supermarket with other domestic cleaning stuff.

 

[Poly Hive]

Lye
A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. "Lye" is commonly an alternative name of sodium hydroxide or historically potassium hydroxide, though the term "lye" refers to any member of a broad range of metal hydroxides.Wikipedia

I remember back in the days offshore of metal hard hats when the "fashion" was to get them gleaming. The easy way was to dip them in a solution of sodium hydroxide which was added to the drilling mud to the point that if you had nicks on your hands they really stung with the chemical. So this guy dips his hat but leaves it over night and in the morning... he had a hat rim. All the rest was gone...

Not stuff to play with really.

PH