Applying oxalic 3.2% with a super in place

[newbie]

I would like to pick your collective brains ! I was intending to apply oxalic acid (bought trickle 2) after the next cold snap.
I was just reading the instructions on the bottle (don't look so surprised !) and note that it says never to apply if there is a super on the hive.

I have from the bottom up : open mesh floor with tray in, brood box, super, crown board, roof.
The bees really need to be treated, so should I remove the super ? I left them a full super when I closed up in the autumn as there wasn't much in their brood box. If the super is empty it won't matter, I can give them fondant instead, but I don't want to take all their food if they still have it stored in the super.
It is a WBC hive so can't easily be hefted. I am assuming that the cluster will be in the brood box, not the super ... that will be a different matter.

I don't know the reason for not putting the oxalic acid on the super - I presume it is to avoid contamination into any honey to be harvested ?

What do you all think ? - extra points for 3 or more beekeepers that agree the same answer ! Thanks all

 

[oliver90owner]

I'll kick off. If there wasn't much in the brood box, they could well be in the shallow by now. You cannot take away all their stores, or even most of it, if the shallow is still full. Think about it!

BTW, there should not be a detritus collector under an OMF!

 

[MJBee]

Quote:- If there wasn't much in the brood box, they could well be in the shallow by now Unquote:

Trickle into the super - use a torch if necessary to find seams of bees. At the first inspection next Spring move the super below the brood box. The bees will move any remaining stores up into the brood box, freeing up the super for "normal use".

As RAB said the inspection tray should be removed - all it is doing is collecting hive debris and allowing athletic varroa mites to climb back into the hive. Apart from a week after treatment my varroa inserts are out all year.

 

[busybee53]

I agree with the first two. How do I get my points?

 

[drstitson]

as you suspect the advice refers to a super intended for harvesting NOT overwintering stores.

Remember also that a national hive on brood and a half equates approximately to the frame area of dadant blatts, upon which trickling was originally developed (ancient history according to our Finnish friend).

Only problem with a super is that of misalignment between the two sets of frames which means that you're not directly going to be treating full seams but are reliant upon more indirect spread from bee to bee.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not worth risking moving the super now and disturbing the cluster - Just OA as if it were one unit

 

[Arfermo]

Trickle as is. The super is for brood/stores etc and not for honey production that you will extract and therefore ther is no problem at all.

 

[MJBee]

I feel faint!! 5 beekeepers agree

 

[newbie]

Thanks all, I'll carry on as planned, if it ever stops raining and we get some frost.
I might use the super for brood and a half next season anyway, so it won't matter (now .... I bet 5 of you don't agree about that !)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

(now .... I bet 5 of you don't agree about that !)

i beg to differ!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

i beg to differ!

I don't think so, Jenkinsbrynmair.


Seems to me you just differ - without all the tedious begging beforehand.


After all, you're the guy wot drives a gunboat. You can do whatever you want!

Dusty