Current trends in mite treatment

[Niv]

I used apiguard last year but an trying apilife var this year - saves using an eke.

I want to try oxalic acid vap - I have the main bit of kit but no battery or oxalic acid crystals. Have been looking for a guide / video as the guys in my local BKA seem a bit anti it so not aware of anyone to speak to there.

 

[Boston Bees]

I used apiguard last year but an trying apilife var this year - saves using an eke.

I want to try oxalic acid vap - I have the main bit of kit but no battery or oxalic acid crystals. Have been looking for a guide / video as the guys in my local BKA seem a bit anti it so not aware of anyone to speak to there.

Plenty of guides on YouTube

Black Mountain Honey has several good ones on vaping

So do the other usual suspects I'm sure

 

[E&MBees]

I used apiguard last year but an trying apilife var this year - saves using an eke.

I want to try oxalic acid vap - I have the main bit of kit but no battery or oxalic acid crystals. Have been looking for a guide / video as the guys in my local BKA seem a bit anti it so not aware of anyone to speak to there.

I use one of these instead of a heavy battery.

 

[user 819]

I used apiguard last year but an trying apilife var this year - saves using an eke.

I want to try oxalic acid vap - I have the main bit of kit but no battery or oxalic acid crystals. Have been looking for a guide / video as the guys in my local BKA seem a bit anti it so not aware of anyone to speak to there.

For power source ebay or amazon and look for lion 6000mah 12v car battery booster starter comes in a neat little case with lead attachments, it will be suitable for a vape pan. It may have a cut out timer on it of about 2.5mins so one may just have to reset it again to finish off.

 

[user 819]

Solder a 15mm endcap (plumbing copper) to a bit of copper pipe for a measure spoon, the 15mm end cap takes approx, 1.4 - 1.6gms of powder. Use 2 -3gms of powder per vape, heat the pan for 3 mins - 3.5mins and then disconnect the power, leave for another 3 or 4 mins then remove (it may still be very warm). Cool with a little water before using on another hive.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Apivar now and OA trickle in December. Apivar is effective and easy to apply and can’t see why it is ‘foul’. There is anecdotal ’evidence’ of isolated resistance but I haven’t seen anything scientific. Plan to graduate to OA vapourisation now I have more experience..

Exactly what I do. Two different types of treatment in one year stops the little buggers in their tracks.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I don’t treat only with essential oils a combination of various oils including Thyme .99

I don’t treat only with a combination of essential oils...Marjoram /Thyme/Clove.....Biggest Mite drop is with Garlic oil ..Screen boards placed in with cotton pads impregnated with above...

Ever had a read of Ross Conrads book natural beekeeping?

 

[Patrick1]

I don’t treat only with essential oils a combination of various oils including Thyme .99

I don’t treat only with a combination of essential oils...Marjoram /Thyme/Clove.....Biggest Mite drop is with Garlic oil ..Screen boards placed in with cotton pads impregnated with above...

Do you have any hives ? your tag suggests not, just a thought. Of course not everyone lists their hives .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you have any hives ?

More to the point, any healthy colonies that survive

 

[ericbeaumont]

the guys in my local BKA seem a bit anti it

What reasons do they give?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What reasons do they give?

It was invented after the war (Crimea that is)

 

[Swarm]

What reasons do they give?

Health implications to user are the main reason I've heard.

 

[Markthebuilder]

One of the confusions is regarding the importance of knowing each colony's mite load before treating. This is contradicted by the fact that apparently, all colonies have mites and that if you treat one of your colonies you also need to treat the others in order to avoid re-infestation. So what's the point of assessing them first? Shouldn't we just treat?

I planned to do an assessment befor treating but things got in the way so I don’t and treated anyway 3 days after second vape and one hive has a drop of 3 so far in total and the other 12 mites counted .
right now I’m pleased I have killed some but questioning whether my oa / method is effective.
i will defiantly sugar shake after treatment to check apparent load but as I have nothing to compare it with I could almost be treating for no reason. So at the minuet I’m pleased I didn’t go with apistan.

 

[Worker bee]

I vape my bees this month again in January and again in March April time job done for me nothing elce needed unless I see obvious signs of bad infestation. Sometimes apigaurd in summer. Rarely. In fact I vaped some today. I start the year at zero count and just forget about it for the summer

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sometimes apigaurd in summer.

Eh?!

 

[Worker bee]

Eh?!

Eh what

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You use apiguard in the middle of the summer - don't you have honey supers on?

 

[Worker bee]

You use apiguard in the middle of the summer - don't you have honey supers on?

If I see a bad infestation supers come off go to another hive and I'll treat it but as I said rare. I've not treated my bees since December and all are fine

 

[Worker bee]

I don't do counts either I look at my bees to judge it. My late treatments don't usually show huge mite loads anyway

 

[Worker bee]

You use apiguard in the middle of the summer - don't you have honey supers on?

If I treat past December with a vape it's only hives Ill split from not honey producer's. Anything with a super gets left alone. You can't treat with supers on