Gas vap worth it ?

[Dadnlad]

Looking into whether this as an alternative to bunging apitraz/apigaurd/apilife var in every year

Anyone bought one (I think I saw them at Beetradex last year?) and recommend or not please ?

 

[Angry_Mob]

I think admin wants to avoid talk of them on the forum as they aren't licenced.

Just make sure you don't skimp and wear proper PPE as improper use can cause serious side effects.

 

[enrico]

I use a hot tray vapouriser and tablets which I believe are legal. Work great for me. Bought them from Simon the beekeepers site.
E

 

[maz0]

I just bought one today, so waiting on delivery. I was going to try making one but I realised I don't have the time nor inclination right now so took a punt for £35.

It's plus points are no electricity required, fast loading and moving from hive to hive. Those cabled ones look a right fuss. Will let you know how I get on when it arrives...

 

[Millet]

Looking into whether this as an alternative to bunging apitraz/apigaurd/apilife var in every year

Anyone bought one (I think I saw them at Beetradex last year?) and recommend or not please ?

I got one last year and it is brilliant 20 seconds per hive..as mentioned though you need a good gas mask..you also need extra caps so you have a cool one when adding the product..

 

[nantmoel]

I got one last year and it is brilliant 20 seconds per hive..as mentioned though you need a good gas mask..you also need extra caps so you have a cool one when adding the product..

I can second that...

 

[Beefriendly]

I use a hot tray vapouriser and tablets which I believe are legal.
E

Presumably oxalic acid tablets?
The only licensed (legal) oxalic acid product in the UK, for trickling or vaporising, is apibioxal powder. Where the silica and glucose additives gum up your vaporiser like no-ones business.

 

[maz0]

Presumably oxalic acid tablets?
The only licensed (legal) oxalic acid product in the UK, for trickling or vaporising, is apibioxal powder. Where the silica and glucose additives gum up your vaporiser like no-ones business.

Only in Britain could you find that the pure unadulterated version of a chemical is illegal, while the crap contaminated overpriced one with fancy packaging is legal and approved. Who's pockets getting lined there I wonder....

 

[Beefriendly]

yup...only in the UK.
But there is a guerrilla movement of illegal vapers.
/nudge/nudge/wink/

 

[Jonilaal]

I can second that...

I got one last year and it is brilliant 20 seconds per hive..as mentioned though you need a good gas mask..you also need extra caps so you have a cool one when adding the product..

I will third that, brilliantly fast and simple..

 

[citrus]

I got one last year and it is brilliant 20 seconds per hive..as mentioned though you need a good gas mask..you also need extra caps so you have a cool one when adding the product..

yeah good tip on the extra caps

my only issue is I have to shave to use the mask !

 

[papa_sierra]

A fourth recommend, I made my own and thanked him for the idea at Beetradex.

 

[pargyle]

Only in Britain could you find that the pure unadulterated version of a chemical is illegal, while the crap contaminated overpriced one with fancy packaging is legal and approved. Who's pockets getting lined there I wonder....

The trouble is that the cost of getting VMD approval is excessive and who is going to cough up several thousand pounds to get something licensed that is freely available.. cheap as chips and can be bought from anyone who chooses to sell it ... so whoever got the product licensed would gain no commercial benefit from the licence ... lets face it we beekeepers are generally a tight fisted lot and inevitably look for the cheapest deal !

I think what should happen is that the BBKA should catch up with what's happening and apply for a licence for BBKA pure OA and then appoint one of the bee supply companies as the distributor with a fixed margin ...and s small royalty going back to the BBKA. I think most users of OA (which is actually approved as an organic treatment for trickling !) would be prepared to buy generic but legal product if they thought they were being treated fairly and there was some benefit to be returned to the BBKA. But that's not going to happen is it ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

yup...only in the UK.
But there is a guerrilla movement of illegal vapers.
/nudge/nudge/wink/

You mean “Non Treaters”

 

[Beefriendly]

You mean “Non Treaters”

You got it

 

[Beefriendly]

I think most users of OA (which is actually approved as an organic treatment for trickling !)

Apibioxal is the only VMD approved (and legal) OA treatment that I know of for both trickling and vaping.

Worth noting Oxalic acid is what is know as an organic acid, not a soil association certificated organic produce

 

[pargyle]

I think most users of OA (which is actually approved as an organic treatment for trickling !)

Apibioxal is the only VMD approved (and legal) OA treatment that I know of for both trickling and vaping.

Worth noting Oxalic acid is what is know as an organic acid, not a soil association certificated organic produce

I was pretty sure I saw somewhere that OA applied by tricking in sugar solution was an approved treatment but ...memory does sometimes play tricks so I'll have to look further- you may well be right - in which case I reckon at least half of the hobby beekeepers I know have been applying an illegal treatment for years (not that I think opening the hive in December or January to pour a solution of OA In syrup on them is a good idea) - although it does work apparently - I've never done it.

I did not mean organic in the soil association sense...I meant it as organic in the sense that those averse to applying chemical treatments might find it more acceptable ... perhaps we should be petitioning the new environment minister for a dispensation for generic OA to be allowed by the VMD ?

 

[Ian123]

The bbka are useless they should have been on this years ago. We already saw apistan resistance cause losses years ago and apivar/amitraz has been in use for years. The fact they are not looking at alternatives for members is a joke. The little gas vape is good I would say be careful with the copper it gets very soft and I brought a pair of Webber bbq mitts to handle the parts when hot

 

[Millet]

The bbka are useless they should have been on this years ago. We already saw apistan resistance cause losses years ago and apivar/amitraz has been in use for years. The fact they are not looking at alternatives for members is a joke. The little gas vape is good I would say be careful with the copper it gets very soft and I brought a pair of Webber bbq mitts to handle the parts when hot

What are you using to heat it..oxy acetylene..

 

[Ian123]

Lol.....,I intend to upgrade the little chefs torch to a rothenberger plumbers 1 though. You could do hundreds of hives