How quickly to treat with OA

[Big ears]

Caught a swarm yesterday and hives last night. Want to treat with sublimated OA.
when should I do it? Now and in 5 days or wait a couple of days d for then to settle?
Wet day today so lots at home

thanks,

BE

 

[Boston Bees]

Caught a swarm yesterday and hives last night. Want to treat with sublimated OA.
when should I do it? Now and in 5 days or wait a couple of days d for then to settle?
Wet day today so lots at home

thanks,

BE

I personally wouldn't in the first week - they are just getting settled in and you might persuade them this new home isn't good.

You just need to do it before the first cells are capped. Even if you have given them drawn comb, that won't take place until day 9. If you have given them foundation (and/or if the queen is a virgin) then it will be several days later

 

[blackcloud]

There was one trick mentioned where they were given one drawn comb in which to lay,then removed once capped,in an effort to disrupt the cycle.
Of the mites as well.

 

[Big ears]

I personally wouldn't in the first week - they are just getting settled in and you might persuade them this new home isn't good.

You just need to do it before the first cells are capped. Even if you have given them drawn comb, that won't take place until day 9. If you have given them foundation (and/or if the queen is a virgin) then it will be several days later

Thanks. Will one treatment be enough?

 

[Erichalfbee]

One week is all I’ve ever done.
No need to vape twice if there is no capped brood

 

[Big ears]

Great thank you. Next Tuesday evening it is then.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Great thank you. Next Tuesday evening it is then.

or whatever time suits you best - matters not to the bees

 

[Boston Bees]

or whatever time suits you best - matters not to the bees

Though if they are all in the hive, it's a bit better? Or would the number of varroa on foraging bees be minimal anyway?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Though if they are all in the hive, it's a bit better? Or would the number of varroa on foraging bees be minimal anyway?

they will get a dusting of OA when they return to the hive regardless
I vape from below the OMF, so no need to block the entrance to stop them frying, I gave up blocking the entrances years ago

 

[Ian123]

O

Though if they are all in the hive, it's a bit better? Or would the number of varroa on foraging bees be minimal anyway?

Oxalic will work for some time after the vape itself, so shouldn’t really matter to much what the actual time is or flyer’s out and about.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oxalic will work for some time after the vape itself

in fact it only start working after the vape - when the desublimated micro crystals settle on the bees and the hive parts.
People have got obsessed with this 'OA is a gas' nonsense - as soon as it hits colder air it reverts to a solid, the white clouds you see are clouds of microcrystals not gas. gas takes no part in the process of killing mites - or beekeepers

 

[Big ears]

Though if they are all in the hive, it's a bit better? Or would the number of varroa on foraging bees be minimal anyway?

That was my thought. However today is a lovely cold Cornish Mizzle day so they are all inside anyway

 

[Big ears]

they will get a dusting of OA when they return to the hive regardless
I vape from below the OMF, so no need to block the entrance to stop them frying, I gave up blocking the entrances years ago

So using a gasvap placed under the floor will work as well as from above?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So using a gasvap placed under the floor will work as well as from above?

never used those Heath Robinson things, but even doing it from above, you don't need to block the entrance as you are still not stuffing it in anywhere near

 

[polymath]

Caught a swarm yesterday and hives last night. Want to treat with sublimated OA.
when should I do it? Now and in 5 days or wait a couple of days d for then to settle?
Wet day today so lots at home

thanks,

BE

When i could sort myself out when i took off the QE and starting feeding on day 3 i did it then as it made my life easy re one visit. A swarm containing 75% of the adult bees in the hive would therefore also leave with somewhere between 11% and 37% of the Varroa from the colony. Swarm and mite partitioning - The Apiarist

 

[Moobee]

Could you trickle OA instead or is vaping better in this situation?

 

[Erichalfbee]

No. Oxalic solution kills open brood