OA. How much mite drop do you get?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are folks using 2+g

yes. Proper scientific study that the optimum amount of OA was 2.25g, and even larger quantities didn't compromise the bees

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are folks using 2+g of OAV as this study found

3.5 for 14x12
4 for double ( I have one with a nadired brood which was full of honey)

 

[The Poot]

Are folks using 2+g of OAV as this study found x7 OAV at 5 day intervals using 1g of OA didn’t reduce mite levels when brood was present

Yes, I use two grams on double brood colonies X (usually) five vapes; but sometimes more vapes are necessary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are folks using 2+g of OAV as this study found x7 OAV at 5 day intervals using 1g of OA didn’t reduce mite levels when brood was present

What does “vaporised with 1g/super” mean do you think?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well I’m using 3g per single brood colony - to compensate for vaper loss which there is.
Nucs 3g and double brood get 2 vapes.
I’ve never vaped more than 3/4 times @ 5 day intervals

 

[Sutty]

I've been using 2g for all sizes, nucs to double brood.
I'm thinking I should go higher, at least for the bigger ones.

 

[JamezF]

three at five day intervals and then the last four days

I am familiar with the five day intervals bit, but by "the last four days" do you mean a four-day interval for a fourth vape?

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am familiar with the five day intervals bit, but by "the last four days" do you mean a four-day interval for a fourth vape?

James

yes

 

[Anduril]

Are folks using 2+g of OAV as this study found x7 OAV at 5 day intervals using 1g of OA didn’t reduce mite levels when brood was present

Look at Bob Binnie's YouTube videos or https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/aficionados-of-oxalic-sublimation.51127/
1g In the US, 2.3g in Europe, from the videos 1g is useless.

 

[JamezF]

1g In the US, 2.3g in Europe, from the videos 1g is useless.

Perhaps that's why it's ok to vape with supers on in the US?

James

 

[Anduril]

Perhaps that's why it's ok to vape with supers on in the US?

James

I believe the unregulated trials were using higher doses without any ill effect.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

LASI found that even the highest doses (well in excess of 2.2g) had no ill effect on the bees, using syrup as a delivery method (as in trickling) could have a negative effect as the bees ingested much of the OA as they were cleaning the syrup off themselves - no big deal for a worker bee with her limited lifespan, but a queen, subjected to multiple doses it's a different matter which is where the 'once a year' recommendation for all oxy delivery methods (api bioxial, oxybee et al) came into effect. Another example of not letting common sense and logic get in the way.

 

[JamezF]

a queen, subjected to multiple doses it's a different matter which is where the 'once a year' recommendation for all oxy delivery methods (api bioxial, oxybee et al) came into effect.

AFAIR the instructions for ApiBioxal say "dribbling" can be done twice a year, but vaping only once.

James

 

[pargyle]

AFAIR the instructions for ApiBioxal say "dribbling" can be done twice a year, but vaping only once.

James

One wonders at the logic of this ... Do the purveyors of Api-bioxal know nothing about the life cycle of the varroa mite and the interaction with their host species ?

 

[JamezF]

One wonders at the logic of this ... Do the purveyors of Api-bioxal know nothing about the life cycle of the varroa mite and the interaction with their host species ?

I've always imagined it has nothing to do with that and everything to do with what they thought they could get the VMD to accept.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

AFAIR the instructions for ApiBioxal say "dribbling" can be done twice a year, but vaping only once.

James

exactly - that's how cocked up the whole thing is

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One wonders at the logic of this ... Do the purveyors of Api-bioxal know nothing about the life cycle of the varroa mite and the interaction with their host species ?

all they wanted to do was corner the market and ensure beekeepers couldn't use generic OA - it wouldn't surprise me in the least if, in years to come we find out that the BBKA had their sticky little fingers in there somewhere - it would at least explain the total ignorance of the varroa life cycle and the way OA works

 

[Erichalfbee]

One wonders at the logic of this ... Do the purveyors of Api-bioxal know nothing about the life cycle of the varroa mite and the interaction with their host species ?

Not just makers of Apibioxal
Making regulations without understanding the ramifications seems to be quite common the last 100 days, especially

 

[ericbeaumont]

in years to come we find out that the BBKA had their sticky little fingers in there somewhere

As I recall, the BBKA did support the VMD legislation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

as Dr Frank Smith stated in his 1965 book 'Beekeeping In The Tropics', since it's inception, the BBKA has been hellbent on knocking back beekeeping in the UK, determined to make it an exclusive pastime for hobbyists rather than a means of earning a living.