OA sublimation - WBCs and Polyhives

[drex]

Thanks having read your reply again, seems you can stabilise the stem by presumably making the hole in the side snug enough? Wondered if the stem would ‘rock’ as I’ve found with mine the weight of the leads and the length of the stem make it a bit unstable. Will give it a go! Thanks for sharing how you do it.
Elaine

I put a bar across the middle of the eke, with a notch in. Two anchor points for the handle of the pan. Stops it rocking about. Learnt this the hard way when I melted the Perspex top of the eke for the nucs.

 

[Horatio]

Wbc have 2 slots which allow a slide in OMF & a slide in varroa tray.
Some of your posts have made me think this might not be the best method eg if OMF reduces the dose of OA. So thinking this year I could remove the Slide out OMF, quickly reposition the varroa tray and rest the vap on that.

Hello Elaine, although not related to OA sublimation (I don't have the protection equipment to even consider it), I'm interested where you propose you might slide out the OMF and reposition it on the varroa tray slot. Would the bees that were walking around on the floor, not fall out? And might some get squashed when you replace it? The reason I'm asking is that I'm convinced there must be a gap with one of mine as I'm sure a few bees leave and enter that way but I'm worried about trying to examine the OMF.

 

[elainemary]

Hello Elaine, although not related to OA sublimation (I don't have the protection equipment to even consider it), I'm interested where you propose you might slide out the OMF and reposition it on the varroa tray slot. Would the bees that were walking around on the floor, not fall out? And might some get squashed when you replace it? The reason I'm asking is that I'm convinced there must be a gap with one of mine as I'm sure a few bees leave and enter that way but I'm worried about trying to examine the OMF.

Hi there,
with the design of my floors, there are 2 slots , one for the OMF and one for the varroa tray. I can pull both in & out. You're right if it's a mild day, there will be bees on the floor / will fly out in defence, so I'll have to be quick and switch the OMF for the varroa tray, then leave the bees to settle for a few mins before starting the treatment. Might not even work as a method but will try it.

I had a case like you of bees flying from the floor, it could be that the OMF insert isn't fitting correctly. That happened to me, the rim around it had ' dropped' so I pushed a small folded piece of cortex in the groove as a temporary fix, until i could change the floor in the spring. Also, sometimes bees are attracted to the floor mesh and sit under the floor, attracted by pheromones coming down, so it might be in your case that this is happening instead. Usually they find their way back, or you can slide the varroa tray underneath temporarily to try to 'retrain' them to find the hive entrance properly rather than underflying it. Only way to solve what's going on, is to get suited up & have a good look.
Hope this helps!
Elaine

 

[Mabee]

I have a cheap pan/wand which I used last year on my only hive but have more this year and some poly nucs. I was considering making a contraption to fit under the floor but have just bought a Gas Vap attachment with poly hive extension, hoping this is going to make things a lot easier. Got it at a reasonable price from Bridge Cottage (not sure if I'm allowed to link to them).

 

[pargyle]

I have a cheap pan/wand which I used last year on my only hive but have more this year and some poly nucs. I was considering making a contraption to fit under the floor but have just bought a Gas Vap attachment with poly hive extension, hoping this is going to make things a lot easier. Got it at a reasonable price from Bridge Cottage (not sure if I'm allowed to link to them).

Yes it's ok.. we mostly know John ... he makes them ... when he first invented it he actually posted his plans on here and some people made their own but lots have bought one. The only issue you will find is that it gets too hot to handle... you should be OK with just a couple of hives but doing several ... you will find you burn your fingers ...

 

[user 819]

I use mine on nucs and a colony that I have yet to sort out and have a top entrance on a solid floor, they get Gasvaped via a CB feed hole with a thingymabob. Other wise I use the pan under the omf.

 

[Markthebuilder]

How? why?
If a cheap vapouriser heats up the OA to a high enough temperature for it all to sublimate, how can it be less effective than an expensive one........
which heats up the OA to a high enough temperature for it all to sublimate.
I think there's a mindset within the hobbyist beekeeping community that if you haven't paid through the nose for something then it is deemed inferior.

This may not entirely be due to mine being being a cheep vaporiser it essentially came apart whilst in the hive and became stuck. I didn’t think to turn it off whilst trying to get it out.
So this was result of vaporiser being in the hive and connected to the battery for too long
I would hope expensive ones have a thermal cut out

 

[pargyle]

This may not entirely be due to mine being being a cheep vaporiser it essentially came apart whilst in the hive and became stuck. I didn’t think to turn it off whilst trying to get it out.
So this was result of vaporiser being in the hive and connected to the battery for too long
I would hope expensive ones have a thermal cut out

Oops ... Even the expensive pan type sublimators don't have a thermal cut out ! They rely on the human cut out !!!

 

[user 819]

I simply don't introduce them in to the hive for fear of accidently frying a queen let alone workers, under floor every time for me.

 

[enrico]

I simply don't introduce them in to the hive for fear of accidently frying a queen let alone workers, under floor every time for me.

I have fryed one. Under floor now for me too. Pulled the tray out and there she was! Two years ago! I have made a metal tray that slides in where the inspection floor goes and I put the hot tray on that

 

[user 819]

My insert is hardboard and using a bit of glue and some thin batten have made up a guide to retain the pan/wand in place, to prevent the pan from rotating or moving spilling the contents,. On the base for the pan I have cut up some old tin from food tins to prevent burning.
Having all the floors of the same size makes the job easier, in the past i had floors from three suppliers and all so slightly different. Now I only use the diy UFE type as has been posted on the forum, all made the same dimensions.

 

[Boston Bees]

Does anyone have any experience in using a Sublimox to put OA vape into a hive via the pop-out holes in an Abelo roof? Did you managed to do it without melting the poly? Any hints? TIA.

 

[user 819]

Does anyone have any experience in using a Sublimox to put OA vape into a hive via the pop-out holes in an Abelo roof? Did you managed to do it without melting the poly? Any hints? TIA.

Pointless task if a CB is used as well.

 

[Boston Bees]

Pointless task if a CB is used as well.

Yes, obviously, I know that - it would be removed.