OA treatment - when?

[mbc]

That is not a very good date to be treating them?

Because of the weather, or a hangover or some other reason?

 

[drstitson]

"That is not a very good date to be treating them?"

Due to danger of mixing up the OA syrup and your gin and tonic?????

 

[bobandbec]

As soon as it gets to about 3C to 4C. Not while it's so cold as now.

Peter

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Weights and volumes

Just a quick reminder for those making their own that it is

7.5g OA
100g sugar
100ml water

well mixed untill all disolved using room temperature tap water.

5ml per seam of bees will give you enought for about 5 hives.

 

[tazbee]

Tazbee - drones at this time of year is not a good sign. Queen probably on her way out I fear.

Hi Rooftops

That did cross my mind, can't do much about it now but will be ordering a couple of queens later in the new year ready for the season.

John D

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Sometime in the next few weeks as I bought a Trickle2 yesterday (at its price its not worth making own Oxalic solution for 2 hives) and it is meant to deteriorate quite rapidly.

On that subject, thank you very much to the chap packing boxes in Th**nes who sold me the Trickle2 plus all the other stuff I picked up while browsing despite the shop actually being shut (and I thought it was just quiet)

 

[jimbeekeeper]

and it is meant to deteriorate quite rapidly.

Only as a solution. Oxalic crystals if stored sealed at normal room temperature condtions will last many years.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Only as a solution. Oxalic crystals if stored sealed at normal room temperature condtions will last many years.

True, but Trickle2 is a made up solution. One I bought yesterday shows a shelf life until March, but I've heard suggestions its more a matter of a couple of weeks.

 

[Skyhook]

True, but Trickle2 is a made up solution. One I bought yesterday shows a shelf life until March, but I've heard suggestions its more a matter of a couple of weeks.

Thornes are very reluctant to give an accurate answer, but recommend using it ASAP. I got mine a couple of weeks ago, just waiting for it to get above 3 C so I can use it. Recommended to keep it in a fridge, fortunately my shed is at fridge temperature at the moment.

 

[drstitson]

top tip

always check for woodpecker damage before leaning against the hive whilst trickling OA!!!!!!!

luckily only one bugger got me this time.

 

[arl]

Doing Jan 3rd ish now, as Heather let us have some o/a powder, and we can now make up the solution, and know what strengh it is, for sure.(thanks Heather)
Tony

 

[Chris Luck]

Never ever would consider it, completely unessential and against my principles, opening hives in winter and putting chemicals in, what ever next?

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

Presumably your losses are minimal, Chris?

I considered it , but (as usual) none were done.

Regards, RAB

 

[victor meldrew]

Thought about giving it a miss (counts being so low) Not having used thymol treatment due to late honey flow , I decided not to take the risk and duly treated with O/A.

John Wilkinson

 

[Chris Luck]

My losses are zero RAB without any treatments what so ever, all colonies going hell for leather at the moment, catkins and goat willow... oh, and of course the trays of wax capping from last year, (nearly finished now).

Bizarre eh? No treatments, no losses, makes you think.

Maybe not.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

I treated for varroa in the autumn, but have not interfered with them since.

They are not exactly going 'hell for leather' at the moment - just a few bees venturing out today, but they were all out flying yesterday. Temps have not really got in the high single figures today and I expect it will freeze tonight. Winter is not yet over.

Regards, RAB

 

[arl]

My losses are zero RAB without any treatments what so ever, all colonies going hell for leather at the moment, catkins and goat willow... oh, and of course the trays of wax capping from last year, (nearly finished now).

Bizarre eh? No treatments, no losses, makes you think.

Maybe not.

Chris

Chris,
Are you saying that you do not treat for Verroa, or just don't use O A?
If not treating, what sort of mite count are you getting or do you not check?
as It seems, you may have found the answer that all are looking for.

Tony

 

[kazmcc]

We haven't used OA, my mentor wants to use Hive Clean instead, which we will be doing next week. We treated with Api Life Var in autumn. The bees look good, very active and healthy looking (to my eye ) no deformed wings or tatty bees, all very busy with pollen etc. I wanted to do a mite count out of interest, but have fallen ill again so haven't been down. I will see how we do with the HC, and how our varroa situation develops before I reserve judgement on what I will use when in control of the bees myself. As a new beek, I would be inclined to go along with the majority of other bee keepers and use OA until I have more of an idea of what I'm doing. Until then though, I am sticking with what my mentor tells me to do.

 

[Chris Luck]

Chris,
Are you saying that you do not treat for Verroa, or just don't use O A?
If not treating, what sort of mite count are you getting or do you not check?
as It seems, you may have found the answer that all are looking for.

I'm saying that all I ever use is a couple of sprinklings of icing sugar after the supers have been removed in late summer. I have no idea whether this has any effect and it doesn't seem to matter if I don't do it, but heck, even I have to play a bit, just love to see all those bees covered in white dust.

As we have all been endlessly told all bee colonies in Europe have Varroa, therefore it would be fair to assume my colonies have "the mite", anyway, no I don't count, I don't do much at all really, I don't pick them about, I don't keep opening the hives, I allow them to swarm, I allow them to copulate with "who they like" and basically do their own thing, I guess it's the way I look at them.

I don't think my bees are special, far from it, they are all manner of mongrels, I just let them live without too much interference. It works for me and I'm fairly sure it's working for others as well.

Chris

 

[drstitson]

kazmcc

you do know what is in hive clean don't you?