Oxalic acid from P****s

[RoofTops]

The above is suitable for 2 colonies, not 5. If on inspection when you come to do the treatment you find the colonies are weak it might go a bit further but you need to plan on 50mls per colony. But the point about making up a large amount is the errors from weighing are reduced. My comment about being a gram or so out applies to large amounts. A gram out from 7.5g is an error of over 10% but a gram out from 37.5g is an error of less than 3%. It really isn't difficult folks. The stuff is cheap so make plenty so you get the proportions correct.

 

[Hombre]

I'm with Gavin, Rooftops and JimBeekeeper on this one.

Each year there is so much debate that seeks to clarify, but confuses the whole issue for a lot of people.

Last year I had no digital scales and so made myself a balance from a lollipop stick. some strong thread and a couple of food bags.

Having got the static balance OK, I used a convenient selection of coins to weigh out the OA. I found the weights of the coins via Google of course.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The above is suitable for 2 colonies

No...three colonys if you use 50ml per colony,and 10 ml over...this mixture makes up a little over 160ml of treatment,but how many colonys have ten full seems of bee's at this time of year.

 

[Finman]

The above is suitable for 2 colonies, not 5. .

It is to 5 one box colony and to 3 two box colony.

160 ml/3= about 50

160 ml/4 = 40

160 ml/5 = about 30

After all these years...............

 

[Finman]

The above is suitable for 2 colonies, not 5. If on inspection when you come to do the treatment you find the colonies are weak it might go a bit further but you need to plan on 50mls per colony. But the point about making up a large amount is the errors from weighing are reduced. My comment about being a gram or so out applies to large amounts. A gram out from 7.5g is an error of over 10% but a gram out from 37.5g is an error of less than 3%. It really isn't difficult folks. The stuff is cheap so make plenty so you get the proportions correct.

To make this syrup is not decimal excact. The Swiss use 3% and Italians 4% and some in UK use 6%.

3% or 3,5% the difference is 14% or 17%

3 or 4, the difference is 33% or 25%

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Scales to weigh to 2 dp can be bought for about £10.

"but what about accuracy" he here you all cry!

What about it? They are likely with modern electronics to be 99% + accurate out of the box, and even without weights like hombre says "known" weights can be used. e.g coins or water

BUT given you are working on a ratio of sugar to water to OA, as long as you weigh it all on the same scales errors cancel.

And so what if you make it 3% or 4% or even 6%, it will still do what it needs to do with negigable effect on the bees.

And as for number of hives, yes it will treat 5 hives @5mls per seam, at this time of year a single national will on average have about 5 or 6 seams of bees.



Why are people making this simple treatment so complicated???

 

[Finman]

Why are people making this simple treatment so complicated???

It is sometimes clear but then somone comes and stir the head.