Oxalic Acid strength

panders · Jan 11, 2014

Hello everyone

Looked like a good day for OA treatment today so I popped to my local Beekeepers supplier and picked up a bottle of OA solution which says 6% on the label. Having just watched some videos treatments on youtube in prep I note that one of the beekeepers makes mention of 6% being too strong for UK conditions and dilutes to 4.5%. Is this is the case why is it sold in 6% and will I be doing my bees some damage using it as its is?

Many thanks

Moggett · Jan 11, 2014

panders said:
Hello everyone

Looked like a good day for OA treatment today so I popped to my local Beekeepers supplier and picked up a bottle of OA solution which says 6% on the label. Having just watched some videos treatments on youtube in prep I note that one of the beekeepers makes mention of 6% being too strong for UK conditions and dilutes to 4.5%. Is this is the case why is it sold in 6% and will I be doing my bees some damage using it as its is?

Many thanks

If you google '6% oxalic acid bees' you'll see this question has been discussed before both on this forum and others. I think someone mentioned buying some from P***nes. Strengths are also discussed in the below link.

http://www.kentbee.com/kbka/bm~doc/oxalic_acid.pdf

Heather · Jan 11, 2014

I have used the solution straight from the bottle . They supply at correct strength if dilute. Just warm it slightly before applying. I had no detrimental effects from this method.

Erichalfbee · Jan 11, 2014

I gave up with all this and now make my own as I need it. It's easy.

Moggett · Jan 11, 2014

Erichalfbee said:
I gave up with all this and now make my own as I need it. It's easy.

Me too.

TryingToLetThemBee · Jan 11, 2014

It's suicide posting in a OA concentration thread but here goes. The Paynes mix is Italian and they measure hydrated OA where UK standards talk of anhydrous. The conversion is .7 so it's 4.2pct UK style. I used 37 ml to 13 ml of water to good effect, which I reckoned got me around 3pct. And a lower sugar conent. What pct means I'm not touching (w/v or v/v). Just search the forum for rude words on that one...