Oxalic Acid - Timing

[Darryl]

Just finished the third vaping. According to the Apibioxal instructions - "vape for 3 mins, turn off power and leave in the hive for a further 15mins".
I noticed a couple of things.
1. The bees were all over the pan at the end of the wand. What were they doing and should I leave the wand in (turned off) for longer?
2. There was still some OA left in the pan after the treatment, albeit a crusty paste. Should I leave the wand connected for longer than the 3mins?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if those are the instructions, gawd 'elp us.
2½ minutes of power is sufficient for 2.5 grams of pure OA followed by a further two minutes for sublimation to complete so 3 minutes is more than enough, even with the adulterated muck you are using. No need for the further 15 minutes. I don 't even bother closing the hives up and remove the Varrox after the five minutes. The muck you have left in the pan is all the sugar and fairy dust which Apibioxal is contaminated with

 

[The Poot]

As Jenks has said 3 minutes is certainly long enough. I leave the wand in for a couple of minutes more - unpowered- then remove and plunge into the bird bath, dry off on a cloth and away we go again. I used to have a crusty substance fused into the pan, but don’t any more.....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used to have a crusty substance fused into the pan,

Comes with age apparently, cured by drinking more port

 

[Darryl]

Comes with age apparently, cured by drinking more port

Thanks both for the advice. I skipped the birdbath for a tub of water and was left with a sludge rather then crust - easily cleaned. I will check the other pan in case too much northern beer has the same effect as an excess of port ....

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just line the varrox pan with foil

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just line the varrox pan with foil

or find a way of removing the sugar pre vaping

 

[Cuckmere couple]

And if trickling

can the sugar water used contain thymol or best neat?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And if trickling

can the sugar water used contain thymol or best neat?

best neat - make it fresh then get rid of the leftovers immediately afterwards

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks JBM as ever

i think some of my double BBs are still in lower boxes

do you split to get to nest or just do the bees in upper chamber (of which there were a lot when opened)?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

do you split to get to nest or just do the bees in upper chamber

just squirt it down from the top - they will soon spread it around to the rest of the cluster.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

perfect

did the larger apiary yesterday and all fine - opened one hive to check brood and no capped brood fortunately

the garden hives today inc 2 of the CPBV hives and 1 nuc seemed ok