Oxalic acid trickle treatment- using dihydrate

[nuporter]

Hi- Ive got some Oxalic Acid dihydrate which I would like to make up into a solution to trickle on my 2 hives.

Looking up how much to use- Ive found conflicting advice.

One webpage says to use 7.5g of Oxalic acid dihydrate with 100g sugar/ 100ml water solution.

Another says that as dihydrate contains 0.714g of oxalic acid per 1 gram of dihydrate- this will need to be converted so that you will need to use 10.5g of dihydrate with 100g sugar/100ml water solution.

Which is the correct amount?

Also- do you need to wait for the temp outside to be below 5 degrees so that bees are clustered before treatment? In Southampton the temp is above that most of the time at the moment. Do I wait for it to fall before treatment?

Many thanks for support on this- Happy New Year to all!!
Nuala

 

[masterBK]

You want to end up with a 3.2% solution. . Dissolving 100g sugar in 100mls water produces about 200mls of solution into which you add 7.5 g of oxalic acid crystals and mix thoroughly while the solution is still warm. This mix also takes into account the water locked up to form the dihydrate crystals. I tend to use the warm (20 C) solution at air temps of 8 to 10 C as the cluster will be slightly looser with the bees moving around spreading the solution from one to another by contact. You are legally supposed to be using a licensed product like Apibioxal!

 

[Etton]

I also use rain water rather than tap water.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Disolve 1kg sugar in 1 litre of water. This produces 1.67 of 1:1 (100%)syrup. Add 75grm of Oxalic Acid. This gives a 3.2% Oxalic Acid (weight/volume) solution which is more commonly expressed as 4.5% - reduce the quantities to what you require

Also- do you need to wait for the temp outside to be below 5 degrees so that bees are clustered before treatment? In Southampton the temp is above that most of the time at the moment. Do I wait for it to fall before treatment?

No - you don't want them tightly clustered, you want them in a loose cluster and able to fly out if needed to get the OA to all the bees. Get it done ASAP otherwise it will be pointless as the bees start to brood again.

 

[nuporter]

Thanks all. Will do tomorrow x

 

[Finman]

.
100 g water + 100 g sugar + oxalic acid 7.5 g = 208 g.

..... 7.5/208 = 3.6%.

This amount is for 3 two box hive or to 5 one box hive.

.1 kg sugar + 1 kg sugar is for 30 hives.

Why to calculate weight/ volume percent, it does not help.


Italy uses 4% solution and Switzerland 2.8% . The difference is not big to 3,6%.
.
It tells that the percent does not need to be exact

 

[Erichalfbee]

Or you could buy a packet of Apibioxal and follow the instructions

 

[Ian123]

Appears to be a bit of a crack down on thornes used to put instructions on oxalic for mixing, now removed with wood bleach instructions!!

 

[Finman]

.
Oxalic trickling is almost 20 years old but the game continues in the UK
.

 

[For want of a better word]

Or you could buy a packet of Apibioxal and follow the instructions

AND then requeen in the Spring?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

AND then requeen in the Spring?

why?

 

[For want of a better word]

why?

It is what the Master Beekeeper says we must do as these treatments to kill the mite also kills the queens in the hive?

 

[Beefriendly]

Jeesaaus....I'm lost for words here.

TOTAL CRAP.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It is what the Master Beekeeper says we must do as these treatments to kill the mite also kills the queens in the hive?

This must be a wind up.

 

[Ian123]

I’ve met a number of excellent beeks over years 1 or 2 even had a certificate or 2......don’t recall any of them being stupid enough to actually call themselves a master beekeeper....although often very varied opinions here I think you may find rather more common sense than the grand master!!

 

[Finman]

It is what the Master Beekeeper says we must do as these treatments to kill the mite also kills the queens in the hive?

This does not earn any comments.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It is what the Master Beekeeper says we must do as these treatments to kill the mite also kills the queens in the hive?

I think the best thing you can do with your 'master' beekeeper is ignore every word he utters then promote him to village idiot

 

[Anduril]

It is what the Master Beekeeper says we must do as these treatments to kill the mite also kills the queens in the hive?

Find someone who can teach you sustainable beekeeping. You will need deep pockets for this advice given by your master beekeeper.

 

[For want of a better word]

I think the best thing you can do with your 'master' beekeeper is ignore every word he utters then promote him to village idiot

I do wonder what the village would do for an idiot if he was to move away.... seems to have a following of new beekeepers that he has trained, and that worries me somewhat.

 

[masterBK]

Please do not confuse the so called "master beekeeper" with me!