Oxalic acid vaping...is it "non-treatment".

[user 20297]

I think I'm seeing some beekeepers here referriing to colonies which have been vaped as being their "non-treatment colonies". Presumably these hives have only been subjected to oxalic acid vapour and not to the "harder" chemicals such as Amitraz?

If this is the case, is the terminology being used appropriately?

 

[Apiarisnt]

I think I'm seeing some beekeepers here referriing to colonies which have been vaped as being their "non-treatment colonies".

Where?

 

[user 819]

The terminology is incorrect, though can't say I noticed what you say or have seen it expressed as so on the forum.
If someone vapes OA then they are clearly using a soft treatment which is very beneficial but can't call it a no treatment regime.
OA has been used for many years/decades as a mite control treatment.

 

[user 20297]

Where?

On closer reading it's one person posting a similar message on different occasions recently. I think it wold be better if I asked them directly. Maybe I'm misreading them?

 

[Erichalfbee]

There is a reason but it’s not the one you imagine?

 

[Newbeeneil]

One assumes the person is not actually "treating" for Varroa but cleaning the hives by sublimation of OA with bees insitu.

But of course no one would do that so I must have misunderstood

 

[Patrick1]

Oxalic acid, is an organic compound used in the fight against varroa mite, just because its organic doesn’t make it a none treatment, we use an excessive amount to do the specific job, then it’s a treatment and licensed by the VMD for use in the control of Varroa mite within beekeeping.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah but then we are talking about Apibioxal not Oxalic acid

 

[Poly Hive]

Whether it is rhubarb leaves, or an official treatment it is a treatment regardless in my thoughts.

PH

 

[Finman]

I think I'm seeing some beekeepers here referriing to colonies which have been vaped as being their "non-treatment colonies". Presumably these hives have only been subjected to oxalic acid vapour and not to the "harder" chemicals such as Amitraz?

If this is the case, is the terminology being used appropriately?

That is true. Some guys have never treated their hives, but the oxalic vapour is best.

 

[user 819]

On closer reading it's one person posting a similar message on different occasions recently. I think it wold be better if I asked them directly. Maybe I'm misreading them?

Link the quote/post used ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

OFHS
Non treating and generic Oxalic? Somebody else has already said it’s for cleaning hives

 

[user 20297]

Link the quote/post used ?

No, it's all a bit cryptic for me, but I'm assuming that what I've read about is someone using oxalic acid vapour, as you do, for cleaning hives. Therefore, if those hives are not treated with other approved miticides, the hive could be referred to as treatment free....no approved treatments have been used.

 

[Patrick1]

I don’t want to nit pick but any additional products added to a hive would be called a treatment licenced or otherwise, insulation to apiguard all are “Treatments” in one way or another.

 

[user 20297]

I don’t want to nit pick but any additional products added to a hive would be called a treatment licenced or otherwise, insulation to apiguard all are “Treatments” in one way or another.

In my reply above yours, irony is intended to be strongly implied,

 

[Erichalfbee]

No, it's all a bit cryptic for me,

Well I’ll clear it up for you. As a beekeeper has to keep records of all treatments used and generic Oxalic is not licensed somebody once speculated that said beekeeper could simply say he was treatment free to explain the lack of records. That’s what it means.

 

[plain_hunt]

Well I’ll clear it up for you. As a beekeeper has to keep records of all treatments used and generic Oxalic is not licensed somebody once speculated that said beekeeper could simply say he was treatment free to explain the lack of records. That’s what it means.

I think this is the line I need to take........ Not that I would ever use anything not licensed, of course!!

 

[user 819]

It is as we know it is pushing the fine line between being open to prosecution for using a non licenced product and claiming to be TF.

 

[user 20297]

It is as we know it is pushing the fine line between being open to prosecution for using a non licenced product and claiming to be TF.

If beekeepers have a legal obligation keep records of pharmaceutical products which they deliberately introduce to a hive, presumably that is because organisations such as the Food Standards Agency may very occasionally need to audit those records in the interests of public safety. Although we may think we know better than The Law and even though regulations in this area of beekeeping may be demonstrably stupid, I think we still ought to keep records of what, when, how and where in respect of all chemicals applied to bees, whether "natural" or synthetic.

 

[Finman]

Well I’ll clear it up for you. As a beekeeper has to keep records of all treatments used and generic Oxalic is not licensed somebody once speculated that said beekeeper could simply say he was treatment free to explain the lack of records. That’s what it means.

When you use generic oxalic acid, you do not need to rush to forum and tell what you did.
You are soon in jail when you sing too much.

During last 20 years tens of beekeepers have been put into jail in England.

No one has been in jail for varroa, but that day will come soon. They are just collecting register, who has mites.
.
.