Oxalic acid

[SixFooter]

Collected a cast 2 days ago and took a sample today. I froze a matchbox full of bees and 5 varroa mites fell off them when I spread them out on a piece of paper. Should I treat the colony with oxalic acid now or wait until the Q starts laying?

 

[SixFooter]

I'm going to treat with Oxalic Acid. Daft question I think, sorry.

 

[Midland Beek]

What point in treating with a piddly amount of oxalic acid? How many mites do you think that will knock down?

 

[RoseCottage]

What would be a better alternative? Let the queen start laying and drone cull?
Sam

 

[SixFooter]

What point in treating with a piddly amount of oxalic acid? How many mites do you think that will knock down?

Say 3000 bees and 30 in the matchbox and 5 mites per 30 and 90 efficacy

(3000/30) * 5 * (90 /100) = 450

 

[Eyeman]

You don't want to risk the swarm absconding so I would let the queen start laying before treating. If it's a cast then you will have a Virgin that need mating. I use x2 doses of icing sugar dusting and keep oxalic acid for winter use- but that's just my preference.

 

[oliver90owner]

While open brood, sugar-roll all the bees and then cull the first capped brood.

No nasty chemicals involved.

RAB

 

[RoofTops]

My advice is different to those above - I would go with your instincts and wait for the queen to start laying and then treat with OA syrup. To be doubly sure they don't abscond put a QX under the brood box for a couple of days after the treatment.

There will be a small amount of mortality in the open brood but a lot less than culling sealed brood later and as a swarm it will be some time before they produce drone brood by which time the mites will have a stong hold on the colony. Icing sugar will remove some mites but not enough.

So, treat with OA syrup exactly as you would in winter and I suggest putting the varroa tray in and counting the mites which fall - it should reassure you that you did the right thing.

 

[Midland Beek]

15% lactic acid in water is a quick fix type treatment I would use for broodless colonies and swarms.

 

[paulgid]

i would treat with a mixture of 50% icing sugar and 50% chimney soot.put mixture in a shaker and sprinkle over bee,s