Oxalic Treatment and Timing

[Stickyfingers]

Anyone else not treated yet as it's so mild?

 

[clv101]

Thinking to treat tomorrow - It's around 3C tonight and tomorrow morning is looking like the coldest we'll have for a while.

 

[testka]

Treated all mine a few days ago. Although natural mite drop was showing 0 before treatment. After oxalic getting a drop of around 8 per day so far. I'm sure this will increase over the next week. I like was also worried about it being mild but decided better do it now before next week's forecast of constant rain and the increasing day length. Good luck whatever you decide.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

 

[REDWOOD]

Does anyone use the Beebase varroa calculator before treating

 

[VEG]

nope

If I see them i treat i dont count

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

nope

If I see them i treat i dont count

 

[dpearce4]

nope

If I see them i treat i dont count

They are there so I don't even look for them I just treat as part of my Integrated treatment program.

 

[iand]

nope

If I see them i treat i dont count

I agree, always seem to be more in there than you may think.

 

[peteinwilts]

I don't count in winter

Last year I treated on January 17th due to mild weather.
Looking at the outlook, will probably be about the same again this year

 

[SixFooter]

They are there so I don't even look for them I just treat as part of my Integrated treatment program.

It's not integrated pest management if you do that!

 

[Hivemaker.]

It's not integrated pest management if you do that!

...prophylactic.

 

[Tdod]

I was going to treat Oxalic (trickle) this morning, got everything ready there was a frost over night and pretty chilly out 3 or 4 degrees so lifted the lid slowly and there were all the bees wandering around on the frames under the clear crownboard!!

it looked like it did in the summer My hives are paynes 14x12 poly so I lowered the roof back down and put the straps back on I pressume it has got to be a lot colder to allow me to trickle the oxalic so they will be in a cluster

Been reading on here daily that people have been treating but how if the temp is not low enough do you smoke to get them down? But I read they should be in cluster?

Presume I will have to be patient and hope the temps drop..

I was going to put some fondant on just to be on the safe side but even that would of been difficult with all the bees on the frame tops?

The way are winters are going it will be warm all year round soon!!!!

 

[Finman]

But I read they should be in cluster?

Presume I will have to be patient and hope the temps drop..

!!!!

It has nothing to do with temp and cluster. It just happens to be that bees use to be in cluster in the middle of winter.

You may trickle swarms in the middle of summer and they are not in cluster in +5C temp.

Just put the stuff there and it is OK. Syrup spread better when bees are moving.



Guys have written so much about Oxalic trickling that most of beekeepers should in prison and rest of hives should be dead.

.

 

[yellowrage 53]

did my two on the 2nd had 1st look today due to being back in hospital 1st one none to look at but the 2nd OMG in the hundreds will look again on monday

 

[Tdod]

watched a couple of vids on you tube there bees looked like mine when they lifted the lid, so out I went and got on with it and it went so easy added some fondant to be on the safe side and shut them up...

well pleased with myself

 

[Pete D]

Just did 25 of mine and in general would say more bees than last year. At this time. 7 to 8 seams in most hives, bees milling about so should distribute the oxalic quickly and not suffer from the cold as will quickly bring the temperature back up. Oxalic applied at room temperature and kept in a flask till needed. Probably a bit over the top but covering them in 5 degree cold sticky liquid probably not good for them.
My wife assisted and all done including fondant where needed and back indoors in 90 minutes. Also did local beeks couple of hives up the road.
Got 4 more to do at out apiary so back out now after homemade parsnip soup before the rain comes.
Just presented the wife with her own smoker and hive tool

 

[einsteinagogo]

As a new beekeeper on my own, when never done any winter beekeeping, or been mentored over winter. I've been delaying and delaying Trickle2 (OA) treatment, waiting for the right conditions, my bees seemed to be "clustering more" late Nov, early Dec, read many forums, books, spoken to people which do OA at Christmas. Then I went into a phase of not do it (stupid!), inspection board revealed a might drop of 3 a day. So as a beekeeper, I think I just have to get on and do it, no day in the future, is going to be better than today... 3 degree C in the car, 3 degree C next to hive. So I suited up, got a smoker going (just in case - look what happened last time I had no smoke!), go the Trickle2 sorted, caps on, adjusted. (I just read before about warming it, as it's been in the fridge since 15 Dec!), so warmed it up, so it was luke warm. No bees evident at the entrance, none flying. Cracked open the clear acryllic crownboard, I was surpised that they all didn't fly up in my face, a few popped up to say hello. Tricked 10 seams of bees. Closed up, insulation back on, which is two layers, kingspan and a very close fitting 2" polyeuthane sheet. All done. I also greased up, (vaseline) an inspection board, and put it it, to check drop over 7 days.

 

[RogueDrone]

Did 15 this morning all clustered tight (Overnight Frost) only one needed smoke quick and easy.

 

[REDWOOD]

So anyone like me who puts the board in and counts the mites before deciding to treatment

 

[einsteinagogo]

So anyone like me who puts the board in and counts the mites before deciding to treatment

I did reply to this by phone snaffed, and it obviously didn't get posted.

I put the inspection board in before treatment, counted a mite drop of 3 per day, over 7 days, put the figures in the Beebase calculator.

and decided to treat with OA (Trickle2).

Before I had even done the board in, local Beeks, told me don't bother just treat, you are bound to have some varroa load in the hive!