Rhubarb Leaves

[domino]

I've seen this mentioned is several places that putting rhubarb leaves into a hive is a treatment for varroa.

This seems to be based on the fact that the leaves have a high concentration of oxalic acid. Although I've not seen anyone suggest how it is extracted and utilised by the bees. I've stopped dismissing things out of hand, but this one is firmly in my 'improbable' basket.

The methods I've seen suggest range from dumping the leaves into the hive to making tea with it.

I wonder how these things take hold?

 

[birdsandbees]

yes, I've seen them too.

I'm inclined to agree with you, I don't really see the point, if you want to use OA then just vape it in, far more effective, if its the natural beekeeping clans idea as its natural then, Hello! its still Oxalic Acid!

In fact I suggested they try a Banana skin but I think the joke was missed ( alarm pheromone Isoamyl acetate )

 

[taurus]

Don't bananas give out small amounts of antimatter - which has got to bad for varroa?

 

[eddyh]

A few of the old timers around here use it.They say it works for them,but they use the whole stem and not just the leaves.i have spoke to a beekeeper not far away who uses milk and sugar in a feeder to control varroa.Reckons it works for him,something to do with the high protein they can't handle.

 

[For want of a better word]

See post on Rhubarb... peer reviewed Polish research!

Yeghes da

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Don't bananas give out small amounts of antimatter - which has got to bad for varroa?

Yes but setting up the containment field takes a lot of energy and it's hard to get hold of the di-lithium crystals.

 

[For want of a better word]

Yes but setting up the containment field takes a lot of energy and it's hard to get hold of the di-lithium crystals.

We should be OK here in Cornwall Lithium mine opening up at Redmoor!

I wonder what Radon does to Varroa... has any one factored that element in on colonies kept on granitic /acid rock???

No wonder your bees are aggressive if you put banana skins in with them!!

Yeghes da