Sugar Dusting. Yes or No?

[Erichalfbee]

Is it cheaper?

Surely the cost of sugar dusting is the least of your concerns?

 

[user 20528]

Surely the cost of sugar dusting is the least of your concerns?

At least it is one of the concerns.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ever heard of Poor Beekeepers Syndrome?

Is that a poor beekeeper or a poor beekeeper ?

 

[user 20528]

Is that a poor beekeeper or a poor beekeeper ?

Depends on which way you look at it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Depends on which way you look at it.

No. I was curious which way you did.

 

[user 20528]

No. I was curious which way you did.

Money wise. Maybe it is not as famous a saying as I thought it was.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don’t forget your summary of the thread when your poll closes

 

[user 819]

Just wondering if anyone uses sugar dusting for accelerated drop as means of mite counting ?

Doing so will still allow open brood to be killed off, a sample (cup of brood bees) in a sugar roll will give an idea of mite infestation. One doesn't even need to adapt or make

Is it really easier? Randy did it in 15 sec.

Icing sugar if you want to rid some mites and open brood or OA if you want to rid of mites only.

 

[user 819]

Ice you appear to trying to convince your self that you are correct to carry on with Icing sugar despite your poll results, carry on as you see fit. The rest of us have given you our views and if you wish not to trust in what your peers are trying to convey to you, then you are unlikely to listen to reason.

 

[oliver90owner]

Every time I see randy oliver quoted I see “up to 50%”.

What does that mean? It means exactly what it says. - “less than 50%” (could even be a very small positive number, of course) but NOT EXCEEDING 50%. That alone tells me something when the highest possible result, that could be achieved, is used to forecast the outcome.

2g of oxalic acid is far cheaper than shaking copious amounts of icing sugar around on a weekly basis (but perhaps not the inflated-cost, expensive stuff marketed by one particular company).

BTW, when these ‘experiments’ are being carried out, lets not have skewed analyses of the results and be sure that fair tests are carried out. I often see ‘cherry-picked’ results being reported. Fair tests are a highly complex area - not usually attainable by amateurs - especially those who are simply setting out to prove their hypotheses are true. Expect your results to be challenged if the methodology is flawed - as it will almost certainly will be!

That should keep you busy for a couple of years, or more - but for ever, for those with two hives and a tiny (almost non-existent) budget.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is that a poor beekeeper or a poor beekeeper ?

Or poor bees......................

 

[user 819]

Not forgetting that up to 50% of parasitic mites means at least half or even more of those mites remaining still on the bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not forgetting that up to 50% of parasitic mites means at least half or even more of those mites remaining still on the bees.

And even more in the brood

 

[TomH]

It has been proven that OA sublimation has no adverse effects (either long or short term) on the bees.

Is no adverse effects specific to sublimation? Seems to be some literature relating to OA toxicity to bee larvae, but mostly in relation to aqueous solutions.

Still trying to get my head around the various treatment options. If there is no adverse effects with OA sublimation, compared to other treatments which may damage brood or make the queen go off lay, then what's the catch? Cost of the kit and potentially vaping yourself!?

 

[Frizzaldo]

Is no adverse effects specific to sublimation? Seems to be some literature relating to OA toxicity to bee larvae, but mostly in relation to aqueous solutions.

Still trying to get my head around the various treatment options. If there is no adverse effects with OA sublimation, compared to other treatments which may damage brood or make the queen go off lay, then what's the catch? Cost of the kit and potentially vaping yourself!?

Yes cost and effort, its not as easy as shaking some sugar into your hives

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is no adverse effects specific to sublimation?

Yes

 

[Nige.Coll]

Icing sugar belongs on a cake not in a beehive.
it isn't a recognised or licensed varroa treatment.
It damages larvae that come into contact with it.
It's sugar it ends up in honey as sucrose.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Is no adverse effects specific to sublimation? Seems to be some literature relating to OA toxicity to bee larvae, but mostly in relation to aqueous solutions.

Still trying to get my head around the various treatment options. If there is no adverse effects with OA sublimation, compared to other treatments which may damage brood or make the queen go off lay, then what's the catch? Cost of the kit and potentially vaping yourself!?

I've used OA sublimation for years.
Queens don't go off lay.
No adverse effect on bees.
No adverse effect on larvae.
If you have no common sense it will have an adverse effect on you. You are creating a cloud of acid crystals if you don't treat it with respect it will make you treat it with respect.
AO sublimation is dangerous to the beekeeper but not to the bees.

 

[pargyle]

Yes cost and effort, its not as easy as shaking some sugar into your hives

Actually ... it's easier than opening the hive, taking out every frame and sprinkling all the bees with icing sugar ...

All you need is a £15 pan sublimator off ebay and a means of getting it below the hive to allow the sublimate to go up through the frames ... with OA costing pennies per gram the cost of each treatment is neglible compared to the cost of icing sugar.

Even easier (and a little more cost) is a Gasvap ...

Yes you need a decent face mask (£20 or so from Toolstation) and some eye protection but these are equipment costs which if you amortised it over 3 treatments per colony in a year over a couple of years you would be well ahead (or behind depending on how you look at it) of the corresponding cost of Icing sugar every week over the same period.

Plus ... OA by sublimation works so you can be sure you have addressed the varroa load.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Actually ... it's easier than opening the hive, taking out every frame and sprinkling all the bees with icing sugar ...

All you need is a £15 pan sublimator off ebay and a means of getting it below the hive to allow the sublimate to go up through the frames ... with OA costing pennies per gram the cost of each treatment is neglible compared to the cost of icing sugar.

Even easier (and a little more cost) is a Gasvap ...

Yes you need a decent face mask (£20 or so from Toolstation) and some eye protection but these are equipment costs which if you amortised it over 3 treatments per colony in a year over a couple of years you would be well ahead (or behind depending on how you look at it) of the corresponding cost of Icing sugar every week over the same period.

Plus ... OA by sublimation works so you can be sure you have addressed the varroa load.

Spot on.
Perhaps the OP might like to change his vote?