Treated with Oxalic Acid today

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jimbeekeeper

Queen Bee
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Dec 14, 2008
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Location
East Yorkshire
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National
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Given the break in the weather with a sensible 6 deg C, and also my own personal availability, I took the opportunity to treat my hives with my own measured 3.2% OA solution (7.5g OA 100g sugar and 100mls tepid water).

I also used the time to add a slab of fondant per hive, and add an empty super below the brood to act as a wind break/skirt. Something I have never done before but though I would try it.

The key was having everything ready for minimal disturbance of the bees.

I sat a spare OMF next to the hive, with the empty super on this, pre-charge the OA syringe ready (10ml i.e 2 seams) and place slab of fondant on spare crown board, remove roof then crown board tapping bees into empty super.

5ml OA added per seam of bees, VERY pleased with numbers 6 -7 frames well covered.

Crown board fitted with pre attached fondant, brood box cracked from original floor and lifted onto empty super/new floor, old floor removed. Hive slid back to original place and roof refitted with some Rockwool insulation underneath. Mouse guards re-fitted.

All floors had a reasonable carpeted of dead bees, but nothing of concern given the numbers in the broods, still good weight to the broods. Obviously no frames removed, but glancing down them whilst treating all looked well

In all, less than 2 minutes for the whole operation per hive.

Looking great for 2011bee-smillie
 
Similar idea to using slatted bottom boards regards the super...but without the slats...think some just place the empty super under the mesh floor as a wind break.
 
Hivemaker,

The choice should be under the OMF, IMO - no risk of wild comb in the spring.

Regards, RAB
 
Hivemaker,

The choice should be under the OMF, IMO - no risk of wild comb in the spring.

Regards, RAB

In my view the empty super space above the floor/below the brood allows for less chance of bee blockage and minimises varroa back up even with the OMF. Ventilation belwo insulation above.

Fair point about the comb, but gaive me chance to have a 100% clean floor, and for the time it all took no issue to bees.

but minor issue and any reasonable keeper would not be that far behind them to remove wild comb.
 
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OK!

Seriously though, just after some explanation - was led to believe that Oxalic was best applied end of year, new year due to there being brood about earlier- are you saying that there is little difference in quantity of brood now, mid december, than in a few weeks?
 
OK!

Seriously though, just after some explanation - was led to believe that Oxalic was best applied end of year, new year due to there being brood about earlier- are you saying that there is little difference in quantity of brood now, mid december, than in a few weeks?

I have given an explination! I was still typing as you where, LOL

And as for the dates, do you think the bees know it is the 11 of December or the 1st of January?

Dates (months) are only a guide.
 
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Hivemaker,

The choice should be under the OMF, IMO - no risk of wild comb in the spring.

Regards, RAB
Spring 2010 got caught out having masses of wild comb built down into empty super :). I run 14x12s but the weather delayed first inspection somewhat !
I've put them down for Winter minus super this time, also I'll put drawers in omfs after oa treatment ! These are proper draught proof drawers not flimsy sheets of Corredex etc.. they are 2" deep as was the last design of varroa floor ,pre omf.

John Wilkinson
 
I think I will swap round the floor/supers tommorow, as John says you never know what might stop you from getting to them.

With a spare floor it will be like the cups game...brood to spare floor, remove orginal floor, lift all onto super.

Thanks Guys for the advice.



The other thing I would not do again next year is double brood over the winter. Previous years I have always done single national, but this year I did about 50:50 double and single.

I just do not feel the doubles get the OX effectivley as a trickle.
 
Looked in a couple of my hives two days ago and all the bees were in the bottom half national, few or none in the full box above and none at all in the super above that where there is more stores if they want it. Because it was deep freeze I put sliders in the OMFs with foam to fill the aperture so as to make 'em comfier but it warmed up yesterday so removed the stuffing etc leaving the OMF free to air without an empty super below as colleagues recommend in some cases. Despite -10 to -14C over the last few days, the bees have not suffered from the cold at all it seems. See Finmans posts too in this respect. You can do harm by mollycoddling!!!

As for Oxalic, it is a little bit premature I would have thought and, since I evaporate/fumigate, finding all the clustered bees at the lowest point suits me fine and clearly trickling would not be as suitable in the circs. QED.
 
Looked in a couple of my hives two days ago ... Because it was deep freeze I put sliders in the OMFs with foam to fill the aperture so as to make 'em comfier but it warmed up yesterday so removed the stuffing etc leaving the OMF free to air without an empty super below as colleagues recommend in some cases.

You can do harm by Too much fiddling and poor ventilation!
 
The CHILL to cease the lay, hit here about the 1st of Secember, so I would imagine all brood will be out by Christmas day............... or do they take longer to mature in the cool?????
 
John,

Do you run 14 x 12s because you don't like 'brood and a half' or so that you can get 'more than adequate' winter stores into a single box? Or both maybe?

Any other reasons, for the benefit of the new forum beeks?

Regards, RAB
 
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