Vaping newbie

[Jules59]

What is the mechanism of action of oxalic acid as an effective varroa treatment ?
And whilst I'm thinking about it how does formic acid (in a similar way to OA I presume) and eucalyptus work ?

 

[JamezF]

What is the mechanism of action of oxalic acid as an effective varroa treatment ?

My understanding, which certainly may be wrong, is that the OA comes into contact with pretty much everything inside the hive. The mites' feet rely on moisture to function and allow them to hold on to the bee. In their case the moisture is provided by the haemolymph. This gives the OA a path into their bodies, dissolving from their feet into the haemolymph. Once in solution it's very reactive and has the potential to wreck all sorts of proteins and enzymes that function to keep the mite alive as well as directly damaging cell tissue. I imagine it's fairly indiscriminate at that point.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

What is the mechanism of action of oxalic acid as an effective varroa treatment ?
And whilst I'm thinking about it how does formic acid (in a similar way to OA I presume) and eucalyptus work ?

James has it forOA
Formic acts at the mites’ cellular level interfering with energy production.
I didn’t realise eucalyptus killed mites.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I didn’t realise eucalyptus killed mites

it just enables them to sing clearer

 

[Erichalfbee]

it just enables them to sing clearer

Tunes!

 

[Jules59]

James has it forOA
Formic acts at the mites’ cellular level interfering with energy production.
I didn’t realise eucalyptus killed mites.

Thanks for the replies.
I asked the question at a recent club meeting and nobody knew the answer. Also the syllabus for the BBKA Bee Health module does not mention mechanism of action nor did any of the books I read in preparation.
I dont know if eucalyptus does kill mites but its one of the 4 components of Apilife-Var (Thymol, Eucalyptus Oil, Menthol and Camphor) - it just came to me to ask at the same time.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thymol, Eucalyptus Oil, Menthol and Camphor

Are all essential oils.
Here you are...info of mode of action of the common miticides
You can let your association have a copy
https://pheromite.com/varroa-treatments-mode-action-resistance/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are all essential oils

they forgot to append 'snake' to the list

 

[Jules59]

Are all essential oils.
Here you are...info of mode of action of the common miticides
You can let your association have a copy
https://pheromite.com/varroa-treatments-mode-action-resistance/

Thanks - however it doesn't offer much/any info about OA affects mites but not honey bees. The wet/sticky mite feet seems a plausible route of OA entry - as described earlier.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks - however it doesn't offer much/any info about OA affects mites but not honey bees. The wet/sticky mite feet seems a plausible route of OA entry - as described earlier.

I tend to believe the foot theory re Oxalic acid myself .
I drive a car but have no idea how it works these days. I understood carburettors and distributors. All this electronics baffles me but I still drive one.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

they forgot to append 'snake' to the list

Or Petroleum - which is probably top of the list by several powers of ten

 

[rossbyjove]

I do exactly the same.

I have started to put an old duvet cover over the hive when vaping as I noticed vapour escaping.
I make sure I stand well away from it.
So don't feel the need for a mask.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I tend to believe the foot theory re Oxalic acid myself .
I drive a car but have no idea how it works these days. I understood carburettors and distributors. All this electronics baffles me but I still drive one.

Oh for the halcyon days when Triumph twin cylinder motorbike engines had magneto ignition and went like sh*t off a stick. (Even if they did lose screw on tappet covers with monotonous regularity unless wired in place)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh for the halcyon days when Triumph twin cylinder motorbike engines had magneto ignition and went like sh*t off a stick. (Even if they did lose screw on tappet covers with monotonous regularity unless wired in place)

My dad was motorbike mad. As youngsters my sister and I travelled in a sidecar. He was forever taking the bike apart in the kitchen. Used to drive my mother mad. I have memories of a blissful sunny holiday, partly spent camping in a farmer's field waiting for a new clutch after my dad burn't it out crawling up Porlock hill in a queue of summer traffic.

We looked at a new car last year ....which we didn't buy, updating the camper instead, and that didn't even have a manual handbrake....I'm getting too old for that sort of innovation