Very low varroa counts: prophylactic treatment or not?

[Wilco]

Still readily available. 2kg for under £20, plus postage.

https://apcpure.com/product/oxalic-...3iLjepS9FOsidBRDIrcaAnU2EALw_wcB#gad_source=1

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://www.cwynnejones.com/home/638-oxalic-crystals-500g.html?ssa_query=oxalic acid

Thanks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

***

 

[Erichalfbee]

Still readily available. 2kg for under £20, plus postage.

https://apcpure.com/product/oxalic-...3iLjepS9FOsidBRDIrcaAnU2EALw_wcB#gad_source=1

Have you tried ordering it. I did. They processed my payment then asked me for a copy of my home office licence

 

[Wilco]

Have you tried ordering it. I did. They processed my payment then asked me for a copy of my home office licence

That's new. Apologies for the error.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Still readily available. 2kg for under £20, plus postage.

https://apcpure.com/product/oxalic-...3iLjepS9FOsidBRDIrcaAnU2EALw_wcB#gad_source=1

they've really ramped up the price though - it wasn't that long ago that they were selling it for under a fiver a kilo

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think CWJ may see a run on it whatever the price

 

[Wilco]

they've really ramped up the price though - it wasn't that long ago that they were selling it for under a fiver a kilo

There's one place selling it for £20 for 5kg but they're out of stock.

 

[Amari]

https://shop.hdchemicals.co.uk/products/oxalic-acid?_pos=1&_sid=a41b15701&_ss=r

Thanks, I've placed an order. Strange that APCPure, my previous supplier, now requires a Home Office licence whereas HDChemicals don't.

Have you tried ordering it. I did. They processed my payment then asked me for a copy of my home office licence

 

[Swarm]

That's new. Apologies for the error.

Go back and order a kilo, don't cancel it and wait for the email confirming your order, that's when they want you to explain.
You will receive a reply from Ellen explaining the new legislation brought in by the UK government on Oct 1st 2023. You can proceed with your order if you feel you meet the criteria but will need to provide photographic ID and proof of your address.

Passport photo or driving licence ,proof of buisness address
John
View attachment 40965

 

[Amari]

Thanks to all for your replies. I'll report back after doing a forced drop/?sugar roll (never done one before)

I renewed the sticky paper and vaped 3g of oxalic acid yesterday and read the boards today.
Home apiary: total varroa drops on three hives:13, 20, 7.
Out-apiary, two hives: 5, 3.
Grateful for your thoughts.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use 20 as my cut off point if I’m considering vaping during the season.
At the end of summer I vape everything so don’t bother checking.
Sorry that’s not much help.

 

[Garry R]

Got my order from C Wynne Jones within a couple of days. No thought police knocking at the door yet but do have some badly stained wood at the door as a reason for ordering just in case!

 

[sean-a]

Sorry ... this is about the most useless advice anyone has ever provided on here for anything to do with Varroa !

Really?

Sounds like he is suggesting removing all the capped frames of brood (and therefore removing any mites that would be sheltered from Oxalic Acid sublimations) from hive 1

Putting these frames of capped brood on a weak hive to strengthen it

Then applying OA to the hive containing all the bees and open brood, so only phoretic mites which are vulnerable to OA.

Surely this would then result in Hive 1 having zero (or close to) mites.
Clearly need to deal with the weak hive too.
One way to do this might be to zap the hive repeatedly with OA to eliminate phoretic and emerging mites.
Another would be to cage the queen for three weeks (21 days), then zap the hive with OA
or you could release her after 14 days and then zap them 7 days later before the newest lavae are capped

Nothing useless about the advice he gave!
Seems to me to be a way to clear an individual hive quite effectively

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Really?

Sounds like he is suggesting removing all the capped frames of brood (and therefore removing any mites that would be sheltered from Oxalic Acid sublimations) from hive 1

Putting these frames of capped brood on a weak hive to strengthen it

Then applying OA to the hive containing all the bees and open brood, so only phoretic mites which are vulnerable to OA.

Surely this would then result in Hive 1 having zero (or close to) mites.
Clearly need to deal with the weak hive too.
One way to do this might be to zap the hive repeatedly with OA to eliminate phoretic and emerging mites.
Another would be to cage the queen for three weeks (21 days), then zap the hive with OA
or you could release her after 14 days and then zap them 7 days later before the newest lavae are capped

Nothing useless about the advice he gave!
Seems to me to be a way to clear an individual hive quite effectively

but al load of faff for no reason as you still have all the mites you started with - just in a different hive.
Just do a bog standard three cycle OA treatment, it ain't rocket science.
So yes, as PArgyle - pretty useless advice, especially as OA on day 7 and then 11 is pretty daft

 

[fian]

Really?

Sounds like he is suggesting removing all the capped frames of brood (and therefore removing any mites that would be sheltered from Oxalic Acid sublimations) from hive 1

Putting these frames of capped brood on a weak hive to strengthen it

Then applying OA to the hive containing all the bees and open brood, so only phoretic mites which are vulnerable to OA.

Surely this would then result in Hive 1 having zero (or close to) mites.
Clearly need to deal with the weak hive too.
One way to do this might be to zap the hive repeatedly with OA to eliminate phoretic and emerging mites.
Another would be to cage the queen for three weeks (21 days), then zap the hive with OA
or you could release her after 14 days and then zap them 7 days later before the newest lavae are capped

Nothing useless about the advice he gave!
Seems to me to be a way to clear an individual hive quite effectively

If that's what I was suggesting.
In addition to what was mentioned.
1. By reinforcing the weakest hive with closed brood, field bees will focus on keeping this new section warm, limiting the transport of varroa between hives.
2. Since you have already reorganized the breeding in the different hives, instead of 3/4 treatments of oxalic acid you only need 2 to cover the 24-day period.

 

[fian]

To those who are interested, this study compares the different varieties of whether or not to cage the queen and whether or not to treat with oxalic acid.
https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-abstract/113/2/582/5697464.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Still readily available. 2kg for under £20, plus postage.

https://apcpure.com/product/oxalic-...3iLjepS9FOsidBRDIrcaAnU2EALw_wcB#gad_source=1

Good company wilco,
we buy other products from them to unrelated to beekeeping.