When to treat with Oxalic Acid?

[melias]

This will be my first year treating with OA. Is it very important that the treatment is after a very cold spell, or should I treat now, for example? Temperature has not really dropped below freezing where I am. Colder weather is expected in the next week or two.

 

[Bob Bee]

Now would be better than later.

 

[Finman]

Is it very important that the treatment is after a very cold spell,

It has nothing to do with cold or with very cold spell. Only thing is that the hive is broodless. If the hive has brood, too many mites are in safe under capping.

If you want to know, open the hive and look do they have capped brood. No one in internet can know it.

In south, like Italy, Turkey, Greek etc they have warmer than you and they treat them.

 

[Finman]

.
Here bees start brooding in February even if out temp is -20C.

 

[MJBee]

I would treat now.

With this very mild (so far) winter I do not think many colonies will have had a completely broodless period and as the days lengthen the queen is going to increase her laying thus making the situation worse, ie more cells for the varroa to hide in.

The OA treatment will not be fully effective but will reduce the varroa load, further treatment(s) may/will be necessary in the Spring. Monitor closely and treat as necessary.

 

[drstitson]

If you need to treat then treat ASAP IMHO.

As above key is broodless or minimal brood state.

Given recent weather and activity you're probably aiming to treat in the later state realistically.

For those "treaters" amongst us the probable "golden window" (THIS WINTER) was the three days of the NY long weekend (21 days after the brief cold snap in early dec and 9 days after midwinter).

 

[MJBee]

Mine were treated on 29 December I only missed your golden window by one day Doc

 

[Silly Bee]

I usually aim for NY's day. (If its not peeing down)

 

[For want of a better word]

Of course if you are using the old calender the time to vaporise with OA is NOW.
Check when the Ukrain are having their Orthodox Christmas... some time after the one celebrated in the UK................that occurs on 25th December!

And if to trickle with sticky acid or vaporise in the most "sublime" of ways was not enough!!!

 

[Arfermo]

This will be my first year treating with OA. Is it very important that the treatment is after a very cold spell, or should I treat now, for example? Temperature has not really dropped below freezing where I am. Colder weather is expected in the next week or two.

It is getting very late to treat with oxalic. It is best done just after Xmas and it doesn't matter a toss if the bees are not tightly clustered either. In fact if they are wandering about a bit, that is all to the good as it gets passed aroud even better - so get it done YESTERDAY or live to have regrets.

 

[mystil]

I treated for the first time last weekend and I could not believe the Varroa drop. It was huge, in just a 24 hour period. Have treated all our hives this year as all had varroa.

Amazing stuff.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I treated for the first time last weekend and I could not believe the Varroa drop. It was huge, in just a 24 hour period.

Sounds like your varroa treatment in oct/nov was not very effective,what were the strips you used.

 

[rae]

We've clearly had plenty of brood all winter. We had orientation flights last week! We were waiting for a proper protracted cold spell, but it looks like we are just going to have to get on and treat.

 

[Rosti]

I agree Rae,
Bit the bullet today given in North Yorks we have had the first half decent frost since? (well actually I can't remember).
Nothing to be done if things had gone south but pleased to see 6/6 still going strong and one of those was a swarm hived sept11 in a 6 frame 14x12 nuc (though it has burnt fondant most of the winter).

 

[susbees]

one of those was a swarm hived sept11 in a 6 frame 14x12 nuc (though it has burnt fondant most of the winter).

Sounds like you could do with a new chef, Rosti

 

[BBG]

Sounds like your varroa treatment in oct/nov was not very effective,what were the strips you used.

Thankfully (and touching wood while saying this) we followed your Thymol treatment regime in September and have not had a drop of more than 70 at worst and 10 at best since treating with Oxalic a week ago - and that over two days and one week monitoring.