Where are the seams to add the oxalic acid?

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fatshark

Field Bee
Joined
May 4, 2009
Messages
985
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Location
Fife & Ardnamurchan
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
10
I didn't treat with OA last year and am not certain I will this. However, if I do, it's going to be tough finding the seams to trickle the OA down ...
winterClusterNot.jpg

... this was the view under the roof insulation yesterday. Clearly the warmest part of the hive is just under the crown board. Should I perhaps leave the insulation off for a night or two to encourage them to move down between the frames?

With thanks.
 
I would certainly remove the glass quilt.
It will cause illness with the condensation created.
 
Hi FS

Maybe the crown board is perspex? Whatever it is, dripping from it is not good but if you are insulating directly above then maybe it is OK. There certainly is no sign of condensation there now.

I like your idea of leaving the insulation off (and risking condensation) to get them to withdraw down a little.

One thing to note though is that the cluster is hard up against the crown board and that means that the stores above them have gone. They will not yet have started raising brood for the new season but when they do their need for stores increases and in cold weather they will be stuck there. I'd seriously consider putting a block of fondant on top in an empty super and insulating around it. The two of mine which were at the heather didn't get fondant as I thought that they were heavy enough, but I put some on today while doing my oxalic treatment as they were clustering at the top too.

Glass crown board on top of the super if that's all you have with a block of fondant on the top bars and insulation between would be fine.

cheers

Gavin

PS That's a nice big healthy colony you have there!
 
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Crown board is perspex as Gavin suggests ... I've never noticed any condensation on this or any of the other hives with them. To take this photo I moved the insulation for about 15 seconds, so I think this is a fair reflection of what's happening. Insulation is immediately (actually, 9mm) above the CB, so I wouldn't expect condensation. Hefting the hive suggests it has lots of stores left. Its neighbour has a block of fondant on (in an insulated eke) already as they wouldn't take enough syrup.

The forecast suggests another cold snap, so I'll not bother them with the OA until it warms up a little.
 
Crown board is perspex as Gavin suggests ... I've never noticed any condensation on this or any of the other hives with them. To take this photo I moved the insulation for about 15 seconds, so I think this is a fair reflection of what's happening. Insulation is immediately (actually, 9mm) above the CB, so I wouldn't expect condensation. Hefting the hive suggests it has lots of stores left. Its neighbour has a block of fondant on (in an insulated eke) already as they wouldn't take enough syrup.

The forecast suggests another cold snap, so I'll not bother them with the OA until it warms up a little.

all of mine also sit up top under the insulation on any day they are not clustered, it was 10c on saturday and i needed to remove some late applied bayvarol on one hive and they looked just like the photo, and again, i added fondant above them even though they still have lots of stores
 
My WBC with a perspex cover looked the same, except bees were on the fondant.

Not going to treat mine with oxalic untill Candlemass

However makes you wonder if the "gassing technique" would be easier.
I have 1kg of analar grade oxalic to use!!!
 
I have 1kg of analar grade oxalic to use!!!

Quite likely the same stuff as the 'general purpose reagent' excepting the 'analar' has a certificated analysis printed on the jar. 5 times the expense, but, hey-ho, who cares. I doubt you have purchased it so it prolly doesn't matter a great deal.

With 6 colonies you may have enough there for about a hundred years, using a decent sublimator.

RAB
 
I have 1kg of analar grade oxalic to use!!!

Quite likely the same stuff as the 'general purpose reagent' excepting the 'analar' has a certificated analysis printed on the jar. 5 times the expense, but, hey-ho, who cares. I doubt you have purchased it so it prolly doesn't matter a great deal.

With 6 colonies you may have enough there for about a hundred years, using a decent sublimator.

RAB

The labs stores only had analar! and once jar is opened can not be returned !!

Full details of sublimation equipment and instructions for use seem to be required!!!
Cheers Folks
 
Full details of sublimation equipment and instructions for use seem to be required!!!
Cheers Folks


Self help. Available from Th*rne.

RAB
 
"PS That's a nice big healthy colony you have there!"

presuming that they are not all aligned as an 8mm horizontal pancake under the CB with none between the frames!!!! ;-)
 
presuming that they are not all aligned as an 8mm horizontal pancake under the CB with none between the frames!!!! ;-)

they're not ... the seams (what I can see of them) are packed under the visible 'pancake'. Of course the 'cluster' could be hollow ... :)
 
they're not ... the seams (what I can see of them) are packed under the visible 'pancake'. Of course the 'cluster' could be hollow ... :)

Very funny.

When you trickle onto the pancake, syrup droplets will be spreaded between all bees. The sugar makes bees "dirty" and OA is attached on bees.

It is same in all hives. The OA goes through the bee mass.

But however, you surely are proud on your strong hive .
 
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Of course the 'cluster' could be hollow ... :)

It's amazing what some of these darn viruses can do! Or was it the pesticides? :biggrinjester:
 
The labs stores only had analar! and once jar is opened can not be returned !!

Crazy - buying 5x100g bottles sounds as though it could save a lot of money!
 

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