# Another use for Oxalic Acid Vaporizers



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Want to avoid the chore of the sugar roll or alcohol wash to count mites? Or just want to see what phoretic mites are in your hive. Try using your vaporizer. Just vaporize as normal then afterwards insert your sticky board. The drop on the second day will show you about 95% of the phoretic mites you have killed. You can then imagine what's still in your brood ready to emerge as most mites reside there. You can then decided whether you need follow up with a treatment regimen. 

Just another great use of your OA vaporizer.


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## maudbid (Jul 21, 2014)

This is what I did last year. As a first year beek, I just couldn't bring myself to do a sugar roll, let alone killing so many bees in an alcohol wash. The drop between hives was pretty amazing, and showed which ones needed follow up with additional treatments. Only one hive had any significant drop, close to a thousand mites. And that was the nucleus colony hive I had religiously powdered sugar treated once per week all summer long, only seeing single digit mite drops after powder sugar treatments.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Hmmm.

I thought the point of a sugar roll or alcohol wash what to count the mites from a _measured _amount of bees (1/2 cup of bees or whatever you choose). By using a measured amount of bees one can come up with a _mite/bee ratio_. 

It seems to me that a sticky board count simply measures the amount of mites on the board, but doesn't help with a ratio as the number of bees in the hive varies substantially over time. How does one determine the amount of live mites on bees using this method?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

This whole thing could theoretically be done with weighted and caged bees that would be returned to the hive afterwards . ?????????????

Packages????


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> How does one determine the amount of live mites on bees using this method?


Since OAV only kills phoretic mites, the mite drop will tell you the live (now dead) mites that were on the bees. I'm not talking about any ratios in this method, only that you can view on the sticky board what mites were killed and what you may or may not want to do as a result of seeing the number of mites..


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## Bugman610 (Aug 6, 2014)

Is it too late to vaporize now?


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Honey-4-All said:


> This whole thing could theoretically be done with weighted and caged bees that would be returned to the hive afterwards . ????????????? Packages????


Why go through all that work? Simply look at the mite drop after OAV to determine what you wish to do...who really cares about ratios? You see a tremendous mite drop.......decide what to do...


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Bugman610 said:


> Is it too late to vaporize now?


Not too late, the only issue is you're only killing phoretic mites and most reside in the brood. That and you do NOT treat with supers on........


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

But, to my understanding you can treat with a "honey super excluder" (ie: cardboard/spare hive lid/your least favorite political sign).


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## Dan83 (Jun 23, 2013)

For a colony that is heavily brooding, what percentage of mites are phoretic and what percentage are under capped brood? Just a guess if nothing else.


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## Kiddkop (Sep 18, 2014)

I have an oxalic acid question. Didn't want to start a new thread. I am considering dribble method. I have seen some video of a vacuum type syringe that has a supply like to a container that draws 5 cc each time. Does anyone know what that is called and where you can get one?


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

They are are used for drenching sheep and the like. Look on farm and vet supply sites.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Kiddkop said:


> I have an oxalic acid question. Didn't want to start a new thread. I am considering dribble method.


Why not start a new thread? Your question / post has no relevance to this one?


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## Kiddkop (Sep 18, 2014)

snl said:


> Why not start a new thread? Your question / post has no relevance to this one?


The relevance is oxalic acid and the reason I didn't start a new thread is what I already stated....I didn't want to.


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## Kiddkop (Sep 18, 2014)

WBVC said:


> They are are used for drenching sheep and the like. Look on farm and vet supply sites.


Thank you WBVC


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Dan83 said:


> For a colony that is heavily brooding, what percentage of mites are phoretic and what percentage are under capped brood? Just a guess if nothing else.


I'll try and find out, but at the moment, not even a guess...........


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## Bugman610 (Aug 6, 2014)

Thanks, DLS.


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## foxC (Feb 4, 2015)

I just did this with three recently installed packages before any brood was capped. Four days and not a single mite in the tray. Either the supplier treated before sending them off or I shoulda spread vasoline in the trays but it appears I have minimal if any at all mite drop.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

Dan83 said:


> For a colony that is heavily brooding, what percentage of mites are phoretic and what percentage are under capped brood? Just a guess if nothing else.


I haven't read the rest of the thread so don't know if this is answered, but randy Oliver stated in one of his articles that either 75% or 85%(I'll have to check my notes) are under capped brood, so you would have killed either 25 or 15%.

couldn't find it on Randies site but here is an article.

Up to 85% of the mites in a colony are in capped brood cells and not visually detectable. Varroa mites are more attracted to drone brood than worker brood, so look there first. Sample about 100 cells. Locate a patch of drone cells in the purple eye pupal stage. Slide the prongs of a de-capping fork along the comb face and into the protruding drone cappings. Pry upward and remove the pupae. Carefully examine the bodies and the interior of the cells for

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture/factsheets/222_vardetect.htm


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

I use oxalic acid to clean stainless steel - works excellent to remove rust stains - it is the main ingredient in barkeepers friend.

I also recently used it mixed in a strong paste to remove stuck on aluminum from a plated motorcycle cylinder which had seized a piston.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Another great time to do a treatment is during a brood break. Most of the mites are then phoretic (or becoming so) and OAV will kill most of them.


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## ABruce (Dec 27, 2013)

So If a hive has gone queen-less, no capped brood, a person could protect the honey supers and a single application late in the evening or early morning should get the same kill or better than a winter application? A perfect opportunity to knock the mite count down?


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

ABruce said:


> So If a hive has gone queen-less, no capped brood, a person could protect the honey supers and a single application late in the evening or early morning should get the same kill or better than a winter application?


Unfortunate circumstances, but yes a perfect opportunity to kill GT 95% of the phoretic mites.......


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