# might be a mite?



## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

Ok yeah I'm pretty sure it's mites. Found these in the mineral oil tray this afternoon. Started with a package in April and these are the first ones I've found.

I'm kinda leaning toward the OAV treatment method. When is the best time to do it and for how often. What's a good one to get? 

What about using ozone. I saw a thread a while back and it died out. Is that legit?


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## BobL (Aug 8, 2015)

I learned the hard way that a few will be many in a very short time.
Keep a close eye on your mite count!

I'm doing a sticky board drop count right now and will use OAV.
As far as which vaporizer to get you will have to make that call there's everything from not so good cheaper stuff to expensive top rated model$
There are a ton of threads on different ones including home made if that's your thing. I just went through all of them in the last couple days 
After all the research and the fact I need something that works right now I went with the Varrox .


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Does a dog ever just have only one or two fleas? Didn't think so! Same w/varroa.

Enj.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

OAV may not be a good choice at this time of year....if you like brood.

MAQS or FA ....Apivar...

http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/FAFumigat.pdf


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## BobL (Aug 8, 2015)

That link is about Formic acid.

Oxalic Acid Vapor isn't suppose to harm the brood.


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## jfmcree (Mar 10, 2014)

Here is some information SNL just shared with me when I asked a similar question:

Below is a long thread that will answer your questions. But this is a great time to treat as the mites are out-breeding the bees. OA does not harm brood, bees or the queen! 

http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...ns-and-Answers


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

I'm getting the varrox. It's a naturally occurring acid and minimally intrusive. I can't stand the thought of them things crawling on my bees.

I guess the jury is still out on the ozone?? Sounds even better if it works... anyone?


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

I stand corected ...I was thinking of something else.


BeeBad said:


> OAV may not be a good choice at this time of year....if you like brood.
> 
> MAQS or FA ....Apivar...
> 
> http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/FAFumigat.pdf


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

BeeBad said:


> I stand corected ...I was thinking of something else.


That was a good paper on formic acid treatment for mites. It gets in the capped brood and kills the mites there as well for a one time treatment. Kinda scary when they start talking about liquid vapors. Something like that could probably go right though your skin and into your bloodstream. Just speculation I'm no chemist, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. :banana:


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## frankthomas (Aug 2, 2012)

There is no might about that mite being a mite. Now it might be a dead mite and it might be a live mite but a mite it most definitely is.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

This is taken directly from the Virginia State Beekeepers Association News Letter, for those who may not receive it.
Registration in Virginia Oxalic Acid Update
Earlier this year, oxalic acid was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against the Varroa mite. Following label approval by the EPA, Brushy Mountain Bee Farm has registered oxalic acid with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Ser-vices (VDACS) and similar agencies in ap-proximately 20 states for legal of use of their product as a miticide*. 
There are three approved methods for using ox-alic acid in treatments for Varroa mites: 
1. By Solution to Package Bees - in sugar solu-tion applied as a spray to adult bees in a package; 
2. By Solution to Beehives - in sugar solution trickled between frames and other spaces onto adult bees; 
3. Vapor Treatment of Beehives – in crystal or dihydrate form heated so it vaporizes in the hive. 
Evidence suggests oxalic acid is toxic to brood and will not control Varroa mites in capped brood. Treatment is only effective on phoretic mites, such as those on adult bees in winter cluster. Oxalic acid applications are for outdoor use only and should be used only in late fall or early spring when little or no brood is present. Do not use oxalic acid in hives when honey supers are in place to prevent contamination of honey. 
You must follow the label directions exactly for the three different methods of treatment. Safety precautions should be followed when working with or applying this acid. Currently, a 35 gram package of oxalic acid for treating 12 colonies using the direct sprinkle method is available from Brushy Mountain Bee Farm and their af-filiates. The package may be purchase by itself or in a kit which includes nitrile gloves, safety goggles, and a 60cc syringe. A vaporizer for treating hives with oxalic acid is coming in Fall 2015. 
*NOTE: Use of over-the-counter oxalic acid not labeled for use in treating Varroa mites is a vio-lation of the product label and misuse of the product. Such action is subject to regulatory ac-tion by the EPA and VDACS.


BeeBad said:


> OAV may not be a good choice at this time of year....if you like brood.
> 
> MAQS or FA ....Apivar...
> 
> http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/FAFumigat.pdf


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I've used OA vapor for several years now and have NEVER seen brood harmed. I believe the above is in reverence to dribble method. Never knew a beekeeper to violate EPA rules


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

ljbee said:


> View attachment 20524
> 
> 
> Ok yeah I'm pretty sure it's mites. Found these in the mineral oil tray this afternoon. Started with a package in April and these are the first ones I've found.
> ...


This is the time of year when the mite buildup exceeds the bee buildup. Those are pretty definitely mites and you should treat quickly if your honey supers are off.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

I have only heard of using OA at fall time...I would love to use OA more often since it seems to be an ideal treatment


camero7 said:


> I've used OA vapor for several years now and have NEVER seen brood harmed. I believe the above is in reverence to dribble method. Never knew a beekeeper to violate EPA rules


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

I'm gonna fire this baby up is weekend. Made to fit in place of my oil tray. Nobody around here has any oxalic acid. 

Does this harm brood or not? Seems to be some debate. I know it wont kill mites in capped brood, hence the 3x7 or 4x5 day treatment. 

I plan on doing a course of treatment now and another during the brood-less period this winter, unless anyone thinks that's a bad idea?


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## BobL (Aug 8, 2015)

I found OA at the paint store, tried every hardware and home improvement store but none of them had it or kept it in stock.
The Varrox it only needs to be powered for 2.5 minutes, it will finish vaporizing 2 gm of OA at about 3 min with the heat left after power is disconnected . 
I ran a few bench test to check times, also a digital timer is pretty handy I got a cheap one for under $5
Treated 4 hives yesterday morning and monitoring the results.


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

Yeah thanks.... first one I called had it. Going to pick up some today and will be testing this evening for a treatment early in the morning. I'm going to load the varrox with oxalic and slide the pan in tonite that way in the morning I can just block the entrance and hook up the battery. 

Is it ok to leave the varrox in place for the 10 min time period? I want to turn the computer fan on first, then vaporize and leave the fan run for 10 minutes. Unblock the entrance slide the whole pan out and leave the oil tray out for a while to let it ventilate.


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## BobL (Aug 8, 2015)

I don't know about the fan, think it might grind a few bees ? Believe me your bees will be moving some air as soon as the vapor starts building. 
The only problem I see with leaving the vaporizer in for the full 10 minutes is it stays hot long after you disconnect the power, could melt some wax or cause other heat problems. I don't know I've only used the Varrox 4 times.


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

BobL said:


> I don't know about the fan, think it might grind a few bees ? Believe me your bees will be moving some air as soon as the vapor starts building.
> The only problem I see with leaving the vaporizer in for the full 10 minutes is it stays hot long after you disconnect the power, could melt some wax or cause other heat problems. I don't know I've only used the Varrox 4 times.


Both the fan and the varrox are under the screened bottom board and inaccessible to the bees


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## BobL (Aug 8, 2015)

I see, hope it works out, you've put a lot of time and thought in to it.

I like the pan under the screen :thumbsup:


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

Well I used it this evening and everything went good. I put the oil tray back in with clean oil


Now I'll see how many mites I really have/had.


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

ljbee said:


> Both the fan and the varrox are under the screened bottom board and inaccessible to the bees


The fan is definitely not needed. Once the OA vaporizes, you can really hear the bees fanning their wings and moving it through the hive.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/Varroa

check this out on VD


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

dudelt said:


> The fan is definitely not needed. Once the OA vaporizes, you can really hear the bees fanning their wings and moving it through the hive.



I would imagine the bees are fanning the stuff away from them. Some frames don't have bees on it etc....

I made this in 10 minutes out of stuff laying around. I like the fan. It gets the air moving before I start and keeps it moving for the whole 10 minutes... long after the bees quit fanning. The fan stays


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

So far only about 30 dead in the oil tray since Sunday night


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

ljbee said:


> So far only about 30 dead in the oil tray since Sunday night



Probably because the fan blew the vapor out of every crack in your supers. opcorn:


Or....that's all the mites that were there


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

WELL BALDERDASH! 

OH BAlderdash!

I stand by my statement regarding the use of OA when brood is present. Everything I have read that is worth reading suggests not to use OA when brood is present. Not withstanding what I have already posted, page 15 of the September issue of Bee Culture ALSO supports this position. So what are we missing here for the benefit of folk still on the fence about OA?




BeeBad said:


> I stand corrected ...I was thinking of something else.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

OH BAlderdash!


BeeBad said:


> I stand corected ...I was thinking of something else.


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## ljbee (Apr 27, 2015)

Scpossum said:


> Probably because the fan blew the vapor out of every crack in your supers.
> 
> 
> [/QUOTE
> ...


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

Vaporization is okay with brood, what isn't okay is the trickle or drench methods


BeeBad said:


> OH BAlderdash!


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