# How to do Oxalic Acid spray for package bees?



## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

It appears this guy sprays his package with oa. 

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/flathead-beekeepers/OO04CBPHIcY


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## Murdock (Jun 16, 2013)

I spray my hybrid top bar hives using the medium strength OA solution. From a plastic bottle (like windex) light spray down each seam every 5-6 days and do this 4 times. Use sticky boards under the bars/frames to catch mite drop. Treat quarterly to keep them knocked down. If mites persist add a 5th time to the above. If you treat the package there will be dead mites in the box unless you can shake them thru the screen side. Just sit the transit box inside the top bar and the bees will climb out and onto the bars on their own. You can go back and remove the box in 4-5 days.


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

spraying tends to be very hard on the bees compared to OAD/OAV.. I my self would just hit them after install
but sence you asked, the OA direction label reads 


> Ensure bees are clustered before applying oxalic acid (for example store in cool dark location 24 hours before application).
> Spray broodless package bees with a 1:1 sugar water solution at least 2 hours before spraying with oxalic acid. This allows
> bees to fill honey stomachs with sugar water reducing ingestion of oxalic acid.
> Mix a 2.8% oxalic acid solution by dissolving 35 g of Oxalic Acid Dihydrate in 1 liter of 1:1 sugar: water (weight:volume).
> ...


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## maredzki (May 12, 2020)

msl said:


> spraying tends to be very hard on the bees compared to OAD/OAV.. I my self would just hit them after install
> but sence you asked, the OA direction label reads


I apologize for resurrecting an old post but I would like to ask @msl what would be recommended procedure to install packaged bees and do OAV?

Spray with 1:1 sugar syrup to calm them down
Wait 1-2 hours for cleanup and digestion
Place (still in a package including the queen and sugar syrup container) in a hive
Close out the hive
Perform Oxylic Acid vapor treatment (8 minutes, or however long 1/4-1/2 tsp takes to vaporize, and 10 minutes of treatment)
Open up the hive
Perform bee extraction from the package into the hive.
Let them do what they do best 
Please critique constructively as needed


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

msl said:


> I my self would just hit them after install


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## maredzki (May 12, 2020)

How long should one wait after installing, circa few days at dawn before foragers are out?


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

maredzki said:


> How long should one wait after installing, circa few days at dawn before foragers are out?


Once the queen is released, you have nine days to do the OAV treatment for it to be MOST effective. After that, you can pretty much treat whenever.


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## maredzki (May 12, 2020)

@JWPalmer - thank you! This makes complete sense!


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