# looking for a simple answer..lol



## blkcloud (May 25, 2005)

I have 2 hives that I want to treat for mites..not sure they are present but want to do so for a precauiton anyway....I have read soooo much on here that i'm dizzy..the vast amount of knowledge just over powers me..what I'd like to know is..what should I get to treat my hives with? just plain and simple please..thanks,keith


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## clintonbemrose (Oct 23, 2001)

I would check the hives first for mites before treating.(saves time and money) Then decide what to treat with. I use FGMO and FGMO/Thymol but I check for mites using a sticky board for 24 hours and also use a sugar roll or ether roll to check for mites. The reason I use FGMO is I do not want toxic chemicals in my hives. You are going to have to decide what will work for you. There is no easy answer so you may want to try several to decide what works for you. Read up on all methods then try what you want.
Clint


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## LaRae (Apr 29, 2005)

Clinton you comments made me wonder about something.

I know that FGMO is not a chemical per se, but isn't the mineral oil a petrolum product?


LaRae


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I have 2 hives that I want to treat for mites..not sure they are present but want to do so for a precauiton anyway....I have read soooo much on here that i'm dizzy..the vast amount of knowledge just over powers me..what I'd like to know is..what should I get to treat my hives with?

No matter what you use, you need to learn to monitor the mites. The "conventional" treatments often fail because of resistant mites. How will you know if they fail? Any treatment can fail depending on the circumstances. How will you know they are working? The most reliable method I know of is Oxalic acid. There are many posts on monitoring mites and on Oxalic acid. Try a search. There are many choices of treatments. How much acaricide do you want in your honey? In your hive? Sorry, but you have to choose.

>I know that FGMO is not a chemical per se, but isn't the mineral oil a petrolum product?

Yes, FGMO is a petroleum product.


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## LaRae (Apr 29, 2005)

Have there been any studies done on how mineral oil effects the honey?


LaRae


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

LaRae . . .

Here is something you can try.

Place a 3x3" piece of burr comb (any comb) into a canning jar, add about 1-1/2" of FGMO. Put away somewhere (warm and dark - like a hive), wait about a year, look what happens.


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## tony350i (Jul 29, 2005)

Hi,
If you have only 2 hives, why not consider going the small cell natural cell route and not have to worry about what treatment to use,
With 2 hives the expense would not be to bad and what I under stand is you will have healthier bees to,

They is some good bee keepers on here that I am sure will help with advise on how to do it.

I have 2 hives and before I make any increases Im going to get them on small cell first.


Tony


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I don't have a year to wait, but I can guess it turns into a nasty black goo. Yumm!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Have there been any studies done on how mineral oil effects the honey?

The fogging puts very little in the hive and most of that must get cleaned off. All of the tests Dr. Rodriguez had done show no detectable FGMO in the wax or the honey. I used FGMO on my observation hive once, I just blew it up the tube, and it didn't even leave a film on the glass that I could see. I got a few too many complaints from the occupants of the house (my family) so I never did it again.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

>>The most reliable method I know of is Oxalic acid. There are many posts on monitoring mites and on Oxalic acid. 


For sale at one of the booths at our convention was an Oxalic acid vapourizour, which was self fed, and blows the fumes into the hive with a fan. Nice neat alumimun hand held applicator, that held 1/2 a liter of acid. It is selling for 60$ canadian, and the acid to go with it, 1 liter to treat 570 hives was just over 10$.

Cheap, easy to use, quick, and has all the numbers and experience behind it.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Ian who is selling the unit? For $60? How is the oxalic acid heated. I suppose it is a car battery?
How much experience is behind it?

Jean-Marc


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

New on the market. Just the regualar old hot plate, as I understand it. From what I gathered, it came from Saskatewan. Run off a car battery just the same as the original burner idea did. But it is all inclosed and has a simple fan to blow the fumes into the hive. Simple aluminum design, light weight, and has a metering device that slides the dosage of OA onto the hotplate. Unless I miss heard Jake, he said to was priced at 60$. 
Apperently many around here have been developing a home made devices as sutch. This one is being commercially produced. Cant loose at that price.

Going to pick one up next time I am in Winnipeg. So I will get back to you on the exact product name, price and maker of the product.

Experience behind it? Well I dont know, other than it does the same job as the simple hot plates, but metered and blown in.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Souds pretty good. Now that would be Jake from Beemaid?

Jean-Marc


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Got talking to Jake about the vapourizor today. My price is way off. I have said here 60$, really it will be running hundreds of dollars. Perhaps 800$ he speculated ( as you mentioned earlier jean-marc)
Must have been a miscomunication between us at the convention with the confussion of all the croud. Sorry for the misinformation.

This device is being held up in production due to a few modifications being done to it with the metering device. They are incorperating an option to measure one gram along with the two gram dispenser. Slight modification, and will delay commercial production by a few months. But they are mentioning its availability by fall.

Perhaps this device is the same one as you were talking earlier jean-marc? What did you think of it?


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## blkcloud (May 25, 2005)

thanks guys, i'm going with the Oxalic acid..now..where do I get it and what is going to be the best method for me to apply it? I do realize the answer is here on this site somehwere but I'm at work when i'm on the comp. and have very little free time..thanks for your help!!Keith


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000600#000000

[ February 10, 2006, 08:47 AM: Message edited by: Michael Bush ]


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Michael Bush . . .

Posted topic does NOT open


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## blkcloud (May 25, 2005)

I found this in one of the links I just read..any thoughts on it?thanks,keith

"As far as the easiest and fastest method of OA treatment, it is trickling. You mix a solution of OA and sugar and sprinkle over the bees and your done. No torches, pipes, heating pans, batteries, plugging up holes, etc."


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't know how it got messed up, but I fixed the above link. Here's a few more:

http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000303
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000284#000000
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000510#000007
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000486#000007
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000386#000011
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000382#000000
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000332#000000
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000280#000005
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000126#000001
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000280.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000126.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468-2.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000298.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000469.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468-3.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000058.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000449.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000103.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000293.html 
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468-2.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000298.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000469.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000468-3.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000058.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000449.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000103.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000293.html


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Ian, it sure sounds like the same device I saw. Willy from Medivet designed it. It sure looks slick. I'll likely get 1 or 2 when they become available. I purchased all those JB 200's and they made me crazy. They are O.K. but not a good commercial system.

Jean-Marc


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

[ April 04, 2006, 08:36 AM: Message edited by: loggermike ]


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I spent nearly 1000$ on varroa treatments last year!! A device like this will be benifetial to my operation by keeping my mites in check, cheaply, and efficiently, while eliminating all the chemical residue problems associated with chemical controls. I will save thousands of dollars over the years!! As long as the OA treatment continues to hold true to its claims.

Put myself on a waiting list for fall!


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

I spoke to Josh at the Alberta convention and I think he is going to put his idea to rest. He was having troubles with a metering valve. He conceded that this new model by Medivet was simple , could do the job and was less expensive. It is a simple machine with few parts that can breakdown. If they do they can be easily changed in the field provided you have them with you. I think even I could change those parts.

Jean-Marc


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

>>going to put his idea to rest

Our indusrty seems to full with inovative characters. As long as we all keep thinking, we are eventually going to bring the ideas to inovations that will soely benifet the beekeeper, not corperate industry so much.


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