Deep screened bottom board for inside fogging of FGMO vapor

[shoefly]

A friend of mine build a new type of screened bottom board. It is about 5" deep. Screen is on top and the drawer type sticky board is on the bottom. So there is about 5" distance for the mites to fall from the screen onto the bottom board.

The real neat thing though is that there is enough space to drill a 7/8" hole in the side - just the size of a wine cork. Now I can remove the cork and stick the hot fogger nozzle right inside underneath the colony. The distance to the screen is enough to prevent bees getting burnt and most of the smoky vapor stays inside. Seems to work pretty well and I get much less smoke exposure. Wondered if anyone else has successfully tried this approach.

[Dr. Pedro Rodriguez]

Warning.
Sounds like a recipe for ignition and a real blast.
God bless all.

[Bob Russell]

This is a case history to go with the Dr's warning in the interest of safety.

http://www.mvbee.org/mvbnews12_04.pdf

[shoefly]

Yes, there definitely is some fire risk if the oil vapor cloud is ignited by the propane flame and the fogger nozzle suddenly catches fire. You want to keep the nozzle just inside the hole and not stick it in too far. This keeps the oil vapor cloud away from the propane flame. You definitely want to try to keep the fogger perfectly horizontal and well maintained. You have to be easy on the pump trigger aswell. Too much oil in the vaporizer may cause a flash over and the fogger becomes a flame thrower. It is also not advisable to use the fogger close to any plastic sticky board, a styrofoam hive box or anything else that is easily deformed by heat.
The clean metal screen above gives this method some flash over barrier - kind of like a miner's lamp.

You have to weigh all the hazards though before you can select the risk that is most acceptable to you: fire, organo phosphates, varroa mites, loss of hive etc.