[Vance G]

Let us hope that our back to back to back use of oxalic does not breed a better mite like all the other treatments seem to have resulted in.

 

[ericweller]

Give it some time before praising OAV as the cure-all.
OAV works in the winter when there is little or no brood. When I used it as my August treatment, I was still having 60% losses.

 

[mamm7215]

I use OAV successfully in winter but it doesn't get under the caps in late spring to fall so that's Formic Pro time.

 

[dekster]

I also have 100% (so far) success with OAV, but I also perform other IPM actions such as drone culling and brood breaks. OAV in early spring and late fall is a no brainer and really the only method that does not require opening the hives in the cold, but mid summer other methods could be more effective alongside OAV and should not be discarded.

 

[HeadofMeadow]

Agreed, I am doing the same mamm, Formic spring OAV winter... lets hope 100% OAV doesn't create resistance.

 

[jonsl]

My understanding is that they have been using OA for 20+ years in Europe without resistance developing.

 

[JConnolly]

Give it some time before praising OAV as the cure-all.
OAV works in the winter when there is little or no brood. When I used it as my August treatment, I was still having 60% losses.

That's the primary reason I use Apivar in the fall, the bees are raising their winter brood and I want them to be healthy and virus free. OAV works great the rest of they year.

 

[dekster]

My understanding is that they have been using OA for 20+ years in Europe without resistance developing.

I read somewhere that OAV does not kill mites but makes it impossible for them to walk- something about OA crystals forming on their feet, which would mean they would have to evolve into completely different animal with different feet, which I guess is not as easy/fast as becoming immune to chemicals...

 

[JConnolly]

That is close to my understanding dekster. I read that it is absorbed by the sticky pads that they use to stay on the bee. The OAV that is absorbed does poison the mite. Many mites don't absorb a lethal dose but because they are parasites they don't have any significant food reserve, and without the ability to latch on to a host they die quickly.

 

[johno]

7 years now using only OAV for mite control with less than 10 % winter losses year after year mostly due to queenless issues and yes starvation. However I am in a location where the years honey is harvested in June and it is dearth from then to next spring, which leaves me free to treat in mid summer and again in late summer and then two more treatments in November and December and maybe another in January if the weather permits. Zero mites in mite checks by the State in late April to early May so I have nothing to complain about regarding OAV but firmly believe that the more treatments the better off you are. My colonies get at least 12 treatments a year. Havent come across any mites wearing protective gear yet.

 

[JWPalmer]

I am in the same area as johno. I am coming out of my second winter using OAV as my sole means of mite control. 1st year I was 16/16 until I starved a nuc. This winter I am 23/26, two were nucs that got robbed out and not mite related. The hive that died was the classic "my bees absconded" so I suspect mites although there was no brood and no frass. I treated almost every weekend August through October with a follow up in December. I'll take those numbers any day.

 

[Juhani Lunden]

100% survival rate . Even the "weakest" hives show strength.

My secret to success? OAV. I was certain that OAV would have some negative side effects, but that is clearly incorrect.


Just wanted to shout out to the band-heater vaporizer makers, thanking them for not having to mess around with expensive treatments. For less than $20 I can treat all my hives with high overwintering success, for the entire year. Honey is safe to eat, bees aren't harmed, no pesticides.


In fact, it was such a success that now I'm scrambling to try to find new apiary sites.

Good marketing for vaporizers.

Not much more.

Just wanted to shout out.

 

[little_john]

Good marketing for vaporizers.
Not much more.
Just wanted to shout out.

Ouch ...

I'm convinced about VOA too - have been for some years - it's the only treatment I use, with consistent 100% over-wintering successes. Sadly these successes do not extend into the season itself, where I see more failures than I'm happy with - but these are invariably due to mating failures, and Oxalic Acid dust can't be blamed for those.

If there was a better option available (more effective and/or cheaper), then I'd use it. But there isn't, so I don't.
LJ

 

[johno]

There you go! No matter what the survival rates might indicate there will always be some one standing behind ans shouting that you are doing it all wrong.

 

[rwlaw]

Weeell, this will be the fourth year treating w/ OAV in conjunction w/ post summer solstice queen culling so I have brood break/fresh queens going into winter. I went w/ 7 3 day treatments in August last year, PIA? Yes, but I have scary large winter clusters this year, only lost 3 out of 25, one of those was a definite mis mated queen that I didn’t catch.Seeing as the Europeans have been using it for 20 years and no signs of resistance, I’m sold.
Also I’m figuring the provap will be pretty much paid for in another year instead of treating w/ the current yearly treatments that are over a hundred bucks a crack and don’t have to worry on temp restrictions. It’d be paid for long ago if johno had been selling his product when I pulled the trigger on the provap lol.

 

[Bdfarmer555]

I think oav is great as well, but I would caution that this same elation with a "chemical" and dependency on a single "chemical" was going on 20-25 years ago between farmers and a chemical called glyphosate. Now look at the problems we have both with weed escapes and with image.

Within 10 years, there will be studies published showing "proof" that oxalic acid is a "probable carcinogen" and honey will be labeled as a non-healthy, chemical tainted food. No matter how much you swear that it is safe, the headlines will lead the mob.

 

[123989]

I feel the same way only I am only using formic acid. Once in the spring
once in the fall.

 

[jonsl]

I think oav is great as well, but I would caution that this same elation with a "chemical" and dependency on a single "chemical" was going on 20-25 years ago between farmers and a chemical called glyphosate. Now look at the problems we have both with weed escapes and with image.

Within 10 years, there will be studies published showing "proof" that oxalic acid is a "probable carcinogen" and honey will be labeled as a non-healthy, chemical tainted food. No matter how much you swear that it is safe, the headlines will lead the mob.

This is probably not likely since OA exists in many of the plants that we eat and/or drink (tea for instance).

 

[crofter]

This is probably not likely since OA exists in many of the plants that we eat and/or drink (tea for instance).

That is likely a huge understatement! Probably harder to find many foods that do not contain oxalic acid. Fruits, berries, vegetables, many grains. Formic acid too, is very common in our food as well.

Formic acid is also a good stand in for OA in some of the situations where OA has limitations.