Oxalic Acid Treatment- Varroa Drench

4211 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by arcowandbeegirl, May 31, 2014

Double_Bee

Discussion Starter · Apr 30, 2014

Oxalic: Varroa Mite Treatment

Ingredients:

3 Gallons of Corn Syrup
1.2 Gallons of Water
20 oz of Oxalic Acid

Directions:

Heat water to 140 degrees
Stir & dissolve oxalic crystals
Pour in straight corn syrup
Stir

Should use distilled water.
Should use in one day.
40 ml/hive.

I use a one gallon garden sprayer with an open cone tip. Low pressure (generally one pump) and make sure to only squirt between the frames, mostly aiming to hit the cluster and open brood. Use 7-8 days after queen has started laying in new hive, then again 7 days later. This is a large batch, it shouldn't be hard to trim it down for hobbyists. Good luck.

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JodieToadie

· #2 · May 1, 2014

Double_Bee said:
Oxalic: Varroa Mite Treatment

Ingredients:

3 Gallons of Corn Syrup
1.2 Gallons of Water
20 oz of Oxalic Acid

This is a horrible description. What percentage mix are you going for? What strength Oxalic Acid? 3.5% is the target strength by my calculations your recipe is close to 3.9%.

Please folks use as recommended. http://medivetpharmaceuticals.webs.com/oxalicacid996.htm

Solution
To completely dissolve oxalic acid dihydrate, use warm syrup. Dissolve 35 g of oxalic acid dihydrate in 1 litre of syrup made from a 1:1 sugar : water (weight: volume) mixture of sugar and water. Smoke bees down from the top bars. With a syringe or an applicator, trickle 5 mL of this solution directly onto the bees in each occupied bee space in each brood box. The maximum dose is 50 ml per colony whether bees are in nucs, single, or multiple brood chambers. Under certain unfavourable conditions, e.g., weak colonies, unfavourable overwintering conditions, this application method may cause some bee mortality or overwintering bee loss.
140 grams Oxalic Acid is needed for 4 liters sugar syrup and will treat 80 hives.

Dripping
Dissolve 185 g Oxalic Acid Dihydrate in 4 litre of 1:1 sugar syrup or 6 ½ oz in 1 US Gallon
Pour 5 ml of this solution between each occupied bee-space onto bees.

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Rader Sidetrack

· #3 · May 1, 2014

Randy Oliver also has a page on oxalic acid ratios for a drench ....
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-acid-treatment-table/

That page from Randy offers 3 different ratios for different situations, each with differing amounts of oxalic per liter of syrup.

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Double_Bee

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 1, 2014

Given that oxalic isn't a standard treatment, I find it ridiculous for you to call this recipe terrible. There is no standard. Just because Randy Oliver says to use 3.5% doesn't mean you have too. Professionalism requires critique, not attack. I was merely asking for someone to critique this so I could better it as I am not a biologist. Thanks.

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Rader Sidetrack

· #5 · May 1, 2014

The 3 mixtures that Randy Oliver shows on his oxalic formula page range from 2.5% to 4.2%. Clearly 3.9% falls with the range that Randy published.

I think that JoadieToadie may have jumped the gun on his characterization of a 3.9% mixture.

inch:

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JodieToadie

· #6 · May 2, 2014

Double_Bee said:
Given that oxalic isn't a standard treatment, I find it ridiculous for you to call this recipe terrible. There is no standard. Just because Randy Oliver says to use 3.5% doesn't mean you have too. Professionalism requires critique, not attack. I was merely asking for someone to critique this so I could better it as I am not a biologist. Thanks.

If you were hurt I am sorry. It is actually a standard treatment outside of the USA. Oversimplification is never good. The description does not state the purity of the acid, what percent oxalic mix you are making, and the application of 40ml per hive is also simplified. (How big is the hive?) Treatments lose their effectiveness because they are not applied accurately. Mistakes can also be made that can damage the bees. I am just trying to state that accuracy is important when applying this or any other treatment. Below that I posted the exact instructions and ratios recommended by a reputable beekeeping medication supplier. It breaks down the target percent of oxalic acid (3.5%) in a 1:1 sugar water mixture. It also states an application of 5ml of mixture per frame space of bees.
The recipe you posted is enough to treat 396 colonies as well.

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Double_Bee

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 2, 2014

When you are treating 2000 hives at a time, you tend to treat them all the same so 40 ml is as good an estimate as any.

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jim lyon

· #8 · May 2, 2014

Double_Bee said:
When you are treating 2000 hives at a time, you tend to treat them all the same so 40 ml is as good an estimate as any.

I agree with both your formula and your dosage. It's almost identical to what we use though I prefer using sugar water rather than corn syrup.

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Double_Bee

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 2, 2014

Jim I think it probably would be better, we just always have syrup around

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arcowandbeegirl

· #10 · May 31, 2014

I have used the instructions from Randy Olivers website at the medium level for 3 years in the fall or late winter when there is very little brood. It has always been very effective for me and I have not seen any adverse affects. I do like having ranges available to choose from. While it isn't an "approved" treatment, I have always found it very effective for a mite treatment when no or very little brood is present. I have also experienced heavy drops of small hive beetles each time I have used it. Good luck to you!

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