Oxalic and glycerine

[StephenP 49]

On 7/03/2020 at 12:09 PM, Alastair said:

Looks good Stephen. Please post some pics when you are done, will be interesting.

Spent an additional $5.27 on a packet of 4mm joiners for a garden sprinkler system and 1m of 4mm vinyl tube. One joiner in the bike nozzle and another joiner in the top of the container, using tube at each end of the joiners as spacers/holders to the lid and nozzle. Haven't used on bees yet but happy with the setup.

[Alastair 8,630]

Just one issue i can see with the shaker, there is not a lot of room under the "bee container", for the mites to collect, I'm thinking that mites could fall down to the bottom, but then get shaken up again onto the bees. 

 

Before my commercial shaker i got from Ecrotek i used almost the exact same shaker as you Stephen, but there was one in the shop that the bee sieve only went about 1/2 or 2/3 rds the way down so i took that one.

 

But anyhow, it's all set up, see how it goes. 

[Sailabee 1,102]

Most of us have what was called the @Dennis Crowley setup, the 1 litre container with the basket out of the 500 ml container. Leaves plenty of room for the fallout - the Red Shed has them on special often.

[StephenP 49]

1 hour ago, Sailabee said:

1  litre container with the basket out of the 500 ml container. Leaves plenty of room for the fallout - the Red Shed has them on special often.

@Sailabee, thank you  for the info but you'll need to be more specific on the red shed. Google just gives me restaurants.

[Trevor Gillbanks 6,847]

2 minutes ago, StephenP said:

@Sailabee, thank you  for the info but you'll need to be more specific on the red shed. Google just gives me restaurants.

The Warehouse

 

[StephenP 49]

15 hours ago, Sailabee said:

Most of us have what was called the @Dennis Crowley setup, the 1 litre container with the basket out of the 500 ml container. Leaves plenty of room for the fallout - the Red Shed has them on special often.

Can you post a photo of the setup so I can see, or a link to the product?

[Sailabee 1,102]

10 minutes ago, StephenP said:

Can you post a photo of the setup so I can see, or a link to the product?

Thread with photos was possibly a couple of years ago, and can't find it. Too IT challenged to post photo, but it is the same range as you show in the photo you posted above, only you put the white basket out of the 500 ml size into the 1 litre container from the same range - often used to be on sale at the Warehouse. That way, when you roll and shake, the varroa are able to drop away from the bees for counting.

[yesbut 6,232]

I can see some reasons why a commercial would have a testing regime. A hobbyist ? Pppffttt....so simple to assume there are varroa present or soon will be....bung oa in every few months. Otherwise a test will show up a single varroa....oh bother, do I treat now or later ? How much later ?  I'd better test again in a few days? Weeks ? How many ? How many mites too many ?  Why make a whip for your own back ?

Edited March 8, 2020 by yesbut

[Trevor Gillbanks 6,847]

47 minutes ago, StephenP said:

Can you post a photo of the setup so I can see, or a link to the product?

Have a look at this.

I bought both the units and then threw away the bits I did not want.

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Trevor Gillbanks

[Kiwi Bee 589]

Where is the Show your varroa tester thread?

[StephenP 49]

7 hours ago, Kiwi Bee said:

Where is the Show your varroa tester thread?

Fair call. I was feeling a bit guilty that the CO2 testing kit conversion was a digression from this thread, though I must say this is not the first time a deviation has occurred.

[Trevor Gillbanks 6,847]

I see it as part of the same thing.

Varroa testing = varroa treatment.

[Gino de Graaf 1,030]

22 hours ago, Trevor Gillbanks said:

Have a look at this.

I bought both the units and then threw away the bits I did not want.

 

 

 

That's what I use. It's the Crowley Cup. 

@Dennis Crowley idea. You got patents coming? 

They can end up leaking from the seals, after some time. 

Works really well. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Gino de Graaf

[Trevor Gillbanks 6,847]

5 minutes ago, Gino de Graaf said:

They can end up leaking from the seals, after some time. 

Works really well. 

Because I use CO2 and now ether, leakage is not a problem.

Yes they are very good units.

 

[Alastair 8,630]

The Crowley Cup, LOL, has a certain ring to it. 

[Dennis Crowley 1,351]

7 hours ago, Alastair said:

The Crowley Cup, LOL, has a certain ring to it. 

Now mr sistema has sold his shares in beekeeping I might be hard pressed to get a retainer/royalty.

[Lloyd Woodroofe 0]

Could someone save me hours of re-reading all the posts ? I made 3 layer, gib tape, strips, last autumn , left them in over winter. I took them out early spring and have done nothing since .  I just harvested 30kg per hive last weekend and noticed DWV outside a couple of the hives .     I'm making the 3 layer strips again , with stitched edges , but can't remember the best ratio , oxalic/ glycerin or how many mls of the mix per strip , coiled in the bottom of a bucket ?    Also should I heat the glycerine to 60deg , then stir in the acid ?   Thanks in advance ,

Bumbling Newbie

[Alastair 8,630]

There are a bunch of different methods and theories.

 

However very basically. - Use 1.5 kg's glycerine to 1 kg oxalic acid. Or up or downscale as needed. The oxalic crystals start dissolving at 60 C, so heat the glycerine to that or a bit over, then start adding the oxalic acid, stirring, and keep adding till all in, and all dissolved. Don't allow the mix to overheat or the oxalic acid will break down. Pour over your strips and allow to soak till the strips are well soaked. Then the strips should be hung, squeezed, or whatever, to ensure they are "dry", ie, no wetness, which can be harmful to the bees.

 

Based on what I saw last time I looked at my last untreated hives, I would recommend you get this done and treatment into your hives ASAP.

[Lloyd Woodroofe 0]

Thanks for that Alaster , I'm making up 130  strips right now .  I think that's the ratio I used last year .

I vaguely remember adding a set weight of mixture per strip last year and not having to dry them ( just scrapped them between the rim and lid , as I pulled each one out ?

I have a 1kg bag of oxalic now , so 2.5 kg mixture . Should I pour that on 100 rolled strips , in the bottom of a bucket ???   25gr per strip ?  More or less do you think ?

 

Thanks again again for saving me a day of re-reading posts . Time is of the essence.... expecting bodies .

 

Lloyd

[Alastair 8,630]

I'm not sure just what each of the Philbee strips absorb, somebody else may have to step in. But just off my head I think 2.5 kg's of mix will be nearly enough, but not quite.

 

How about pouring the mix over say, 80 strips, and do them well, which will at least get you started on some of the hives. If there is spare mix do a few more strips but if not, you'll have to order some more chemicals.

 

Anybody else can give quantity needed?

[ChrisM 1,277]

mixing ratios and details are all in the Philbee Instructions WORD doc. I don't know if a copy of that is stored in the Forum files or posts.

But I regard it as another reason to buy strips from him directly.

but to quote one line "For Paper Tape Staples the total weight of solution required per strip will be very close to 20 grams" The Philbee strips were about 10g, at that time.

So rule of thumb I use is a solution 2x the weight of the bare dry strips with good results for me so far. No scraping or drying required.

I definitely think it is a good idea to weigh your 130 strips together and then go from there, but that is just what I would do..

 

[Alastair 8,630]

OK well at 20 grams a strip, 130 staples needs 2.6 kgs of mix. So 2.5 kgs is probably near enough.

[Trevor Gillbanks 6,847]

Have a look at this .  Available in the Downloads sect.

 

 

 

[ChrisM 1,277]

2 hours ago, Alastair said:

OK well at 20 grams a strip, 130 staples needs 2.6 kgs of mix. So 2.5 kgs is probably near enough.

agreed, but if you have 2.5kg of solution you could easily weigh out 1.25kg of strips and just do those ones.

[Lloyd Woodroofe 0]

6 hours ago, Lloyd Woodroofe said:

Thanks for all that  help , the link to the summary is brilliant .   I only have 800gr oxalic  so will mix that 40%/60% with 1.2 kg Gly giving 2kg of mix  . 20gr per strip , so will soak 100 of my strips , so I can get started , putting them in today . .

I am considering  leaving them in over winter again and not treating in spring again . I have had a healthy honey season with my 8 existing hives and 8 spring splits .  Has anyone been doing a single annual treatment , overwinter , with any sucess ?  Or am I dreaming ?

 

Lloyd

 

Sorry , also , what seems to be the concensous on staggering them , alternate ends of the brood area  ,instead of through the centre ?  I had a lot of comb loss when the strips were in the middle , splitting the brood to a small area either side.  Would staggering allow for faster recovery , in the spring or lower the high kill rate ?