Oxalic acid vap

[Erichalfbee]

You need to keep the sublimate in the box somehow. That usually involves closing the floor unless you are vaping from the top

 

[Rob H]

You need to keep the sublimate in the box somehow. That usually involves closing the floor unless you are vaping from the top

Ive often wondered if there is any practical advantages to to vaping from the top or bottom? How long would you keep the hive sealed? Thanks

 

[drex]

You need to keep the sublimate in the box somehow. That usually involves closing the floor unless you are vaping from the top

I vaped my hives yesterday using a pan, from the top, using a special eke. I still had sublimate escaping round the edge of the varroa board

 

[Erichalfbee]

I vaped my hives yesterday using a pan, from the top, using a special eke. I still had sublimate escaping round the edge of the varroa board

You do but enough has dropped through the frames to treat the bees. This time of year I vape through a hole just above the floor at the back so in do block any with OMF AND close the entrance but in summer I vape from the top and leave the entrance open

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ive often wondered if there is any practical advantages to to vaping from the top or bottom? How long would you keep the hive sealed? Thanks

I'm sure there is a prescribed time but what I do is go along the boxes (9 this year), tidy my kit away then sort the boxes; so I guess around five minutes

 

[Rob H]

I'm sure there is a prescribed time but what I do is go along the boxes (9 this year), tidy my kit away then sort the boxes; so I guess around five minutes

Sounds like solid advice, thanks.

 

[drex]

My pan vape takes 3 mins to fully sublimate. I leave to cool for 3 minutes, then put it back together. All sublimate has solidified by then. I only have a few hives at present and do other jobs while waiting. I don't use PPE, just stay well away from the hive being treated. Cannot justify an instavap or sublimox

 

[Paulypaul]

I have bought a Gasvap and will use it in the next few weeks. Do I need to block,up the floors of the hives before use? I bought the full kit. Do you have any tips for me?

I didn't block up the hive. I have open mesh floors and didn't notice vapour coming out of the bottom.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You need to keep the sublimate in the box somehow. That usually involves closing the floor unless you are vaping from the top

I always vape from under the OMF, never close up the hives, as soon as sublimation takes place I remove the metal trays that the varrox sits on.
The sublimate rises to the top of the hive, desublimates then settles down over the frames and the bees.
Apart from a slight dusting of crystals on the trays around the pan I've never seen any evidence of OA falling through the OMF onto the floor later.

 

[pargyle]

I have bought a Gasvap and will use it in the next few weeks. Do I need to block,up the floors of the hives before use? I bought the full kit. Do you have any tips for me?

No, the sublimate will fill the hive and very little will come out through the mesh floor ...are you going to vape through the entrance or through the top of the hive ? I can't remember whether you have timber or poly hives .. if they are poly ones you need to be careful because the gasvap gets hot and will melt the poly.

As for advice:

1. It gets quite hot so be prepared.
2. Make sure you have a mask and eye protection - you don't want a whiff of OA - if you get one you won't do it again.
3. Measure out your OA before you start and have enough doses ready to do all your hives.
4. Getting the right level of heat is a bit of trial and error, I get it uo to temperature with a good flame and then turn it right down, it doesn't need a lot of heat to get the sublimation going.
5. If the spout blocks up the hand of the measuring spoon is designed to clear it.

It's not rocket science ..

 

[Moobee]

I have bought a Gasvap and will use it in the next few weeks. Do I need to block,up the floors of the hives before use? I bought the full kit. Do you have any tips for me?

I used to vape from below when I had OMFs and put the varroa tray in, but now I do it from above as have under floor entrances. I prise open the crownboard enough to get the pipe in and use an old thick towel to seal the edges.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have bought a Gasvap and will use it in the next few weeks. Do I need to block,up the floors of the hives before use? I bought the full kit. Do you have any tips for me?

I use my gas vap via a modified clear crownboard and apply from the top. No need to block the bottom unless there's a swirling wind but I wouldn't be vaping under those conditions anyway.

 

[The New beekeeper]

The varrox pan on Frugo is ok , I have one. Cost was about £26 delivered which took about a fortnight.
I desoldered the croc clips and fitted an XT60 connector (for safety) to suit my small lithium battery packs
Buy a car starter/booster lipo kit from ebay for about the same money for your 8 hives. Though with 8 hives I would opt if not buying the expensive vaping options for two pans and two batteries.
Gas vap is like marmite , I have one but no longer use it .
I prefer the pan type as then I don't have to stay in contact with them , unlike the gas vap.

Hi
Could you please put up a photo of what the finished item looks like with the xt60 connectors and how it is connected to the car starter/booster and to the varrox.
Kind Regards

 

[hemo]

Hi
Could you please put up a photo of what the finished item looks like with the xt60 connectors and how it is connected to the car starter/booster and to the varrox.
Kind Regards

I will do my best tomorrow to take some pics.
One will need some solder skills to fit XT60's and to remember to get the polarity correct.

 

[Jules59]

Ive just done a 7 day varroa drop count for my 4 hives. Wasn't expecting to see many mites but I counted none !
Either my eyesight has gone totally to pot or oxalic acid vaping works better than any previous treatment Ive tried.

 

[pargyle]

Ive just done a 7 day varroa drop count for my 4 hives. Wasn't expecting to see many mites but I counted none !
Either my eyesight has gone totally to pot or oxalic acid vaping works better than any previous treatment Ive tried.

Or all the mites are in the capped brood .. when did you treat them and how many times did you vape ? It's too early to be messing with them but I will be doing sugar rolls on all my colonies at the earliest opportunity once I start inspecting.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Ive just done a 7 day varroa drop count for my 4 hives. Wasn't expecting to see many mites but I counted none !
Either my eyesight has gone totally to pot or oxalic acid vaping works better than any previous treatment Ive tried.

There may well be few mites among your bees just now but many of us find that what was a completely clear board is anything but after what's known as an accelerated drop - a single treatment that gives a truer picture. The NBU writes about DMD as if it was an infallible guide but it isn't for all sorts of reasons.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree with Philip. They are in the brood.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they're in the brood or on the bees - a seven day natural varroa drop count on the board is just a total waste of time.

 

[Sutty]

I'd just stump up for an instantvap, they are awesome. I upgraded from a gasvap and am very pleased I did!