What temperature?

[johnandyrob]

I have been advised and read in books that oxalic acid treatment should be done between 3c and 7c its consistency between -2 and 1c here and the only 2 days that its been 3c or above its chucked it down. Am I leaking it too late?

Regards Andrew

 

[Polyanwood]

As soon as the days get longer again the message goes to the queen that she m ust start laying again soon. She will start very small, particualrly if it is that cold still. I recommend you get on wiht it if you are doing it.

Make sure you find a way of keeping the oxalic syrup warm before you squirt it on them.

Do it as quickly as you can - if possible get someone to help, which makes it even quicker. It should not take more than a couple of minutes, then they won't get too chilled.

Good Luck.

 

[oliver90owner]

I have no idea as to when brooding restarted last year. It was likely much later than early January; the previous year I had a colony one my garden that had no sign of eggs in Mid-February. Somewhat dependent on season, strain etc, I think.

Some say lengthening days (so soon after the winter solstice), but my experience does not tally with that supposition. Brood all winter (not likely this year!) or restarting anytime the bees decide seems to be the available options.

Regards, RAB

 

[johnandyrob]

I was hoping to do it today as the forecast was for about 4c but have we our own local micro climate that never tallies with even the local forecast. I have read an article in bee craft from a couple of years ago that stated the Swiss recommended temp was anything over 0c.

Regards Andrew

 

[RoofTops]

They do it in Finland when the temperature is minus quite a lot so I wouldn't worry about the day temp here unless it is so warm the bees are flying.

 

[oliver90owner]

Swiss recommended temp was anything over 0c

Here lies the problem of rediculously lengthy discusions on oxalic acid trickling. The cluster will change in size as the temperature rises, so the number of seams could be as much as twice those of a tightly clustered colony. In the latter case the bees might get up to four times the amount of treatment? (area is proportional to the square of the diameter)

Bees are likely to be almost as tightly clustered as they can be, just a little below zero.

There are further anomalies - hive insulation levels, shade or open aspect of hive position, the actual strength of the colony are some.

Just do it, if you are going to, choosing your best time. Always a compromise. If there are few mites anyway, nearly all could be in capped brood in only a very short time frame!

That may be one advantage of sublimation, by the way (just to wake up the antagonists to that method of delivery) - no problem of whether it rains or shines, so can be treated by sublimation in a thunderstorm, if that way inclined.

Regards, RAB

 

[chipper]

Treating before the Queen starts laying is an important factor....
I have found Oxalic acid treatment most effective when the treatment can be done at the end of a cold spell...Like NOW.....
Some years I have had to treat at night to ensure the bees are clustered, and not flying, as we often have mild winters on the South Devon coast.
Alittle slower but possible with a head torch....
So, basically just do it when the bees are clustered.....
And as soon as possible....

 

[RoofTops]

That's what I was saying, don't delay until some perfect temperture is achieved. There are bits of northern Europe where it doesn't get above 0C all winter but they still treat with OA. Warm weather after the Big Chill is likely to trigger some brood rearing I suspect.

 

[johnandyrob]

Thank you all for the advice have been and treated them at 2pm. Got a lovely surprise when I opened the hospital case that was dumped on me I was expecting to have to shut the hive up as I was sure the colony would be dead. Thanks again Regards Andrew