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Beekeeping Supplies, Beginning Beekeeper, How to Articles
How to use the Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer with Video
Here is a overview video we produced to show you how to use the “Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer”.
We have had great success with using the vaporizer to control varroa mites in our bee colonies, in this article we discuss the method involved in treating your bee hives successfully.
Here is the video of the process:-
So you need to treat your bee colony here are the steps :
What you require:-
- Oxalic Acid crystals
- Kiwi Oxalic Acid vaporizer
- Electronic timer or stop watch
- Measuring spoon for crystals
- Mask approved for Oxalic Acid fumes (For example this one from 3M OV/N95)
- Acid resistant gloves
- Eye protection
- Cloths to block entrances
Safety first
Always wear your mask, Eye protection and gloves, you don’t want to breath the vapors from the vaporizers. Breathing the fumes can cause severe irritation and burns to the throat.
Avoid skin contact with the crystals, it can cause a burning sensation.
For more information about Oxalic Acid Safety
Oxalic Acid Safety sheet
Steps
- Add 1 gram per full sized box of Oxalic Acid crystals to the head of your Kiwi Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. We use a 1/4 of a teaspoon, check your crystals with scales to ensure this is correct for you.
- For example colony with two full sized boxes requires 2 grams for treatment.
- Insert vaporizer into hive, either from the underneath the meshboard (if you can seal it) or from the front entrance.
- Seal any ventilation with cloths.
- Connect your vaporizer to the power source (12 volts) for two and a half minutes (Maximum)
- Disconnect power source.
- Time a further ten minutes
- Removed all cloths and remove vaporizer.
- Ensure vaporizer is cooled down before reusing or storing.
Whats next
If you have brood repeat these steps every week for three weeks, a total of three treatments are required, as the vapour doesn’t effect mites in the capped brood cells.
If you have a bloodless period then only one treatment is required.
After the treatments, Do a mite count, check results to ensure the treatment has worked correctly.
Always store Oxalic Acid crystals in a dry air tight container, if it gets damp it will not vaporize correctly.
Hi there and was wondering if you have any oxalic acid in stock or if not when do you expect to have some available.? Thanks Shane
Hi Shane,
Yes we do, how much do you need? We will get some in Jars and post on the website.
Thanks…Gary
What dosage is needed for a topbar hive?
Hi Ashley, generally its about whether mites are present. If there is evidence of deformed wings (DWV), you will need to fill the head of the vaporizer to the top and treat every 3 days for 6 weeks – the reason for this is that it takes that long for the treatment to cover the newly laid brood and hatching brood already in cells – DWV usually means there will be varroa in cells, so by taking treatments up to this regularity, you are going to protect brood over 42 days which, by that time you should start to see healthy well-formed bees emerging. This will help your colony to recover fully from any viruses they may have had transferred to them by the Varroa Mite. If the colony is healthy and cells are clear of varroa, then once a week over four weeks using 1 teaspoon per treatment – then monitor and if no mites present then recommendation is to treat fortnightly thereafter – remember the space needs to be condensed so the treatment does not dissipate which can make it less effective. Monitoring is the key so you know if there is mite presence – Different methods used ie: sugar-shake or sticky boards/inspection boards with oil, or drone management frames and cell checks. Choose the same method so you can take notes and see if there is a trend. All the best Regards, Margaret and Gary…it’s the kiwimana buzz…
Thanks that’s helpful
Hi,
How often should the Oxalic Acid treatment should be applied annually ?
Hi Andre, we treat every two weeks throughout the year as in New Zealand we generally have brood all year round with foraging regularly so the bees are always vulnerable to pick up varroas on their flights. If your bees have deformed wings we have just released an article explaining what we do if that happens – heres the link : https://kiwimana.co.nz/remedial-action-for-deformed-wing-virus-using-oav/ generally we fill the head of the vaporizer any treatment. For healthy well-formed Bees – we treat once a week over four weeks, wait a week after then monitor mite-levels. If more than 6 mites we retreat again for another 4 weeks, then if under 6 we go to the fortnight treatments again. Regards, Margaret and Gary…it’s the kiwimana buzz…
Thankyou, very interesting. Does the acid affect the uncapped honey?
Hi Jackie, Thanks for your question, its a good one and we have asked Analytica and Hills Laboratories if they can test honey for levels of oxalic acid as there are many folks who now use Oxalic Acid Vaporisation (OAV) as a Varroa Mite Treatment method but unfortunately at this time they told me that they don’t do that specific test. From our view – we have eaten honey from OAV treated hives without issues but thats not to say tests for oxalic acid levels in honey that has been on hives treated with OAV should not be done…we ask folks to get in touch with honey testing companies to try and help us with being able to have that test available to hobbyists and commercial beekeepers but as its not ‘legally’ required it does not appear to be of benefit to them to have this test available…but we have to keep asking, I will be asking them again soon. Until we know for sure its a personal decision but we always recommend having the honey tested. Regards, Margaret
Can you use a vaporizer if you have a vented base board?
Yes assuming the mesh is not too closed mesh…. you just need to surround the baseboard with a cloth and would suggest using some extra oxalic acid crystals to ensure enough gets through. Regards, Margaret PS if you need more clarification you can call (09) 8109965.
How long does the battery run down? How many hives do I make without having to charge the battery. 12 volt battery and 50ah
Hi, we can treat about nine hives – the battery has to be fully charged before and after use. Regards Margaret …it’s the kiwimana buzz…