Contents
Treatment of bees with oxalic acid allows you to get rid of mites. As you know, the infection of bees brings significant damage to the apiary. A sick family has a weakened state, their productivity level decreases, often insects can die. It is important to understand that the hive is a single whole, which is why if only one individual is infected from the whole family, then the disease spreads rapidly to others. If you start to fight the disease after it is detected, you can overcome it in the shortest possible time.
Benefits of using oxalic acid for varroatosis
Oxalic acid is often used to treat bees. Judging by the reviews of beekeepers, this drug has an affordable cost and is highly effective. This powder is used to treat insects, if they have mites, most often the drug is purchased to combat varroatosis. You can fight varroatosis with the help of acaricides, as a rule, such drugs come in several groups:
- heavy – chemical reagents such as fluvalinate, amitraz;
- lungs – organic acids, which include formic and oxalic acid. These substances are considered the most gentle, as a result of which they do not harm insects and do not reduce the quality of the finished product.
Oxalic acid – colorless crystals, dibasic carbolic acid, dissolves quite quickly in water. In addition, it is an environmentally friendly product and has other advantages:
- high processing speed of bee colonies;
- small labor costs;
- action occurs as soon as possible.
The processing process is simple, it is not required to disassemble the hives. Ticks begin to fall off after 10-12 days. An important feature is the fact that the efficiency of the application is 93%.
The benefits and harms of treating bees with oxalic acid
Oxalic acid is a remedy that allows you to get rid of mites that appear on bees in the process of life. With prolonged illness, parasites can destroy the entire family. As a rule, not the whole family is infected, but 1-2 individuals, which later spread the disease to the rest.
A large number of drugs can be found on sale, but as practice shows, they are either toxic, as a result of which they adversely affect bees and finished products, which cannot be eaten after processing, or the effectiveness is not so great. With low efficiency, the treatment process has to be repeated, but it often happens that the tick gets used to the drug used and does not die.
Oxalic acid is effective, while it does not cause side effects in bees, and the finished product after processing can be eaten on a general basis.
Which way to choose
Powder can be used in several ways:
- prepare an aqueous solution and spray individuals;
- sublimation – steam treatment of bee colonies.
Most often, the acid is diluted with water. The popularity of this method is due to the fact that the efficiency level is 93%, while steam treatment is only 80%.
The manufacturer encloses instructions that must be studied in detail before starting application and processing, and only then spray the bees. In this case, the powder is dissolved in water.
If the powder is heated, it will turn into steam, which is used to treat bees from ticks. Since it is possible to carry out sublimation at a temperature regime of + 10 ° C, this method can be used even in autumn.
Each beekeeper can choose any method that is most convenient for him. For example, if the infection is severe, then it is best to choose the method according to which the powder is dissolved in water, since the effectiveness of this method is much higher. For preventive purposes, steam treatment can be used.
How to treat bees with oxalic acid
The process of processing bees does not take much effort and time, and it does not require special skills, the main thing is to take into account the recommendations, some nuances and prepare the solution according to the attached instructions. All preparatory work before using the acid comes down to removing honeycombs from the hives with honey and bee bread. This is necessary so that the insects in the hive gather in a pile, which allows the drug to act faster and more efficiently.
Processing time
It is necessary to use oxalic acid in beekeeping carefully and according to the attached instructions. As a rule, it is recommended to process bee families throughout the active season about 5 times. If it is planned to use an aqueous solution, then work should be carried out only if the temperature outside is from + 16 ° C and above, it is possible to process bee colonies with steam even at + 10 ° C.
The first processing takes place in the spring, when the mass flyby is completed. If the infection is severe, then the procedure should be repeated after 1-2 weeks.
In the summer, oxalic acid is used to fight ticks 2 times, the treatment interval remains unchanged in all cases. The first time the drug is used after honey has been pumped out of the hives and the next time before the feeding of individuals with syrup is started. If necessary, autumn processing can be carried out after the bees have left the brood.
Preparation of solutions
The powder used to treat bee colonies must first be diluted with clean water. After all the ingredients are mixed, a 2% solution should be obtained. In the process of preparation, it is necessary to take into account some nuances:
- clean water is taken;
- the drug should be on individuals for as long as possible.
To understand whether the water taken is suitable, it is necessary to test it. In this case, it is recommended to add a little powder to the liquid, if after a short period of time a precipitate is visible, then such water cannot be used. This is due to the fact that the presence of impurities reduces the efficiency and the desired result will not be.
Experienced beekeepers recommend using distilled and bottled water. If necessary, you can use boiled. In any case, the cooking liquid used must be warm – at least +30°C.
To increase efficiency, it is recommended to add a small amount of granulated sugar, as a result of which the preparation will stay on the bees much longer. The cooking process is as follows:
- Take 1 liter of warm water.
- Oxalic acid – 20 g.
- A small amount of granulated sugar.
- Everything is thoroughly mixed.
Preparation should be done just before application, such a solution cannot be stored for a long time. After 48 hours, the drug becomes unusable.
In addition, oxalic acid and glycerin can be used for processing. It is necessary to mix the components in a container made of wood, plastic or glass. The algorithm of work is as follows:
- Take 25 g of oxalic acid, 25 ml of glycerin (this amount is enough to process 1 hive).
- Glycerin is heated in the microwave (it should be hot, but not brought to a boil).
- Glycerin is mixed with powder.
- In the finished solution, moisten a waffle towel.
- Squeeze lightly to get rid of excess soaked solution.
A waffle towel impregnated with a glycerin-based solution is placed at the bottom of the hive. During the decomposition of oxalic acid in glycerin, formic acid is formed.
How to treat bees with oxalic acid
To treat insects with oxalic acid, you can use mechanical sprayers or equipment with an electrical air pumping system. Many beekeepers use the Rosinka device for processing. It is important to consider that the spraying process can only be carried out if the temperature outside is at least + 16 ° C, and the weather must also be dry and calm.
Each frame takes about 10-12 ml of the finished product. Oxalic acid is sprayed from a distance of 30-40 cm, while the angle should be 45 degrees. If necessary, you can not remove the frame from the hive, it will be enough to process the streets. In the process of processing work, it is worth making sure that the solution falls on the bees.
No need to try to get on each individual, in the process of movement they rub against each other, thereby leaving a solution. If oxalic acid is applied and diluted correctly, then after a while it will be on the body of all insects.
After carrying out the work, the frames are covered using polyethylene film for this purpose. Such actions allow you to create an atmosphere inside the hive that adversely affects ticks. It is important to take into account the fact that processing can only be done if there is no brood.
How many times to process
It is necessary to treat infected individuals with oxalic acid immediately after the mass flight of insects has come to an end. If the bee colony is severely affected by the mite, then 12 days should pass after the first treatment, after which the procedure is repeated.
In the summer period, an interval of up to 12 days is maintained between treatments. Honey in this case can be consumed without fear.
It is also worth considering that in the autumn, the treatment of bees with oxalic acid should be carried out without fail. Many beekeepers note that in autumn the drug is much more effective than in spring.
Safety Precautions
When treating bees with oxalic acid for varroatosis, safety measures must be observed. It is important to consider that this type of drug at high concentrations has a detrimental effect on the skin of the hands. If the processing in spring and summer using a smoke gun is carried out incorrectly, then there is a possibility of poisoning with toxic fumes. Thus, when starting to treat bee colonies from a tick, it is important to observe safety measures that look like this:
- when working with oxalic acid, you should wear a rubberized apron and high gloves;
- glasses must be put on the eyes, boots on the legs;
- if you plan to use steam, then a respirator is required;
- after the treatment process is completely completed, it is necessary to remove all protective equipment used, wash hands and face thoroughly using soap.
Oxalic acid is recommended to be stored away from water. This is due to the fact that the crystals will begin to absorb moisture and subsequently turn into stone.
Conclusion
Treatment of bees with oxalic acid is the most popular among beekeepers. This is due to the fact that this drug has an acceptable cost, it is easy to use, no special skills are required, and the effectiveness is much higher than that of other means. This drug can be used for years, since in the course of numerous studies, resistance of mites to the effects of oxalic acid has not been revealed.
