Filmed Sept 2020. Making Oxalic Acid strips to treat bee hives for varroa mites. See Ep 13 (Due for release 17 September 2022) for an update of the information in this video.
I treat in spring and autumn, but I might also treat at other times too depending on what it happening in the hives. I do alchohol washes 4-6 weeks after I treat and regularly after that. If the mite levels get up to or above about 4 mites per 100 bees tested I treat again, regardless of the time of year. I believe that OA is good at maintaining low levels of mites but not so good at controlling the mites if the numbers get too high.
Hi Chris's good vid .question .do the bees absorb the oxalic acid and extrude it to kill mites or is it that the mites are in physical contact of the acid when the bees chew the strips
As I understnad it OA is a topical treatment, not a systemic treatment. That means that it kills the mites by direct contact, not from tne mkts feeding on bees. I am sure the bees do absorb it.too, The direct contact with OA breaks down the mites' skeleton, in particular their legs, without doing (too much) damage to the bees. It can be hard on the bees but so can all forms of mite treatment in the right circumstances.
That is a good question. I don't know the answer yet, but I am going to try it and I will post a video on how it goes. It will take a few months to get a result.
As far as I understand it is not legal in NZ to sell OA strips, but it is legal to make and use them yourself so I don't sell strips. Provided I have them in stock, I can supply nucs (a five frame nucleus hive, bees and frames, no box) for $200 each and full hives (1 full depth box, 1 3/4 box, 10 deep frames of bees and 10 undrawn 3/4 frames, a lid, hive mat and base) for $500. Pick up only, in Mosgiel, Dunedin, NZ. I make my strips 400-450 mm. The length you make them should suit the frame depth you are running. ie longer for full depth frames, shorter for 3/4 depth frames.
Hi, is the oxalic acid you use the >99% form? Most of the ones online seem to use the weaker type of oxalic acid at 71.42% ... I don't want to accidentally kill my bees, so if you can advise what type you use for this that would be great, thanks!
I am using the stronger OA. The trick is to work out how much OA is on each strip. Doing them the way I do they absorb approx 2 grams per strip. If you use 100% OA and put 4 stips in a box that is 8 grams. If you use 75% OA that would be the equivalent of 6 grams. I think there is more risk of killing your bees by not killing the mites (by not putting enough OA in the hive) than there is of killing them with the OA. I am happy to be corrected if anybody has experience of bees dying of OA poisoning. I have never heard of it, so far.
Super, thanks so much for replying! I had been hoping to use the cardboard I have at home but am not sure how to figure out how much it would result in (I'm guessing weighing the strip before and after soaking). I did an emergency oxalic dribble method today as the varroa count was high, and thought I could make some of these and put them in (if I can figure out an approximate dose if using my cardboard) in about 5-6 days time to hit that next cycle of varroa and then hopefully the extended release of the strips will knock them back. Newbie beekeep here so hopefully I haven't messed up 🙈🤞
@@willowthewisp7712 If the mite levels are high I would recomend you put commercial stips in your hives, eg Apistan, Apivar, Bayvarol etc. OA is good at keeping mite levels low, but in my experience it isn't very good at controlling them once the levels get too high. It isnt worth the risk, as getting it wrong will most likely lead to dead colonies. Best to play it safe, especially if you are a newbie.
In the past I simply hung them on racks to dry. I need to do an update video because I have since heard from others and found myself that they are fine to use if they are still damp. They may even work a little better. So I let them drain then put them into the hives.
I usually make them and use them up pretty quickly so I don't have any experience with storing them long term. I think they should be fine stored as long as they are kept cool, dry and stored in a sealed container.
Hi Fraser Bees, I have just started making my own strips, and was wondering how hot you heat your mixture too? It sounded like you said 70°. The instructions I was given with my kit said not to get over 60°. I have noticed though that now they are at the draining/drying stage that oxalic crystals have stated to form on the strips. Is this normal? thank you.
Hi. 70 degrees is about right, sometimes I let it get a bit hotter, but you have to be careful at higher temps because the OA vapourises at about 80-85. A proper chemical mask is essential as any solution dripped on the element will vapourise straight away. That is why the kit recommends a more conservative temp, they don't want to be liable for you getting a lung full of vapour, it is nasty stuff and hard on your lungs. It will work at 60 degrees, but it takes longer to dissolve the OA. It is best to leave on the heat until the solution is clear, regardless of whether you are heating to 60 or 70 degrees. Crystals forming on the strips as they cool off is normal. Cheers Chris Fraser
When you weighed the jar with OA you had the lid on, and then when you weighed it again to see how much OA you used, it looks like the lid was not on the scale. So in effect you were missing the lid’s weight worth of OA in that batch of strips. How long can you store the strips before they lose their effectiveness? I’m thinking as a hobbyist it would be nice to make a decent sized batch and then just store them (rather than making a batch every time).
You said 750 ML of glycerin but how much oxalic? one cup? cook at 70 degrees celsius till it gets to temp then add into bucket with tape. Hang out to dry overnight.
Yes, it can be done. Make sure whatever you use is food safe. They will absorb a different amount of OA per strip, so you will have to work out how many strips to put in the hive to give them about the same dose of OA. The recipe in the video uses 500g of OA to make about 60-70 strips or about 8g of OA per strip. 4 strips per hive is about 32g of OA per hive.
Now after using these a while have you been able to have them work? I know Randy Oliver coined the idea but no one on the east coast of the US has had them work like he has. Are you showing good results with mite washes?
Yes, I monitor mite levels very closely with alchohol washes. I find that they work to keep mite levels low, but if the mite levels get too high before you put the OA strips in they are not as effective. We had a really bad autumn here for mites and I did alcohol washes 4 weeks after putting the OA strips in and found the mite levels were still very high, so I pulled them out and replaced them with Apistan. However, in previous years I have found very low levels of mitse using nothing but OA strips.
To be honest, that is the advice I was given and I haven't tried putting them in wet. I guess they can go mouldy and are more likely to kill some of the brood if they are damp. I play it safe and follow the advice I was given.
Fair enough, I’ve just made my own batch using the same way that you have, but used the cardboard instead, and I was gonna put them in my hive today, and assumed you put them in as wet as possible. The whole oxalic strips ideas are all new to me, so just trying to understand some principles surrounding it.
@@jonohooper4555 The OA is spread through the hive as the bees tear down the strips and move the shredded bits down to the floor and out the door. I think they can probably do this better when they are dry. But like I said, I haven't tried them wet so I am just speculating.
@Jason Forouhar Fair point. As with most things in beekeeping, what matters most is that it works. If it works it is right :) Let me know how you get on.
@@KiwiWildman Randy Oliver has a new talk about it showing the results of his tests. Wet was more effective and he said it works by the bees walking on it. New information.
I'm not sure where you are, supply probably varies from country to country. I buy it here in New Zealand from a bee supply company. Google it and you should be able to find a supplier near you.
@@xhavitmerovci2669 I make my strips 400 mms long and put in 4 per brood box. I renew them three times a year, spring, mid summer and autumn. They are good at keeping mite numbers down, not so good at bringing the numbers down if the mite levels get high. If that happens I treat with commercial strips first then follow it up with the OA strips.
For any Americans that don't know the conversion formulas...Our scales and meaasuring cups have the metric readings also. Good information sir.
Good vídeo friend!!
Hello. I put the strips in this summer and i left them till now. You think the strips still work? Or should i do a winter treatment? Thx 🙏🙏🙏
also can use dawn dish soap instead of alcohol for washes,Swedish cellulose sponges is what weaver uses ,check his latest video
Thoughts on having strips in, in winter?
Do you ever do that or only spring and autumn?
I treat in spring and autumn, but I might also treat at other times too depending on what it happening in the hives. I do alchohol washes 4-6 weeks after I treat and regularly after that. If the mite levels get up to or above about 4 mites per 100 bees tested I treat again, regardless of the time of year. I believe that OA is good at maintaining low levels of mites but not so good at controlling the mites if the numbers get too high.
Hi Chris's good vid .question .do the bees absorb the oxalic acid and extrude it to kill mites or is it that the mites are in physical contact of the acid when the bees chew the strips
As I understnad it OA is a topical treatment, not a systemic treatment. That means that it kills the mites by direct contact, not from tne mkts feeding on bees. I am sure the bees do absorb it.too, The direct contact with OA breaks down the mites' skeleton, in particular their legs, without doing (too much) damage to the bees. It can be hard on the bees but so can all forms of mite treatment in the right circumstances.
I am happy to be corrected if my answer is wrong. Like most beekeepers, I learn something new eveery day :)
Ha good video thanks, question for u if u do not mind, what would happen if u did not dry the strips thanks have a great day.
That is a good question. I don't know the answer yet, but I am going to try it and I will post a video on how it goes. It will take a few months to get a result.
@@KiwiWildman Ha thanks
Hi,
How much strips you used? And for how much hives? And what is the strip diminsion?
😊
As far as I understand it is not legal in NZ to sell OA strips, but it is legal to make and use them yourself so I don't sell strips. Provided I have them in stock, I can supply nucs (a five frame nucleus hive, bees and frames, no box) for $200 each and full hives (1 full depth box, 1 3/4 box, 10 deep frames of bees and 10 undrawn 3/4 frames, a lid, hive mat and base) for $500. Pick up only, in Mosgiel, Dunedin, NZ. I make my strips 400-450 mm. The length you make them should suit the frame depth you are running. ie longer for full depth frames, shorter for 3/4 depth frames.
Hi, is the oxalic acid you use the >99% form? Most of the ones online seem to use the weaker type of oxalic acid at 71.42% ... I don't want to accidentally kill my bees, so if you can advise what type you use for this that would be great, thanks!
I am using the stronger OA. The trick is to work out how much OA is on each strip. Doing them the way I do they absorb approx 2 grams per strip. If you use 100% OA and put 4 stips in a box that is 8 grams. If you use 75% OA that would be the equivalent of 6 grams. I think there is more risk of killing your bees by not killing the mites (by not putting enough OA in the hive) than there is of killing them with the OA. I am happy to be corrected if anybody has experience of bees dying of OA poisoning. I have never heard of it, so far.
Super, thanks so much for replying! I had been hoping to use the cardboard I have at home but am not sure how to figure out how much it would result in (I'm guessing weighing the strip before and after soaking). I did an emergency oxalic dribble method today as the varroa count was high, and thought I could make some of these and put them in (if I can figure out an approximate dose if using my cardboard) in about 5-6 days time to hit that next cycle of varroa and then hopefully the extended release of the strips will knock them back. Newbie beekeep here so hopefully I haven't messed up 🙈🤞
@@willowthewisp7712 If the mite levels are high I would recomend you put commercial stips in your hives, eg Apistan, Apivar, Bayvarol etc. OA is good at keeping mite levels low, but in my experience it isn't very good at controlling them once the levels get too high. It isnt worth the risk, as getting it wrong will most likely lead to dead colonies. Best to play it safe, especially if you are a newbie.
Veo que le vas mucha importancia al secado de las tablillas. Cómo funciona el horno con la que las secas a bajas temperaturas?
In the past I simply hung them on racks to dry. I need to do an update video because I have since heard from others and found myself that they are fine to use if they are still damp. They may even work a little better. So I let them drain then put them into the hives.
How long do the strips last if you don’t use them?
I usually make them and use them up pretty quickly so I don't have any experience with storing them long term. I think they should be fine stored as long as they are kept cool, dry and stored in a sealed container.
Hi Fraser Bees, I have just started making my own strips, and was wondering how hot you heat your mixture too? It sounded like you said 70°. The instructions I was given with my kit said not to get over 60°. I have noticed though that now they are at the draining/drying stage that oxalic crystals have stated to form on the strips. Is this normal? thank you.
Hi. 70 degrees is about right, sometimes I let it get a bit hotter, but you have to be careful at higher temps because the OA vapourises at about 80-85. A proper chemical mask is essential as any solution dripped on the element will vapourise straight away. That is why the kit recommends a more conservative temp, they don't want to be liable for you getting a lung full of vapour, it is nasty stuff and hard on your lungs. It will work at 60 degrees, but it takes longer to dissolve the OA. It is best to leave on the heat until the solution is clear, regardless of whether you are heating to 60 or 70 degrees. Crystals forming on the strips as they cool off is normal. Cheers Chris Fraser
@@KiwiWildman Thank you for the answer. I wear a chemical mask and gloves, I also make it outside.
When you weighed the jar with OA you had the lid on, and then when you weighed it again to see how much OA you used, it looks like the lid was not on the scale. So in effect you were missing the lid’s weight worth of OA in that batch of strips.
How long can you store the strips before they lose their effectiveness? I’m thinking as a hobbyist it would be nice to make a decent sized batch and then just store them (rather than making a batch every time).
hi I watched a video where they placed the strips into a zip lock or a vacuum seal
How many strips do you get when you use the 750 mls glycerin and 500 grams oxalic acid?
60 to 70
@@KiwiWildman
Thanks!
Do you find it necessary to sew the jip tape together?
Hi, yes I do sew them together, I show how in Ep 31. Cheers Chris
You said 750 ML of glycerin but how much oxalic? one cup? cook at 70 degrees celsius till it gets to temp then add into bucket with tape. Hang out to dry overnight.
450g
Whoever did not find these strips, how about using a kitchen towel and cutting them into strips? Is it possible? I am from Algeria.
Yes, it can be done. Make sure whatever you use is food safe. They will absorb a different amount of OA per strip, so you will have to work out how many strips to put in the hive to give them about the same dose of OA. The recipe in the video uses 500g of OA to make about 60-70 strips or about 8g of OA per strip. 4 strips per hive is about 32g of OA per hive.
A UK company called Abello sell them, which I have used before. No Longer! - I'll be making my own!
I hope they sell that kind of tape here. 🇺🇸☑️
They do sell it in us lows
@@handydandy3359 what is the name of that tape
Thanks
Now after using these a while have you been able to have them work? I know Randy Oliver coined the idea but no one on the east coast of the US has had them work like he has. Are you showing good results with mite washes?
Yes, I monitor mite levels very closely with alchohol washes. I find that they work to keep mite levels low, but if the mite levels get too high before you put the OA strips in they are not as effective. We had a really bad autumn here for mites and I did alcohol washes 4 weeks after putting the OA strips in and found the mite levels were still very high, so I pulled them out and replaced them with Apistan. However, in previous years I have found very low levels of mitse using nothing but OA strips.
Why do you have to dry them before putting them in the hive?
To be honest, that is the advice I was given and I haven't tried putting them in wet. I guess they can go mouldy and are more likely to kill some of the brood if they are damp. I play it safe and follow the advice I was given.
Fair enough,
I’ve just made my own batch using the same way that you have, but used the cardboard instead, and I was gonna put them in my hive today, and assumed you put them in as wet as possible.
The whole oxalic strips ideas are all new to me, so just trying to understand some principles surrounding it.
@@jonohooper4555 The OA is spread through the hive as the bees tear down the strips and move the shredded bits down to the floor and out the door. I think they can probably do this better when they are dry. But like I said, I haven't tried them wet so I am just speculating.
@Jason Forouhar Fair point. As with most things in beekeeping, what matters most is that it works. If it works it is right :) Let me know how you get on.
@@KiwiWildman Randy Oliver has a new talk about it showing the results of his tests. Wet was more effective and he said it works by the bees walking on it. New information.
Important: See Ep 31 for an update of the information in this video.
ua-cam.com/video/XUjK2UW0Vcw/v-deo.html
@@RS-lv2lk Thanks
Can I buy oxalic acid in warehouse
I'm not sure where you are, supply probably varies from country to country. I buy it here in New Zealand from a bee supply company. Google it and you should be able to find a supplier near you.
How much with mililiter glicerin and acid oksalik
750 ml glicerine, 500 grams of Oxalic Acid
@@KiwiWildman thank you very much for how much strips and if you can tell me dimension of strips
@@xhavitmerovci2669 I make my strips 400 mms long and put in 4 per brood box. I renew them three times a year, spring, mid summer and autumn. They are good at keeping mite numbers down, not so good at bringing the numbers down if the mite levels get high. If that happens I treat with commercial strips first then follow it up with the OA strips.
@@KiwiWildman Thank you very much for answering all the best to you