In a message dated 27/12/03 18:32:50 GMT Standard Time, Andy Johnston writes:


> QUESTION ONE. Will oxalic kill brood in any stage?

When I used oxalic last spring when there must have been brood in the hive I
saw hundreds of mites drop but I don't remember seeing any brood on the
monitoring board.  I can't offhand remember what size mesh floor I had under that
hive. I suppose 1/8th might have intercepted later brood stages, but I think I
would have noticed corpses on the alighting board unless the tits got to them
first.  So the short answer is 'don't know'.

> QUESTION TWO. How late, ambient temperature wise, could oxalic be used.

I don't think ambient temperature is a significant factor under average UK
conditions (I write from Dorset), as the mites will mainly be within the brood
area where the bees control the temperatures diligently.  My method is to
dribble the acid between the frames onto the seams of bees and so there is no need
to disturb them beyond taking the crown board off.

I also used it on my top bar hive where I did have to ease the bars apart
sufficiently to identify where the seams of bees were and to annoint them. The
design doesn't allow for monitoring, but they throve.

Chris

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