I spent the day with beekeeper Petru Sacara in Sagaidacu Moldova yesterday.
Petru has several hundred hives from which he harvests 3 crops a year and
he has traveled extensively in Western Europe and Ukraine to learn the best
mite control techniques.  I thought I would pass along his OA sublimation
technique since there has been so much discussion on this topic lately.  I
have posted photos to my FaceBook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/BeekeepingDevelopmentConsulting/



Petru vaporizes oxalic acid 3 times each season, in spring, summer, and
fall.  He also uses a formic flash treatment in the spring.  He applies the
OA using an Italian made device that he says gives very precise burn rates
(brand name Sublimax, cost 380 Euros) of 189° C.  He applies OA in the
morning or late evening and prefers days with higher humidity.  Each
treatment is 3 grams burned at 189°C.  Mite drop is measured with a cloth
laid over the bottom board (he has bored entrance holes midway up the hive
body) and if mites continue to fall his schedule is 3 grams OA, a 4 day
interval, 3 grams OA, 4 days, and a third application of 3 grams OA.  The
dosage is 9 grams over 8 days.  He strongly recommends use of a high
quality vaporizer to get precise temperatures, and if you look at the
photos you will see he has bored a small hole in the side of each bottom
board and the OA vaporizer discharges the OA through a tube which is
inserted in the hole.  This approach seems to avoid the problems with open
burning of OA, entrance disturbance that has been the subject of much
discussion on Bee-L.
Petru is transitioning his operation from Dadant (we call them Jumbos) to ¾
or Langstroth (American style) hives so if you look closely at the photo of
his bee yard you will see all sorts of hive configurations.  While they get
3 honey crops in Moldova, Acacia, Linden, and Sunflower, fall is dry (good
for the wine grape harvest, which is in full swing) and Petru has
consolidated his hives into several holding yards to prepare them for
winter with mite treatments and feeding.
Bill Lord
Beekeeping Consulting for Development
Chisinau, Moldova/Louisburg, NC USA

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