Randy:

Thanks for posting Marion's response. I would like to add the following. I 
have been testing and working with oxalic acid since 1999 in Canada. There 
are more researchers in Canada doing similar work. We did not ever find 
that type of colony kill in our experimental colonies.  Beekeepers who use 
oxalic acid did not report any high kill as side effects of OA. High kill 
could occur when the use of OA is abused and/or misapplied.
I have been swarmed with many questions about the OA & M. tubules.  My 
answer has been "I have no research info on that aspect". Antonio Nanettie 
from Italy did a lots of studies on oxalic acid including using radio 
active OA to determine the pathways in bees. In his presentation in 
Alberta last February he did not notice any effects on M. tubules.
I hope that who ever has a scientific report on OA & M. tubules can share 
this information with us. I am getting bees from an operation that has 
been using OA for the past 4 years as the sole mite control method. These 
bees will be examined for any M. tubules damage.

Medhat

Medhat Nasr, Ph. D.
Provincial Apiculturist
Crop Diversification Centre North


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