At this point, I am on Day 38 of counting mites after a oxalic acid evaporation treatment with a repeat on day 28.

I have charted the mite drop details in an attempt to see exactly  what is  happening, and they are quite fascinating -- to me at least, and apparently a number of people who are following along.  It seems quite clear that we can get a good idea of what is going on from examining the sticky boards.

Whether we can get good and consistent control using oxalic fogging in fall is still a good question, but hopefully  we will  find  out  in the next few weeks.  One thing is certain, OA fogging is not as simple as putting in Apivar.  

We have a hive or two which insist on  raising  brood, and that is complicating things.  With brood in hives, more applications are required.  Not counting labour and travel, these treatments are the next thing to free, at pennies a shot, but then we have to ask, how many times can we fog a hive with OA vapour without doing harm?

I have never seen anything to indicate that OA evaporation harms the bees, but reason insists that coating bees with acid has to have some deleterious effects.

Has anyone here any data on the effects on wintering or spring performance of colonies repeatedly dosed with OA vapour?

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