>>OA drizzling is dirt cheap, easy, takes only moments to do and and 
leaves no
 >> trace of any sort in the hive an hour later.

 > I wonder if you really meant the above comment?

I meant that a visual inspection will not detect any signs of the 
treatment shortly after
drizzling if it is done correctly.  A heavy mite fall is the only really 
obvious indication.

I could stand corrected on this and maybe some of the syrup remains for 
a while on
top bars if the application is not done carefully.  I was not really 
observing carefully
when I did it and did not examine the hives afterwards.  Randy?

 > Where do you think the oxalic goes?  Where do any oxalates formed in the
 > beehive go? ...I don't believe that you can stick 2 grams of oxalic 
acid in a beehive
 > and not leave a trace.

There is no visible trace, but of course the OA remains in the hive.  Is 
that trace of
any significance?  I have never seen anything indicating that it is, and 
from what I
have read, any increase in OA levels in the hive would not be enough 
above the
background levels to be particularly notable or a cause for concern.

As for the human toxicity of OA, as with many common chemicals, the 
warnings are
exaggerated and scary.  People use OA all the time for various purposes 
without a
great amount of protection and you and I eat oxalates in significant 
amounts every
day with no ill effects.

We've been through this here on BEE-L before, and my take-home is that 
OA is
mostly harmless if handled with understanding and respect.

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