John Burgess wrote:
>>   I would have thought that by "dehydrate" the translator might have 
>> meant "without water" which would have been "anhydrate"
>
> The original German text which is also available on the Swiss Dairy 
> website is clear that it is the dihydrate which has been used.
>
Thanks for clarifying that John, and thank you Bill for your input.  For 
the last 2 years I have been using oxalic acid in accordance with the 
concentrations briefly described in the Central Science Laboratory's 
document "Managing Varroa".  They specify "3.2 - 4.2% acid solution 
trickled over combs of bees; 2.5ml per brood comb". I had assumed that 
their acid concentration meant anhydrite and that the low dose per comb 
was due to the small cluster sizes usually found in British colonies and 
the small BS frames that most of us use.  I had obtained my pack of acid 
crystals from Thornes last year assuming it would be the form 
recommended.  I discovered today that even Thornes did not know what 
form they were supplying but a call to their own suppliers confirmed 
that my pack was, indeed, dihydrite.  However, just to muddy the water a 
little, during a previous  discussion with them an acquaintance of mine 
was told that beekeepers use anhydrite.

Best regards

Steve Rose

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