> MAFF/ DEFRA pamplet 'Managing Varooa' states: '3.2-4.2% acid solution in 60%
> sucrose trickled over combs of bees; 2.5ml per brood comb'.  Can anyone
> unpack the meaning?  How do u make a 60% sucrose solution starting with a
> packet of dry sugar.  How do u add the right amount of acid for say 3.5%
> acid solution?

I have been working for 3 years with others for a study about  varroa treatments with about 250 hives. Oxalic acid tricling has been one part of the study. We have used so called '3,2 %' solution. I used ' ' because  the percentage does not come out from the components. Solid oxalic acid has some water in the chystals, and therefore the percentage is less than the calculated from the recipie.

By the way does anyone know is this water in the chrystals the reason for the cracking sound that comes when oxalic acid is mixed in liquids ?

Take 1 liter of warm water and dissolve to it 1 kg of sugar. Next take 75 g  of oxalic acid chrystals, and dissolve it to the liquid. The solution is ready. We use 4 ml for every space between the frames that is completely filled with bees ( langstroth frames). When bees are in 1 box maximun  is 40 ml and with 2 boxes 50 ml. Store in a cool place and not for months.

Our experience is that the efficacy is more than 90 % when there is no brood. Just 1 dm2 of capped brood can decrease the efficacy to about 70 %.

Ari

Ari Seppälä
Project Manager
Finnish Beekeepers' Association
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www.hunaja.net

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