Why not just boil rhubarb leaves under the hive after all they produce oxalic acid.
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Why not just boil rhubarb leaves under the hive after all they produce oxalic acid.
We were discussing applying Oxalic acid yesterday and opening the hives over winter to do this when someone suggested using a sheep syringe as you can set the dosage to 5ml. Clever man..
https://www.agridirect.ie/product/clik-pouron-gun
Here's a real OA vaporiser ... none of your 12V nonsense.
https://youtu.be/jY3f8BzLw-k
$3500 apparently ... and about the same amount for the Api-Bioxal to run it for an afternoon ;)
Boys and their toys, eh?! Here is the equipment I use for oxalic treatment.
http://www.massvapour.com/image/Acce...tte__71745.jpg
Maybe I'll go high tech and high throughput one day :)
http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf...59-preview.jpg
That "turkey baster" looks tiny. Is it for mini-nucs?
We get those (other makes exist too!) from the local farm merchants and I think they are about a tenner each. 5ml sheep doser. Been using them for quite a few years now.
If you are in luck they will give you one free, as some of the makers of the sheep medication give them out free to the vendors of the medication to give away with the treatment. They come in a variety of sizes, adjustable up to 5ml, 20ml, 50ml. Also have soft plastic hose that goes down into a bucket (although we use 3 litre backpacks) and a team of two people can them dose *at least* 300 hives in a full day. Two of my people came back in one day having done almost 500, though it did need me to take them out more OA solution during the day. If in any way time is money to you they are the best by far for trickling.
However...you MUST clean them out very thoroughly at the end of each day. The solution attacks the little rubber o rings in the units and they lose suction once it does. They last a lot better if give a few minutes just pumping through clean water at the days end. We regard them as a disposable item and need a couple of new ones each season at some stage.
I have just made a vapouriser using a glowplug. Used scrap copper tubing cut open for the pan and old jump leads. . Total cost £2.75 (glowplug)..
Add a second hand battery, and oxalic and it's under £20..
Got gloves/mask etc.
Works OK and heats up fine
Test next week. Photos to follow.
More of a goldcrest/hummingbird baster?
Never mind mini-nucs, you can do individual bees if you like with one of these ....
http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/bi...thumb_grip.jpg
(allows you to miss out the queen if you worry about overdosing her)
A tenner seems a good price. A quick web search found one at £19.95 +VAT with tubing included and a 2.5l backpack (enough for me) at £8.95. GG's 50 Euro one seems a bit steep even if it is higher quality. Don't think I've ever been to the Coupar Angus farmer's place, must give it a go.