Question Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

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Maximus
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Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

Post by Maximus » Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:44 pm

Ok, so I'm sooooooooo confused with this formic acid and a few timing issues.

1. I have supers to put on. How do I know when is the right time to put them on? I've been warned that they will move their winter honey up if it's too soon or potentially anyways and that will leave them without honey for the winter. It is my goal for them to have their own honey for the winter.

2. How much winter honey is enough?

3. Formic Acid. Ok, I am totally confused on this. I got the acid, I got the pads. Soak the pads, place at back of hive on top. Leave for how long?
Potentially can kill off a lot of bees and even the queen? Isn't there something better than killing off my own hives? It feels all wrong this formic acid method.

Thank you for any help and suggestions.
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Maximus
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Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

Post by Maximus » Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:29 am

:bump:
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Bakers Backyard
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Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

Post by Bakers Backyard » Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:34 pm

Sorry, I'm not too knowledgeable on formic... other than temperatures need to be not too hot, like around 20c for a few days... and I've heard that Mite away quick strips are worse for queen fatality than doing your own with the meat pads, but I'm sure there are still risks. You should have your honey supers off around now so that you can do any necessary treatments and feed if necessary. They say your hive should weigh around 100lbs to be ready for winter. I am just finishing pulling my own supers, so I'll be testing for mite levels with an alcohol wash, if they are high I'll consider a formic treatment, if not I'll wait until they cluster and vaporize with oxalic acid. Oxalic is very effective, and not so hard on the bees.
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Brian
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Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

Post by Brian » Thu Dec 22, 2016 8:23 pm

1) As a general rule, I put a new honey super on during a nectar flow and once the existing super is 60% full. They will not move their honey up, they will start drawing out the comb and filling it with honey. If their is no nectar flow or if it is September I do not but honey supers on.

2) Bees need as much honey for winter as they do. That is the short answer. Bees can over winter in a single deep box that is full of honey. The box should weigh 80 - 100 lbs including the frames and bees. I lift up the back of my hive sand if the hive is really heavy it is probably good. If the hive is light it probably isn't. You will learn what a heavy hive feels like with experience. A lot of this also depends on how long and how cold the winter is.

3) The directions of Formic Acid are on the Bottle somewhere. Always follow the instructions on the label. From my memory I think they are 35 ml per pad. 2 pads per hive placed on the top box. Leave all entrances open. Treat only when the outdoor temperature is below 26 degrees Celsius.

With this method you have to treat 3 times, 5 days apart. Day 1, Day 6, Day 11

I cover this in my beekeeping course.

You can also read about the approve treatments here http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/foo ... htm#varroa
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Maximus
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Formic Acid & Supers & Winter Honey **Help Needed**

Post by Maximus » Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:15 pm

Thanks Brian

I'm going to print this off and add to my BK folder
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