Api-Bioxal Oxalic Acid Varroa Mite Treatment is registered by the USDA and is approved by the EPA for the treatment of varroa mites in honey bee colonies.
Application Methods for Api-Bioxal
- Apply with a oxalic acid syringe using the dribble treatment method
- It can be used in an oxalic acid vaporizer for sublimation
- For use in oxalic acid vaporizers, 1g of Api-Bioxal is recommended for the treatment of one hive box (2 g for 2 hive boxes)
Apibioxal treatment is available in 35g and 350g sizes.
Note: Api-Bioxal can only be shipped to a physical address and not to a PO BOX.
The label is also very clear, “Oxalic acid is used to treat mites in colonies during low brood periods, packages, or swarms.” If it is being used when there is appreciable amounts of brood in the hive, this is a violation of the label. I have heard of beekeepers using oxalic acid multiple times, often three or four successive applications – a week apart, to attempt to control varroa mites as they emerge with the bees from the brood. Research shows that even repeated applications of oxalic acid by dribbling / trickling up to four times do not necessarily lead to a sufficiently high treatment efficacy.
Api-Bioxal Oxalic acid Varroa Mite Treatment can be an effective control when used properly and there is little, or no brood present. However, safety is an important issue for beekeepers, and proper precautions must be taken to prevent injury by the applicator. See the ApiBioxal instructions brochure for more information.
Oxalic acid Treatment works for removing black water spots and tannin stains. Use on unfinished or stripped wood. Also used for varroa mite control. One pound canister.
How can Oxalic Acid Treatments be applied?
- Drip / Trickle / Dribble method
- Vaporizer / Vaporization method
- Spray / Misting method
Drip / Trickle / Dribble method:
“The trickle or solution method is taking the acid and mixing it with a warm 1:1 sugar-to-water solution. Next, the solution is drawn into a oxalic acid dribble syringe and 5 ml is trickled (the scientific term for “dribbly drop”) down the seam between each frame and directly onto the bees; the maximum dose is 50 ml per colony (5mls per seam). It doesn’t matter whether it is a nuc or a hive with a single or multiple brood chamber, but use a reduction in dosage for smaller colonies obviously.”
Vaporizer / Vaporization method:
“The vaporizer method is only to be used on colonies outdoors. And, whatever you do, do not inhale the vapor! Basically, you use a vaporizer which is a metal wand with a plate at one end and a cord that connects to a battery at the other end. One gram of oxalic acid is placed on the metal plate. The plate is then slid into the entrance of the colony. The entrance opening and any other cracks and crevices are then sealed with the vaporizer in place to avoid the gas from escaping.
Once connected to a battery, the heat from the plate causes the oxalic crystals to melt and turn into a gas (sublime). The vapor will permeate the hive. When it contacts the mites, it kills them. Each vaporizer is different. Some take only a few minutes to activate the acid, while others take a little longer. Since you don’t have to open the colony in order to treat, this seems to be the easier of the two methods to implement, especially on cold, rainy days.”
Spray / Misting method:
“You can also spray (mist) packages or swarms. Over the last few years, we’ve followed this protocol to ensure that we’re starting our research projects with mite-free bees. Once the packages arrived, we placed them in a cool, dark location in the lab for 24 hours to cluster the bees.
Several hours prior to applying the oxalic solution, we spray the bees with a 1:1 sugar solution to fill their honey stomachs and reduce ingestion of the upcoming oxalic treatment. Next, we mix the oxalic acid in a 1:1 sugar water solution and evenly apply the solution to the bees.”
For the full text of the above quotes see Jennifer Berry’s article in Bee Culture, May 25, 2015.
See the Veto-pharma site for more apibioxal details. Other Vetopharma products are: Varroa Easy Check Kit, Apivar, ApiLife Var
