“Mix It Up: Oxalic Mite Control” – Robert MacKimmie
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 7:00pm
American Legion Log Cabin, 20 Veterens Place, San Anselmo, CA 94960
For beginner, intermediate, and advanced beekeepers

The longest day of the year recently flew past, and the bees know it. After Summer Solstice, as the days are now getting shorter, the bees shift their focus away from growth and expansion, turning to responsibilities for the coming winter. “Make fewer offspring, and fill that larder!” Those months of making big baby bee populations have come at a price, because along with the bees, strong mites populations were created. When the queen reduces her laying, and the mite levels continue growing, the per capita (ratio of mites to bees) will increase, and multiple viruses will grip the formerly healthy hives. Control the mite numbers, and control the diseases!

First known to the Marin Beekeepers as the Aluen Cap Method, a research technique from South America, Oxalic Acid dissolved in warmed Vegetable Glycerin, absorbed by cardboard strips, which are then deployed in the hive. Some of us have been testing this method for nearly ten years with great success. While Randy Oliver of scientificbeekeeping.com has been working tirelessly to get this method approved for the everyday beekeeper, Varroxsan is an end-user product that will first be brought into this country by Betterbee, and will be available as a commercial bee product later this year. Varroxsan Oxalic Acid and Glycerin strips will be available for use in many States, though California is not among them.

At the meeting, following Randy’s refinements, Oxalic Acid will be dissolved in vegetable glycerin, then absorbed by Swedish Dishtowel Sponges, which safely reduce the mite loads in each beehive, actually stopping the heart of the mites. Use of Oxalic does not harm the bees, infiltrate beeswax or honey, and doesn’t cause resistance in the mites. As we all know, the use of Oxalic Acid to control mites in the hive is not yet approved in California. Fortunately, using Oxalic Acid to bleach the top bars in your hive may minimize the Varroa mite populations as a useful side result.

Learn to safely and easily mix this simple solution. We will talk about the recent ten years of testing this method, and the results. If you can bake a cake, weighing ingredients, and following directions, you can mix up your own Aluen Cap strips. Remember, they are not approved for use in California, but they will be on sale later this year in other parts of the country.

Come to the meeting. Great beekeeping information guaranteed.
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 7:00pm,
American Legion Log Cabin. 20 Veterans Place, San Anselmo, CA, 94960