InstantVap Cordless Battery Powered Oxalic Acid Vaporizer
Welcome to another interview session in my series of interviews with experts.
In this video, Janos Fenyosy talks in detail regarding the InstantVap 18 V battery-powered Oxalic Acid Sublimation unit.
This is a two-part interview, finishing with a slide-show presentation which begins at 58 minutes. Janos explains how temperature variations may be negatively impacting the vapor that is produced during sublimation.
This interview and the topics discussed should be considered opinions, and you are encouraged to do further reading.
My opinion is that the InstantVap offers the most convenience, and best quality of materials in a very well-thought-out design. The ability to do all of your hives no matter where they are located, on a single battery that you likely already own, is outstanding.
I've only used the InstantVap unit here for my own apiary. I introduce the OA through a 1/4" hole in the back of my hives, often through the slatted rack between slats.
You can purchase an InstantVap unit in the United States through
[ Ссылка ]
Please tell them that Frederick Dunn sent you, though I am not personally compensated for sending you there.
For those in other countries, here is the main InstantVap website:
[ Ссылка ]
If you locate a serious study regarding the degradation of OA during sublimation at various temperatures, please share the link in the comments section.
Please consider the information in this interview to be opinions that should be further validated.
Always follow approved methods and materials wherever you reside and tend honey bees.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Below is a response to a question regarding the use of OA with or without brood breaks. This is the reply from Janos at InstantVap-
"InstantVap
Hi.
I did brood break this September for the first time.
In previous years I vaporized
- after acacia 7 times every 3 days early-middle June
- after sunflower (August) again 7 times every 3 days.
- in winter 2-3 times when they come out for cleaning flight.
But every year is somewhat different, some years the mite load is lower, and other times it is much harder to keep under control. Definitely, it needs to be monitored.
I do the queen cages this way:
Find the queen and put it inside the cage, close it, and put it between 2 brood frames.
- day 1: queen caging. It should be in autumn when the feeding for winter already finished, and only a couple of brood frames remained. In central Europe, we do it during September.
- day 16: first oxalic acid vaporization, by this time all the brood is capped. (once the supers are off, it is enough to treat them with a maximum of 2-3 grams of oxalic acid dehydrate per colony)
- day 22: the queen is let out of the cage. no caped brood is left, all the mites are on bees, no place to hide for them.
- day 23: 2nd OAV.
- day 27: 3rd OAV. Even if the queen started to lay eggs, no capped brood yet.
Some of the benefits of this method:
- a time period is created when there is no capped brood, so the mites can be all reached by OAV.
- There are 2 treatments of OAV when the mites have no place to hide. 2 times a very efficient treatment kills more than 95-98% of all the mites.
- Because there is a very low mite count to start with in spring, these colonies are usually enough to treat in august next time. A periodic check is necessary, as an infestation of mites can occur from outside through robbing, etc.
- the winter bee generation goes into a rest mode, as there is no brood, no reason to work. They remain strong for a start in spring.
- the winter bees are healthy, they go into winter without mites."
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