I have recently purchased the Gas-Vap for applying OAV to the hives for varroa mite treatment. This is a much faster method compared to the electric wand, when you have more then a few hives to treat.
I also bought a gas-vap from the originator in the UK earlier this year since they didn’t have a distributor yet in the USA. It was very reasonably priced and I love the convenience. Just need to carry some extra butane to fill it up periodically. Some have said to be careful with getting it too hot so I try and keep the flame setting near the lowest point.
I saw the "too hot" comments as well. That is one thing I wish I could control better on this device. I need to do some more research on how to tell if the OA got too hot without a temperature readout.
@@flatcreekbees869 Did you have any problems with the oxalic acid stopping up the brass tube on your Gas Vap? I have the Easy Vap system from Weller Bee Supply and ran into this issue. If I didn't preheat the system and run the flame hotter then normal the brass tube stopped up. Some people who use Gas Vap's & the Pro Vap's seem to get a huge vapor cloud from the Oxalic Acid but I can't seem to duplicate that. I don't know if I am getting the system to hot or I have another issue. Thanks for the help.
@@HereWeGoSteelers Depends on how cold it is outside. In colder weather I do have to occasionally clear the tube. The scoop that came with the Gas-Vap has a handle that fits right inside the tube so I just push it through a couple of times if there is buildup.
A couple of items for you in the future....you NEED to wear a proper mask respirator and goggles for protection (using Oxalic Acid vapors) can be very harmful breathing in or on unprotected eyes. Also use thick leather (welders) gloves as the unit gets VERY HOT. Also you should do your treatments early in the morning when almost all of the bees are in the hive. Also close up the hive entrances (also if you have an upper entrance) with a towel during treatments. The idea is to keep the vapor and bees inside the hive for the duration of the treatment to be most effective. Doing so does not adversely affect the bees (although they don’t seem to like it) and once the towels plugging up the entrances are removed the bees will quickly start fanning to ventilate the hive. I do like your use of a cookie sheet to set the hot Gas-Vap on instead of the wood top or plastic if your using a plastic Apimaye hive.
How you will know how much temperature will be in that vaponizer? should have some special temperature for that acid,or don't need special temperature. Thanks
I am new to OA treatments…..what would be the harm of adding the OA directly to the vaporizer….then capping and lighting the torch? The rotation of the vaporizer seems like a step that could be eliminated. Thoughts?
Do you know if it is a problem to still have feeding with sirop during the OA sublimation treatment? At the end I suppose that there will be also always some uncapped honey during a summer treatment
it just kills the mites, it does piss the bees off for a couple minutes but they get over it... just check out wood bleach or oxalic acid, made from plants. will not kill humans either but if you get a whiff of it, you will want to cough up a lung
