Treating for Varroa w/OA

After having lost one hive this week, I spent this morning setting up to treat the #1 hive with Oxalic acid by fumigation.  First I smoked the upper box to get out most of the bees, and then I removed the box and set it aside.  I placed my special cover over the hive and then began heating the melting tube.  Soon the bees began to leave where the mist was coming out.  In two or three minutes the process was over, so I let the hive sit for a while (15 min) to absorb the mist, which cools to a fine dust on everything.  My attention now was to deal with the top box.  An inspection revealed that it had a lot of bees, more than a super full of honey should have, so I rolled it over and found not only some brood in the lower parts of the comb, but also a lot of pollen stored for next spring buildup.  So after the 15 Min.'s I replaced the top box, then put on the blanket and cover. 

When I removed the cover originally, I saw that the beetles had been using the traps and many were dead on the top bars, but my thumb crushed another half dozen or so that tried to escape.  Maybe this treatment will keep these bees from leaving like the other hive.  I will treat again next week with powdered sugar and Thyme. 

I found on line a powdered sugar with no corn starch, made by King Arthur Floor, kind of expensive for 1#, ($12.50 with shipping) but I tried making my own and its not worth the energy.  Later

This afternoon the sky behind the house was again full of flying bees.  I thought, here goes # 3 hive.  But much to my amazement, they all circled awhile and came back to the hive.  I'm going to have to stop watching, it takes to much out of me.  Later again