Acid House

Luckily I had done a bit of google research before MrB phoned early afternoon. Pretended to understand what I was talking about but luckily as always he had the solution. A few minutes later he appeared with a pot of fluid, a large syringe and rubber gloves - he assured me it wasn't an enema and I wasn't the patient.

So off we set injecting a few thousand bees with the varroa mite treatment - oxalic acid. This is an "organic" acid (in spinach, rhubarb) and the main component of kidney stones. I perhaps should have considered using my own body fluids to treat them! Could have then reported exactly how cold it was! MrB only works with organic treatments.

No the bees don't get an individual jab but the acid which is mixed in a sugar solution is spread in drops over the bees at the top of the frames and they spread it within the hive for the bees to work on and hopefully the solution they "eat" is then taken up by the mites and they die.

The oxalic acid treatment is usually used in winter when the temperatures are too low for other methods. Like other methods, it's not used in the main honey making season. In late summer we used formic acid (as in ant venom).

Sad news, the weakest colony was completely "dead", not a single bee alive. MrB inspected the hive - plenty of food, eggs were being laid and no sign as to why. MrB even found the queen. There were signs of varroa activity but well within the norm. Perhaps the colony was simply not well enough developed to keep the hive warm.

Just now hope the other two hives survive. They appeared to be well and active, several taking to the cold air to defend themselves against MrB's advances.

Managed to persuade MrB to have a cup of coffee afterwards and heard some interesting things on badgers - MrsB had found a dead badger recently on the road - MrB hadn't been called out by the police so presumably the car wasn't damaged or the driver didn't want to be around when the police arrived! If I get the chance will try to incorporate some of the things he mentioned in to my main journal.

As always -Thanks MrB