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Pests and Diseases / Re: Which would you prefer
« Last post by tedh on November 17, 2024, 06:10:03 pm »I've ordered the instantvap18. I'll try to update with my findings. Thanks again, Ted
Recent Posts
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Pests and Diseases / Re: New Hornet Threat: Southern Giant Hornet Arrives in Europe
« Last post by The15thMember on November 17, 2024, 11:15:41 am »The murder hornet strikes again! 
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Pests and Diseases / New Hornet Threat: Southern Giant Hornet Arrives in Europe
« Last post by MalteseHoneyBee on November 16, 2024, 01:33:46 pm »The Southern Giant Hornet (Vespa soror) is a large, aggressive hornet species that is native to Southeast Asia. In its home range, this hornet is a significant predator of various invertebrates and small vertebrates, including butterflies, grasshoppers, geckos, and other wasps. It also targets honey bee colonies. These hornets have been observed attacking hives of the Asian honey bee ( Apis cerana), and this aggressive behaviour is likely to extend to European honey bees. The hornets’ predatory nature and ability to destroy beehives could be devastating for local apiculture and agricultural pollination.
https://maltesehoneybee.org/2024/11/11/new-hornet-threat-southern-giant-hornet-arrives-in-europe/
https://maltesehoneybee.org/2024/11/11/new-hornet-threat-southern-giant-hornet-arrives-in-europe/
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great to hear from you! we look forward to what you have to say in the future 
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Pests and Diseases / Re: Which would you prefer
« Last post by Bakersdozen on November 15, 2024, 10:45:23 am »Both vaporizers sell for the same price, so that's not a factor. I would lean towards the InstantVap too. It seems the more research that goes on the higher the dosage ceiling gets. I understand Randy Oliver is using dosages that exceed the recommendations, but I couldn't find it on his website. (It's a little hard to navigate.) The plunger style with varying amounts of OA would make it easier to treat nucs, small swarms, etc.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Sugar Bricks, or Cakes For Winter Feeding
« Last post by Bakersdozen on November 15, 2024, 10:38:52 am »I emailed Dr. Peck for clarification. I probably should have done that prior to posting. 
This is copied and pasted from his response to my question about adding acid to sugar bricks.
"Acid in a sugar brick, because there is no water in the mix, does not allow HMF to form from fructose (and doesn't even allow the acid to invert the sugar from sucrose to fructose, which also requires it to be floating suspended in water.) It is probably unnecessary, but there is no reason to believe that the acidified bricks will harm the bees. The smell of the vinegar may even help them find the bricks in the hive."
This is copied and pasted from his response to my question about adding acid to sugar bricks.
"Acid in a sugar brick, because there is no water in the mix, does not allow HMF to form from fructose (and doesn't even allow the acid to invert the sugar from sucrose to fructose, which also requires it to be floating suspended in water.) It is probably unnecessary, but there is no reason to believe that the acidified bricks will harm the bees. The smell of the vinegar may even help them find the bricks in the hive."
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Pests and Diseases / Re: Which would you prefer
« Last post by tedh on November 14, 2024, 01:28:30 pm »Thank you! I'm leaning towards the instantvap, but Josh is pushing for the provap. It seems the instantvaps mechanism is easier to vary the dosage of OA. Glad to hear itll do 10 hives on a charged battery. Thanks again, Bakersdozen! Ted
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Pests and Diseases / Re: Which would you prefer
« Last post by Bakersdozen on November 14, 2024, 10:50:07 am »A friend of mine just showed me a picture of her OA vaporizer. I believe it was the InstantVap. She told me bought two of the DeWalt batteries and upgraded them for more power because she uses 4 gram treatments. Altogether, I don't know how many hives she has but I know it's over 100. She did say that she averages 10 colonies per yard and one battery gets the yard treated without running out of power.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Sugar Bricks, or Cakes For Winter Feeding
« Last post by PappyRick on November 14, 2024, 08:37:01 am »I probably got my recipe from this website, and since I only have 6 hives, my volume is considerably smaller, but my recipe is as follows:
8 lbs of sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Honey B Healthy
Combine and press into loaf tins and bake at 140 - 180 F for 4 - 5 hours. This makes about 9 small aluminum loaf pans.
Thanks for the reply.
8 lbs of sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Honey B Healthy
Combine and press into loaf tins and bake at 140 - 180 F for 4 - 5 hours. This makes about 9 small aluminum loaf pans.
Thanks for the reply.
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Pests and Diseases / Which would you prefer
« Last post by tedh on November 13, 2024, 04:29:37 pm »Hey, Everyone
I'd like to get a battery powered OA vaporizer and not positive which way to go, ProVap or InstantVap. Anyone with knowledge of or opinions on either? Thanks, Ted
I'd like to get a battery powered OA vaporizer and not positive which way to go, ProVap or InstantVap. Anyone with knowledge of or opinions on either? Thanks, Ted