FORMIC ACID USAGE ON HONEY BEES COLONIES AGAINST VARROA

Formic acid is an organic acid and usage of formic acid on colonies one of the best methods of encounters of Varroa. Especially It is widely used by organic honey producers in countries beekeeping developed highly.

When used accordingly that is minimum 15 days before the spring time or autumn after the honey harvest, the researches shows that it does not leave any remainders on the honey or the wax.

As the use of it may be risky for the beekeeper now in Canada and Europe it is used as jell. This is also used as the strongest method in encountering against trachea mite.

Mr Nicholas W.Calderone who is a researcher at University of Cornell whom article has been published in Journal of Economic Entomology in year 2000. In his article he stated that he has used apistan, thymol and formic acid in encountering Varroa. In his results he found that %94.2 of Varroa destruction noted in the colonies where %65 of formic acid used. The destruction using thymol and apistan noted as %75.4 and %92.6 respectively. So the method using formic acid is stated as an alternative control method to Apistan.

In the method of liquid formic acid the solution must be %65.What that means is that the solution used on colonies should be %65 of formic acid and the rest which is %35 of water.

Varroa is effected by this solutions vapour and destructed. In this method, the bees should not be left in direct contact with the liquid of formic acid. The suitable technique is that to get some toilet paper or newspaper, lay the piece on to brood frames.

After that 40ml solution is ejected on to the paper. So the paper avoids the direct contact of bees with solution by absorbing the solution therefore not letting the solution dripping on to bees.

The solution vaporises in the colony and destroys the Varroa. In some courtiers the solutions named as “Mite Away” and ”Apicure” are widely used and those products contain formic acid.

Picture-1) Application of Formic acid

When this method is used, the temperature has to be between minimum of 10 0C and maximum of 30 0C. When used in temperatures above 30 ⁰C; it may cause the queens death.

When the method is used between 4 and 6 times leaving a week between application it is noted that the method caused the destruction of %95 of Varroa.

Health & Safety Hazard – Important notice:

At all times you must avoid breathing the vapour of the solution. The safety measurement used in application of Oxalic acid must be followed in usage of formic acid method.