So like I said I just use Wood Bleach to treat my woodenware and since I'm lazy I leave the bees in the hive when I do....
So I just recently looked up the state regs regarding beekeeping. I looked it up because of another of those "it's against the law" statements. In that case it turned out that it was true. I didn't see anywhere that it said that I couldn't use oxalic acid as a treatment for mites. Nor did I see any list of "approved treatments" for mites.
I did see that Mites are on the list of bee diseases that we are supposed to control:
"8 CCR 1203-4 RULES AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE BEE AND BEE PRODUCTS ACT
I. Contagious Diseases
A. The following diseases and mites, having been determined by the Bee Advisory Committee as being hazardous to the beekeeping industry in this state, are contagious diseases for purposes of C.R.S. 35-25-101 et seq.
1. American Foul Brood
2. European Foul Brood
3. Varroa jacobsoni
4. Acarapis woodi"
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"D. If any contagious disease is found in any hive, the entire apiary shall be placed under quarantine and no colonies can be sold, destroyed or moved or transferred into or out of the apiary without the written permission of the Colorado Department of Agriculture. All such diseased hives found shall be medically treated, chemically sterilized or sterilized by burning. The method used shall be one acceptable by the Commissioner. Accepted measures for medically treating or sterilizing diseased hives may include but shall not be limited to:
1. Application of a powder consisting of approximately 3.5 percent by weight terramycin and approximately 96.5 percent by weight of one or more non-toxic substances applied to tops of brood frames at rate of approximately one tablespoon every four days for a period not less than three consecutive weeks; or by application of such other medical treatment as may hereafter be determined by the Commissioner to be equally effective.
2. Fumigation of equipment exposed to or otherwise contaminated by the causative agents of a contagious disease, in an atmosphere consisting of Ethylene Oxide gas at a sufficient concentration, pressure, temperature, humidity and for an amount of time under these conditions to destroy the ability of the causative agents to infect any bee with a contagious disease.
3. Sterilization of any and all bees infected with or exposed to any equipment exposed to a contagious bee disease, by burning said bee equipment and burying under at least 12 inches of earth. "
As you can see by the section that I highlighted, we are not limited to using the above methods. Nowhere does it say that we cannot use oxalic acid.
Where do I find this supposed list of "approved" treatments, and who does the approving? As far as I can see I can do what I want. Obviously I wouldn't want to put anything in the hive that was toxic (or at least in toxic levels) to bees or humans. Oxalic acid is much more benign than most chemical treatments. It occurs naturally in many of our foods. In addition to this I never use it when there are supers on. The same precaution as when doing anything with the hives, including something as harmless as powdered sugar.
On a similar note is lemongrass approved for calming bees? Or other mixtures approved for stimulating feeding? What about protein mixtures for feeding. How about the various materials people use for their smokers? Burlap smoke, Pine needle smoke, special little pellets from the suppliers smoke, why not oxalic acid smoke?....
So I am honestly curious where the law is that says that I can't use Oxalic Acid to treat for mites.
Not that I do....
Alfred