Oxalic Treatment - Timing

[triple7sss]

Ponder on this with me for a sec.  I have 3 packages coming in the next couple weeks and I thought that I might get them installed and then a day later use an oxalic vaporizer treatment. 

My thinking is that there won't be any brood so I could treat them before the queen has begun laying.  I'm going to go foundationless and would love to treat before there is brood so I would have the best of both worlds with regard to varroa control -  small/natural cell size and at least one treatment. 

From what I've read, the vaporizer treatment has less impact on build-up than the dribbling method so maybe early treatment wouldn't be overly affecting.  Has anyone had trouble damaging their screened bottom with the vaporizor?

I guess my concern is treating a hive that is so newly installed.  Better to wait a bit?  Or possibly get some counts before treating?     

Wanted to see what others thought.

[Michael Bush]

Then again, the vapor may convince them that it's not such a good place to live and with no brood to anchor them there they may decide to find a better home...

[nella]

Might it be better to vaporize them in the package before you hive them?

[triple7sss]

Yeah, that's exactly my concern Michael.  That's not a bad idea Nella - have to be sort of careful as oxalic is kind of nasty stuff and I don't want the family to find me laying out back looking like a World War I mustard gas casualty. 

Maybe build a box with supports inside would keep them up off the bottom, cover it, treat and then hive them.  After the ordeal of transport and treatment a nice medium with some frames and the rest of a can of syrup might seem like a perfect home. 

[evil nick]

Im going through this as well. I found my eggs sunday. I heard you should fume before they get capped in about another week or so. MY friend has his vaporizer he will let me use but our schedules kind of clash.
when should you really vape a new hive?
thanks

[KeyLargoBees]

vapor is only ineffective with capped brood.......if you let them be for 5-6 days until you have eggs and larvae to anchor them then treat you will be fine.

[OldMech]

What KeyLargoBees said. Let them get established, start drawing comb and raising brood. Treat before the cells are capped.
   I dont use screen bottom boards, but I do have rings on the bottom board where the vaporizor sits.

[triple7sss]

That is a very good point.  The distinction between brood and capped brood as it relates to oxalic treatment evaded me there for a bit.  Sort of becoming moot as Brushy Mountain has backordered the vaporizer and they're not sure when it's going to be available.  I still like those guys a great deal - they're pretty easy to get along with.

[Oblio13]

I think package bees are usually treated shortly before they're shipped, plus then there's going to be a broodless period when varroa can't reproduce anyway. Maybe wait until mid-August or so, when the hive is at it's peak population and eggs for winter bees are being laid?

[triple7sss]

Thanks Oblio.  My thinking was that if I could treat them before they had any capped brood it might thwart the most of the varroa before the queen even started laying.  I didn't treat them....it was 35 degrees and snowing when they came in and were installed so I didn't think they needed any further stress.