Scientific Beekeeping

ScientificBeekeeping.com

Beekeeping Through the Eyes of a Biologist

The scientific beekeeper doesn’t want to just be told how to do it, but to understand the reasons why. Scientific beekeeping is not about test tubes and lab coats, but rather about helping you, as a beekeeper, to make management decisions based upon knowledge and understanding of the biology and behavior of the fascinating superorganism we call the honey bee colony.

Treatments For Varroa

The How and Why of Oxalic Vaporization: Part 2

Contents TESTING THE VARROX 2 WOULD MAINTAINING A LOWER TEMPERATURE REDUCE DEGRADATION? 6 THE LEIDENFROST EFFECT 8 SECOND-BY-SECOND OXALIC ACID OUTPUT 9 SUMMARY OF OUR FINDINGS 13 HOW MUCH FORMIC ACID IS IN THE OUTPUT? 15 SO WHAT’S THE OPTIMAL START-POINT TEMPERATURE? 20 HOW DO THE OXALIC OUTPUTS OF VARIOUS VAPORIZERS COMPARE? 22 IT’S IMPORTANT...

Read More

Residues from Oxalic Vaporization

Contents ACID RESIDUES FOLLOWING OA VAPORIZATIONS. 1 EXAMPLE OF A 1-GRAM OAV “DOSE”. 2 IS THE DOSE PROPORTIONAL TO THE RESIDUES ON THE BEES?. 4 SO HOW MUCH OA TO USE?. 6 FOR BROODLESS COLONIES. 7 FOR COLONIES WITH BROOD. 7 TAKING SOME ACTUAL MEASUREMENTS. 7 PROVAP 110. 9 INSTANTVAP. 12 VARROX. 15 CONCLUSIONS. 17...

Read More

OAV Temperature Follow-up, a Call to Action, and an Update on Thymol Blocks

Contents A CALL TO ACTION! 1 HOW IMPORTANT IS A VAPORIZER’S SETPOINT TEMPERATURE?. 3 UPDATE ON THYMOL BLOCKS. 6 CITATIONS AND NOTES. 7   OAV Temperature Follow-up, a Call to Action, and an Update on Thymol Blocks Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First Published in ABJ February 2026 I’ve previously written about oxalic vaporizer setpoint temperatures; a...

Read More

Creating a Model for Oxalic Acid Vaporization: Part 1

Contents THE EFFECT OF OAV UPON MITES. 2 EXPECTED MITE DROP AFTER AN OA TREATMENT. 4 ADVERSE EFFECTS UPON THE BEES AND BROOD.. 6 DOSE AND EFFICACY FOR BROODLESS COLONIES. 7 OAV FOR COLONIES ENGAGED IN BROOD REARING.. 8 SO HOW MANY OAV APPLICATIONS ARE NECESSARY?. 9 SO WHAT’S THE OPTIMAL OXALIC DOSAGE FOR AN...

Read More

Creating a Model for Oxalic Acid Vaporization: Part 2

Contents DEVELOPING A MODEL. 2 THE NECESSARY PARAMETERS. 2 INPUTS BY THE USER. 3 THE QUESTION OF OA DOSAGE and EFFICACY. 4 OUTPUTS. 5 VALIDATING THE MODEL. 5 USING THE MODEL. 7 REMAINING QUESTIONS. 13 ROTATE TREATMENTS! 14 WHAT’S IN OUR TOOLBOX?. 15 WRAP-UP. 15 MY APPRECIATION TO OUR “CITIZEN SCIENTIST” BEEKEEPERS! 15 CITATIONS AND...

Read More

Testing Varroxsan: Part 1

Contents SO HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?. 2 A NOTE ON MITE REDUCTION VS. EFFICACY OF TREATMENT 2 THEIR CONCLUSIONS. 2 MY OWN ANALYSIS OF THEIR RESULTS. 3 THEIR CONCLUSIONS. 4 MY ANALYSIS OF THEIR RESULTS. 4 WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ SCIENTISTS! 4 TIPS FOR RUNNING A FIELD TRIAL. 4 TWO FIELD TRIALS FROM...

Read More