The BC Honey Producers Association (BCHPA) is helping smaller bee keeping operations address Varroa mites as part of their 2023/24 Bee BC project. For their project, the BCHPA created Oxalic Vaporizer supply kits to enable the borrowing of treatment equipment. The Oxalic Vaporizer treatment method has proven to be effective but comes at a prohibitive cost making it inaccessible for small beekeepers.
The kits consisted of treatment devices, personal protective equipment, and use instructions. BCHPA originally planned to have kits at 5 to 7 locations, but the project received greater interest than expected making the kits available at a total of 8 locations in BC. The kits are available for beekeepers in the Fraser Valley and Okanagan all the way to the Peace Region.
The Oxalic Vaporizer method involves some potential hazards, but BCHPA ensured that all kits included safety instructions directly from the manufacturer. BCHPA put together a discussion group of cooperators so they could share experiences and educate others.
The kits were used for hundreds of hive treatments during the fall treatment period of 2023. The equipment continues to be available for beekeepers across the province. BCHPA has noted that the availability of the kits has generated more interest in the methods of maintaining and improving bee colony health as well as lead to an increase in knowledge of these methods.
