Control Varroa with Brood Breaks!

For brood breaks and healthy hive management.

As varroa mites become resistant to miticides, and varroa re-invasion issues become more severe, beekeepers all over the world are desperately searching for alternative treatments.

Brood breaks in conjunction with Oxalic Acid (OA) vaporization is extremely effective and low cost and is becoming a very popular option.

The purpose-built cages are made from food-grade Polypropylene.
They have a sliding door on both sides.
The side openings in the grill are 4.2mm, same as a queen excluder.
Nurse bees can go in and out to care for the queen.
To release the queen, slide open a door on the cage and she will come out as soon as the hive is closed back up.
The cage is large enough to allow plenty of pheromone distribution, so the bees don’t try to supersede her.

Outside dimensions:- 240mm x 29mm x 34mm high.

Packed 100 per carton.

It is recommended to cut a window out of a brood frame and fit the cage into the window. See photos.
The bees will secure it in place.
The frame can live permanently in the hive. Position it as an outer frame in the brood box when it has no queen enclosed.
When the queen is inside, keep it near the middle of the brood box so she keeps warm and fed.

It is recommended to use a ¾ depth frame in a full depth brood box.
The bees will build drone comb underneath it.
If there are any mites in the hive, they will tend to go to these drone cells.
When they are all capped, they can be easily scraped from the bottom of the frame and disposed of, mites and all. (Chooks go crazy on them!)

Some beekeepers fit the cage between 2 frames in horizontal position instead of vertical.
See photo with plastic frames. The comb is scraped back to the foundation.
There is a question whether this way allows enough pheromone to be released but it seems to be okay.

There are many applications for this cage.

1. Varroa control by creating a brood break then vaporizing with Oxalic Acid. (OA)
2. Swarm Control
3. To maximise a honey crop.
4. When requeening with cells.
5. For overwintering.

 1. Varroa Control.
From mid-Spring to mid-Summer, 75% of the varroa mites in a hive can be breeding inside the capped brood cells and are protected from most varroa treatments.

By creating a brood break, all the varroa mites are exposed and can be killed with 1 – 3 cents worth of Oxalic Acid by Vaporization.

The InstantVap Vaporizer is very quick and efficient for this application.

Procedure: -

• Cage the queen for 18 days.
• Release her and wait 6 days.
• Then you will have 2 days where there will be no capped brood.
• Vaporize the beehive with OA and kill almost every varroa mite inside.

Most commercial queen breeders will mark queens for no extra charge. That makes them very easy to find to allow for quick caging and very low cost varroa control.

 2. Swarm Control.
Cage the queen in Spring to control swarming and varroa mite populations.
There are 3 stages that usually precede swarming.

1. Build excess amounts of drone brood.
2. Build queen cell cups.
3. Add eggs to cell cups to produce new queens.

The procedure is best performed during the first or second stage.

• Cage the queen for 18 days.
• Release her and wait 6 days.
• Then you will have 2 days where there will be no capped brood. Vaporize the beehive with OA and kill almost every varroa mite inside.
• 18 days with no eggs makes the bees forget about swarming for a while.

It is important to time this procedure to maximise field bee numbers at the start of the honey flow.

 3. To maximise a honey crop.
Some honey flows can be very valuable but occur for an intense & brief period of only 2 or 3 weeks.

To maximise the crop, cage the queen 2 or 3 days before the start of the expected honey flow. This allows for the following: -

• The queen excluder can be removed.
• 8 days after caging, there will be no brood to feed.
• More bees get involved in field duties to maximise the crop.
• Less food and pollen required in the brood nest.
• Very few foragers collect pollen. They focus on the honey crop.
• No chance of getting brood in the honey supers.

The honey crop can then be removed, queen released, and the hive can be vaporized with OA to kill virtually all the varroa mites in the hive.

 4. Requeening with cells.
Put old queen into the cage when adding a queen cell. Check hive 24 days later to see if there is a new laying queen. If not, the old queen can be let out to continue laying. If there is a good new queen, the old queen can be removed. There is likely to be no capped brood so the hive can be vaporized with Oxalic Acid to kill virtually every varroa mite in the hive.

 5. Over Winter.
Beehives in good condition in Autumn will greatly benefit with a brood break in the winter.

If you have hives in a location where this doesn’t happen, you can do it with an isolation cage.

The bees that hatch out after you cage the queen will live happily till the next batch of brood arrives several months later, after the brood break period.

This is all conditional to the bees being healthy and having enough of them at the time of caging.

The queen can be caged for 3 to 4 months without any detrimental effects to her health or performance.

24 days after caging, there will be no capped brood and the hive can be vaporized with OA.

If done with the correct technique, it will kill virtually every varroa mite in the beehive. (There is no capped brood for them to shelter in.)

Another treatment one week later is recommended to wipe out any possible varroa mite remnants.

Varroa mites can potentially turn up from stray bees from other colonies, but they cannot breed when there is no brood.

The temperature in the cluster will drop from 34°C to around 22°C to 28°C. With the lower temperature and no brood, there are significant advantages such as: -

1. A lot less honey required in the winter.
2. A lot less pollen is required.
3. The worker bees and the queen live a lot longer because they have very little work to do.
4. There is less condensation in the beehive.
5. The timber stays dryer and lasts longer.
6. Only one box of bees is required over winter.
7. Easier to keep secure in case of storms or floods.

No varroa strips will be required in the beehive unless you have massive varroa mite re-invasion issues from nearby colonies.
Caging the queens in first week of April and releasing in last week of July worked very well on some trial beehives in the Nelson region in 2023. (NZ)
The queens went crazy and laid a lot of eggs very fast. A month later, there were lots of beautiful big frames of very healthy brood!
When the queens are released, the hive can be vaporized with OA so that if there are any varroa mites present, they are virtually all killed.

Another Queen Isolation Cage option is the Technoset Queen Cage Frame.
It takes the place of a frame and works on all the same principles that are listed above.

The latest 2nd Gen Version of the all popular InstantVap has dropped!

Meet the InstantVap COMPACT!

Similar to the previous generation, this makes vaporizing oxalic acid (OA) in beehives an absolute breeze, however it is better in many ways!

NEW Design:
With a radical overhaul this unit is a lot smaller, lighter and stronger than the previous unit. Focusing on the essentials, this unit is more practical in the field. The unit sits a lot better with most standard batteries. With only one switch, the unit is simply controlled by an LED light.

NEW LED light
This unit is preset to all the right parameters and all you need to do is watch the flashing LED. The light is easy to see even on sunny days. Engraved on the unit is the following guide so you know what your InstantVap is doing:

 By simplifying and making all these changes this new generation is available at a more affordable price! 

It is very cheap per application! The Oxalic Acid only costs 1.5 cents per beehive for a 3 gram dose (based on buying a 25kg bag for $120.00 +GST in Feb 2023). Treat 1000 beehives for only $15.00 +GST for materials.

The InstantVap is powered by common power tool batteries including Makita LXT 18V, Milwaukee M18, Bosch Blue / ProCore 18V, Dewalt XR18/20V, Metabo 18V, Ozito PXC 18V, AEG Pro 18V & HiKOKI / Hitachi 18V. The device is compatible with only one type of battery. Please select your type carefully. Price does not include any batteries.

Check out our InstantVap Operational Guide for more info

Applications & suggested dose rates. (Also view the video. See the link below.)

1. For beehives with solid bases, apply 2g of OA vapour at the bottom entry. Block the entry with a wet towel for 5 - 7 minutes to trap all the vapour in the beehive while treating other beehives. 

2. For beehives with vented bases, use a vent blocker sheet and carry out the same process as stated above. The vent blockers can be removed after 5 - 7 minutes.

3. For beehives with vented bases that are very difficult to block, we recommend that you do a 3 gram dose from the top of the hive. A small notch cut from the rim of the hive mat is excellent for winter ventilation and a great spot to apply the vapour. If the beehive has lots of honey supers, a notch cut from the rim of the queen excluder can give good access for the vaporizer. we sell stainless steel excluders with an entry door which is ideal. See the examples on the video.

4. Alternatively, the vapour can be applied through a hole in the front plate of the brood box for the fastest application. Drill a hole as high as possible in the top brood box but close to the side so the vapour penetrates the hive between the outer wall and outer frame. Drill  a 6.5mm hole if using the brass nozzle bare. Drill a 9.5mm hole if using the silicon sleeve on the nozzle. After application, the hole can be blocked up with a golf tee.

6 Amp/hr 18V Makita LXT Batteries also available here

Respirators must be worn when vaporizing - Check out our range here

Cleaning of these devices is important - Watch our Cleaning Video.

For a quick overview on how the device functions, watch our video below:

Included with each Vaporizer:
1 x Vaporizer
1 x Plunger
1 x 500g of OA
2 x Silicone Caps
2 x Silicone Sleeves
2 x Spare O-Rings
2 x Cleaning Caps

The finer details:

• The device has built-in battery protection electronics.
• Power: 18V-20V; 250W; 14A
• Approx. 1Ah is required for heating up, then 1Ah provides enough power for 9 to 10 two gram doses of oxalic acid treatment. Each 2 gram dose takes approx. 18 seconds to vaporize.
• Stainless, acid-resistant steel frame and dispenser
• Pre-set operating temperature: 230℃ / 445F (not adjustable)
• Fast, tool-free, roll-on adjustment of the oxalic acid dispenser, with 1-4 gram scale, dispensing oxalic acid with one push. Replacements or extras are available here They fit perfectly in the handle as well as in the dispenser chamber.
  
• 6mm diameter strong brass outlet pipe, not prone to clogging due to the excellent design. Easy to access and clean in case of a blockage, the entire length of the tube is accessible. Some beekeepers drill a 7mm hole in the hive box and insert the nozzle into the hole.
• Stable in the hive hole, does not fall out or tilt sideways, can support its own weight (But do not lean on it!)
• There should be a minimum of 100mm free space in front of the nozzle otherwise some of the Oxalic Acid will crystalize on the surface and be wasted.
• Double-wall furnace, works well in cold, windy weather

InstantVap 18 volt battery powered, cordless oxalic acid vaporizer. Top quality product manufactured in Europe.

This unit makes Vaporizing a breeze for any beekeeper! Its only been on the market since end of 2021 and has been a massive hit in America and Europe. Beequip NZ are excited to be part of the journey by becoming NZ's Sole Distributor!

It is very cheap per application! The Oxalic Acid only costs 1.5 cents per beehive for a 3 gram dose (Based on buying a 25kg bag for $120.00 +GST in Feb 2023) Treat 1000 beehives for only $15.00 +GST.

The InstantVap is powered by common power tool batteries including Makita LXT 18V, Milwaukee M18, Bosch Blue / ProCore 18V, Dewalt XR18/20V, Metabo 18V, Ozito PXC 18V, AEG Pro 18V & HiKOKI / Hitachi 18V. The device is compatible with only one type of battery. Please select your type carefully. Price does not include any batteries.

Check out our InstantVap Operational Guide for more info

Applications & suggested dose rates. Also view the video. See the link below.

1. For beehives with solid bases, apply 2g of vapour at the bottom entry. Block the entry with a wet towel for 7 minutes to trap all the vapour in the beehive while treating other beehives. It is best to treat the beehive when all the field bees are inside to get maximum mite kill. Eg. Cold weather, in the evening, or at night. It could also be done on a day when there is light rain, as long as you ensure that the insulation and electronics inside the InstantVap do not get wet.

2. For beehives with vented bases, use a vent blocker sheet and carry out the same process as stated above. The vent blockers can be removed after 7 minutes.

3. For beehives with vented bases that are very difficult to block, we recommend that you do a 3 gram dose from the top of the hive. A small notch cut from the rim of the hivemat is excellent for winter ventilation and a great spot to apply the vapour. If the beehive has lots of honey supers, a notch cut from the rim of the queen excluder can give good access for the vaporizer. we sell stainless steel excluders with an entry door which is ideal. See the examples on the video.

6 Amp/hr 18V Makita LXT Batteries also available here

A 12v Version with 4m leads and battery clips is also available here

Respirators must be worn when vaporizing - Check out our range here

For a quick overview on how this works, watch our video below:

Included with each Vaporizer:
1 x Vaporizer
1 x Plunger
1 x 500g of OA
2 x Silicone Caps
2 x Silicone Sleeves
2 x Spare O-Rings
2 x Cleaning Caps

The finer details:

• The device has built-in battery protection electronics. It will turn off at 15.2V, and when connecting discharged battery, it does not turn on below 17.2V
• Power: 18V; 240W; 13A
• Approx. 1Ah is required for heating up, then 1Ah provides enough power for 9 to 10 two gram doses of oxalic acid treatment. Each 2 gram dose takes approx. 18 seconds to vaporize at 230 degrees Celsius.
• Stainless, acid-resistant steel frame and dispenser
  
• Accurate, dynamic solid-state relay & PID temperature control; i.e. no overheating, no waiting for cool-down
  
• Real-time temperature display, controlled temperature, temperature can be individually adjusted from 100-240℃. Default temperature is 230℃ and what is generally recommended.
  
• Fast, tool-free, roll-on adjustment of the oxalic acid dispenser, with 1-4 gram scale, dispensing oxalic acid with one push. Replacements or extras are available here They fit perfectly in the handle as well as in the dispenser chamber.
  
• 6mm diameter strong brass outlet pipe, not prone to clogging due to the excellent design. Easy to access and clean in case of a blockage, the entire length of the tube is accessible. Some beekeepers drill a 7mm hole in the hive box and insert the nozzle into the hole.
• Stable in the hive hole, does not fall out or tilt sideways, can support its own weight (But do not lean on it!)
• There should be a minimum of 100mm free space in front of the nozzle otherwise some of the Oxalic will crystalize on the surface and be wasted.
• Voltage indicator with nice digital readout. 
• Insulated furnace, works well even in cold, windy weather.

Testimonials:

Woodland Harvest Honey Co - Sep 23

"I bought an instant vap about a month back. I discovered when I did alcohol washes after pulling supers that I had some colonies with fairly heavy mite loads. I have stopped using the chemical mite treatments and formic acid or Thymol because of problems in the past with queens shutting down. Both products will work but if the temperature is too high you get into trouble. I use sticky boards and hit all the hives in a yard every four days until the boards show clean three days after treatment. Usually that's three to five times. The hives keep going business as usual and no queens have stopped laying. In fact they start laying more when the mites are getting cleaned out. I haven't seen any problems with the bees that could be blamed on the OA. The machine is expensive but cheap compared to what the other treatments cost or the cost of a lost colony. Where I live the bees will go broodless about the end of November (Northern Hemisphere) and I'll hit them again two or three times. That will get them through until spring buildup. The instant vap is a game changer"

InstantVap 12 volt battery powered, oxalic acid vaporizer. Top quality product manufactured in Europe.

This unit makes Vaporizing a breeze for any beekeeper! Its only been on the market since end of 2021 and has been a massive hit in America and Europe. Beequip are excited to be part of the journey by becoming NZ's Sole Distributor!

The InstantVap 12v version comes with a 4m lead and clips so you can easily clip it on to any 12 volt battery. 

Check out our InstantVap Operational Guide for more info

We also sell these in a version that is powered by common 18 volt power tool batteries. Click Here   to view them on our website.

Respirators must be worn when vaporizing - Check out our range here

For a quick overview on the InstantVap, watch our video below:

Included with each Vaporizer:
1 x Vaporizer
1 x Plunger
1 x 500g of OA
2 x Silicone Caps
2 x Silicone Sleeves
2 x Spare O-Rings
2 x Cleaning Caps

The finer details:

• Power: 12V; 240W; 20A
• With a fully charged 80Ah deep cycle battery, ~300 hives can be treated with 2 grams of oxalic acid, one treatment takes approx. 20 seconds
• Stainless steel acid-resistant frame and dispenser
• Accurate, no-overrun dynamic solid-state relay PID temperature control; i.e. no overheating, no waiting for cool-down
• Real-time temperature display, controlled temperature, temperature can be individually adjusted from 100-240℃, default temperature: 230℃, recommended temperature: 220-230℃
• Fast, tool-free, roll-on adjustment of the oxalic acid dispenser, with 1-4 gram scale, dispensing oxalic acid with one push. Replacements or extras are available here They fit perfectly in the handle as well as in the dispenser chamber.
• 6mm diameter strong brass outlet pipe, not prone to clogging as there is no pipe bend. Easy to access and clean in case of a blockage, the entire length of the tube is accessible
• Requires a 7mm diameter hole in the hive wall. See the video above for a range of options for location of the application.
• There should be a minimum of 100mm free space in front of the nozzle otherwise some of the Oxalic will crystalize on the surface and be wasted.
• Stable in the hive hole, does not fall out or tilt sideways, can support its own weight (do not lean on it!)
  
• Voltage indicator to protect the battery. Periodic monitoring of the voltage indicator is necessary, because the battery must not be over discharged! The exact voltage value which the battery can be discharged to, is specified by the battery manufacturer. Please check the instructions for your battery.
• Can be used with a car starter battery for up to 100-150 hives
• Insulated furnace, works well in cold, windy weather.

Crafted from premium 304 grade stainless steel, our queen isolation cage sets the new standard for durability and corrosion resistance in beekeeping equipment. 

Fits three full depth frames with either 33mm or 35mm end bars.

Applications:

1. Queen Breeding: Perfect for queen breeders to ensure optimal larvae age for grafting, facilitating superior queen production.
2. Varroa Control in Warmer Climates: Ideal for limiting brood production during winter months, effectively reducing varroa mite reproduction.
3. Increased Honey Production and Queen Management: The three-frame cage revolutionizes honey production. See the procedure below.

Benefits of using the 3-frame cage during the Honey Flow:

A. Eliminates the need for a queen excluder, resulting in increased honey yield.
B. Optimizes hive resources with less brood and more nurse bees available for honey gathering or ripening.
C. Significantly reduces mite reproduction with the decreased brood area.
D. Three good brood frames are enough to sustain the hive during a honey flow period of 8 to 10 weeks.
E. At the end of the honey flow, the 3 brood frames can be removed to make a nucleus colony with the old queen.
F. A queen cell or mated queen can be introduced to the production hive for requeening purposes.
G. The production hive can be vaporized with Oxalic Acid to kill virtually every varroa mite in the hive while there is no capped brood. Super cheap & efficient with InstantVap.
H. Start the Autumn (Fall) with zero varroa mites!
I. Alternatively, the 3 brood frames can be frozen to kill the varroa mites inside the cells then added to strong healthy colonies to clean up and re-use.

Specifications.

• 109mm inside width, 121mm outside width.
• 459mm long x 242mm high.
• The top cap is 484mm long.
• The air gap in the mesh is 4.3mm. Bees can take pollen through successfully.
• Has a clip-on cap which is held firmly down when the next box or hive mat is added above it.

Internal hive dimensions must be the Langstroth standard to ensure the cage fits properly and there are no gaps for the queen to escape.

Many beekeepers ensure their queens are marked so they are easy to find for caging when required. 

 One frame cage available here.

As we see more and more varroa resistance to the synthetic miticide strips, beekeepers are turning to organic acids for successful varroa control. There is no evidence worldwide of the mites getting resistant to them. The stainless steel cages are very resilient in an acid environment and will not oxidise and deteriorate like galvanised steel products.

It pays to get quality!

Crafted from premium 304 grade stainless steel, our queen isolation cage sets the new standard for durability and corrosion resistance in beekeeping equipment. 

Fits one full depth frame with either 33mm or 35mm end bars.

Applications:

1. Queen Breeding: Perfect for queen breeders to ensure optimal larvae age for grafting, facilitating superior queen production.
2. Winter use in warmer climates: Ideal for limiting brood production during winter months, effectively reducing varroa mite reproduction. Reduces the colonies food requirements due to less brood.
3. Swarm control in Spring: The speed of colony growth can be controlled with the use of the cage at specific times to enable the colony to reach peak hive numbers at the start of the honey flow without swarming first.
4. Varroa Control: See the procedure below:-

A. Introduce a clean empty brood frame to the cage.
B. Find the queen and enclose in the cage.
C. Position the cage into the middle of the brood nest.
D. A good queen will lay in virtually every cell within 2 days.
E. After 26-28 days, there will be virtually no capped brood and all mites will be exposed to treatment. Can be 23 – 25 days if there is no drone brood.
F. Vaporize with Oxalic Acid for virtually complete mite elimination.
G. Whenever desired, the frame of brood with queen can be removed from cage and added back to brood nest.
H. The cage can be removed from the hive or left at the side of the brood box with a food frame enclosed until needed.

Specifications.

• 40mm inside width, 48mm outside width.
• 459mm long x 242mm high.
• The top cap is 484mm long.
• The air gap in the mesh is 4.3mm. Bees can take pollen through successfully.
• Has a clip-on cap which is held firmly down when the next box or hive mat is added above it.

Internal hive dimensions must be the Langstroth standard to ensure the cage fits properly and there are no gaps for the queen to escape.

Many beekeepers ensure their queens are marked so they are easy to find for caging when required. The labour cost for this procedure is negligible when compared to the cost of resurrecting colonies killed by varroa mites!

Three-frame cage available here.

As we see more and more varroa resistance to the synthetic miticide strips, beekeepers are turning to organic acids for successful varroa control. There is no evidence worldwide of the mites getting resistant to them. The stainless steel cages are very resilient in an acid environment and will not oxidise and deteriorate like galvanised steel products.

It pays to get quality!