Formic acid evaporator for fighting varroatosis.

p0001The invention relates to a formic acid evaporation apparatus in which evaporates from a hermetically sealed liquid container by means of an enclosed by a lattice hood wick in a hive independently a particular variable amount of formic acid of a certain concentration for the purpose of Varroa-combat time and controlled in dosage. The uniform and minimalized in the dosage of formic acid vapor concentration of about 1 ml 85% formic acid per 24 hours and per hive for a period of at least 30 days will be easier to use by the beekeepers on the one hand, the colonies from the infestation of parasitic Varroa mites freed and the other part neither the bee colonies damaged, nor affect the edibility of honey.

p0002The invention enables the new knowledge will be technically implemented, that a minimum of 30 days that remain constant, minimum formic acid vapor concentration in the hive at the Varroa-fighting more effective and for the bees is gentler than a short-term, highly concentrated formic acid evaporation.

p0003The previously known and Varroa-fighting mainly applied highly concentrated formic acid evaporation in the hive by uncontrolled, starting at a high concentration and constantly decreasing formic acid evaporation using formic acid impregnated disks (eg Illertisser Mites plate, see. Magazine "The Bienenmütterchen", Issue 12/1985, page 222 / 223; Issue 4/1985, page 68; magazine "Healthy bees", Issue 2/1986, page 39 o^ps) leads to undesirably high formic acid residues in wax and honey and damage to the bees, and is next to all year, but is applicable only in the fall.

p0004The chemical treatment of colonies (eg Perizin) leaving harmful residues in honey and wax and is therefore at least several weeks before the costume is no longer applicable.

p0005Honey with appropriate wax particles is unfit for consumption (see. Magazine "Healthy Bees", Issue 3/1986, page 69).

p0006It is also known that under artificial heating of the entire Bienenbeute erfolgende evaporation of an open Ameisensäurevorrats means of an open Flaschenhals dipped wick (Comp Deutsches Patent, Az.: P 33 08 017 or DE 3,308,017 C1 from 03.07.1983).

p0007The disadvantage of that method is its technical lavishness, the need to feed often non-existent electrical energy in each hive, and that the natural Termperaturverhältnisse be disturbed in the hive.

p0008All these undesirable side effects and obstacles are overcome by the invention by an indefinitely possible, experimentally as yet effectively been found and minimal due to the avoidance of residues, as well as in favor of the bees acceptance but variable formic acid vapor concentration in the hive in the simplest, most gentle and most practicable way maintained constant becomes.

p0009The invention is based on the object to produce a comparable formic acid vapor concentration in a hive and maintain, as otherwise the equivalent generated by ants themselves in a hive, so as to bring the Varroa mite practically residue-free and almost natural way to die. This object is the knowledge gained by observation based on that stricken by ant colonies are almost varroa-free within three to four weeks due to the generated by the ants in the hive formic acid vapors.

p0010The daily dose (24 hours, ants are nocturnal) 100% formic acid, which spray the ants with two magazines, was found to be about 0.5 to 0.6 ml. With the patent pending subject to the by nature predetermined values ​​arbitrarily long understood or because of größenverstellbaren Verdunstungsfläche be varied, as in ordinary Temperaturverhältnissen and at a Dochtverdunstungsfläche the material used (pressed pulp) of 80 to 90 sq mm within 24 hours pretty much 0 8 to 0.85 ml of 85% formic acid evaporates.

p0011The heat generated by the bees in the hive itself serves as conducive to evaporation energy source.

p0012The specified object is achieved in that during the vegetation and honey flow from a hermetically sealed, secured in the honeycomb liquid container by means of a wick made of pressed pulp in a specific, constant support amount of formic acid in time and in dosage control in the hive without heating Near evaporated, on the one hand the colony is not affected by a constant minimalized formic acid vapor concentration of about 1 ml 85% formic acid per 24 hours and per hive for a period of at least 30 days, and on the other hand virtually residue-free and almost naturally to the parasitic mites death be brought.

p0013To keep the bees from the evaporation surface of the wick and order to still have access to the resizable evaporation area for the purpose of evaporation regulation, according to another embodiment of the invention, the evaporation unit must be provided with a removable grille hood.

p0014The size-adjustable surface of the wick serves to regulate the amount of evaporation, while the Einfüllöff voltage to the liquid container, the demand and filling allows without the airtight closure, or the wick adjustment is impaired.

p0015Besides the advantages already mentioned, the originality of the invention lies in the superior mode of action in so far minimal intervention intensity and lowest side effect, and so far the easiest handling.

p0016An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be described in more detail below.

p0017It shows<ul><li>(1) removable, put over the evaporation device grid jacket</li><li>(2) the liquid absorbent and liquid evaporating wick as evaporation surface</li><li>(3) the luftdichten closure between Verdunstungsfläche and Flüssigkeitsbehälter</li><li>(4) the closable filling opening</li><li>(5) the acid-resistant liquid container</li></ul>

p0018The in Flüssigkeitsbehälter (5) located formic acid increases by the formic hineinragenden wick to Verdunstungsfläche (2) upward and evaporates mengenmäßig controlled depending on the desired size of Verdunstungsfläche (2). The luftdichte closure (3) between Verdunstungsfläche (2) and the Flüssigkeitsbehälter (5) thereby ensures that the evaporation exclusively via the Verdunstungsfläche (2). The size of the evaporation surface (2) by pulling it out, or push back the wick into the liquid container (5) variable. The lattice cover (1) holds the bees from the evaporation surface (2) away, allowing by their removability access to the wick, as well as on the filling opening (4) for post-and filling of formic acid in the liquid container (5).