Beekeeping on the Cheap, Part 2
Oxalic Acid Dribble for Varroa Mite Treatment
This is the second post in a series on treating bees for varroa mites effectively and affordably. If you missed the first post on making DIY oxalic acid strips, you can catch up here:
👉 Beekeeping on the Cheap (Part 1)
What is Oxalic Acid?
Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound—meaning it contains carbon—and is found in many common foods such as spinach, rhubarb, beet leaves, kale, and even chocolate. Because it's also naturally present in honey, oxalic acid is often considered a "natural" option for treating varroa mites in beehives.
My Treatment Plan
I last treated my hives at The Grove in April using homemade oxalic acid strips. This year, I’m following a seasonal rotation of oxalic acid delivery methods:
Spring: Oxalic acid strips
Summer (July/August): Oxalic acid dribble
Winter (December): Oxalic acid vaporization
This post focuses on the summer treatment method: the dribble.
How Much Does It Cost?
This method is not only effective—it's incredibly affordable.
To treat one colony, you need:
1.42 grams of oxalic acid, which costs about $0.47 per ounce. That’s $0.03 worth of oxalic acid.
24.29 grams of sugar, with sugar priced around $0.73 per pound, brings the sugar cost to $0.07.
Water: free!
Total cost to treat one colony: $0.10.
That’s a budget-friendly way to support your bees’ health without compromising on effectiveness.
Making the Oxalic Acid Dribble Solution
This was my first time making an oxalic acid dribble solution, and I followed the recipe from HoneyBeeSuite.
Full disclosure: I mistakenly assumed their recipe was for just one colony, so I doubled it to treat both of my hives… and ended up with 2 liters—enough to treat 40 colonies. 😅
To help you avoid the same mistake, I created a simple Oxalic Dribble Recipe Calculator where you can choose the number of colonies you're treating and get the correct recipe size.
Supplies You’ll Need
Respirator – Do not skip this! Oxalic acid fumes can cause kidney damage and other serious health issues.
Nitrile gloves & apron
Baking soda – for neutralizing spills
Oxalic acid powder
Water
Granulated sugar
Heat source (e.g., hot plate) that can be used in a well-ventilated outdoor area
Non-reactive mixing tools – spatula/spoon, glass bowl or secondhand pot
50ml syringe – I only had a 10ml syringe with no markings, so I carefully measured and marked it with a Sharpie. I used five full syringes to treat each hive.
Mixing Instructions
Important: Only mix in a well-ventilated space—preferably outdoors.
It was raining when I prepared mine, so I set the hot plate near the open garage doors for airflow.
Double Boiler Method (Recommended)
I used a metal pot the first time, but realized afterward that oxalic acid can react with some metals. A safer method:
Simmer water in a large pot.
Place a heatproof glass bowl over the pot (double boiler style).
Add the measured water for your batch and oxalic acid powder to the bowl. Stir until dissolved.
Add sugar, stir until fully dissolved.
Let the solution cool.
Once cool, transfer the solution into a non-reactive, clearly labeled storage container. A 1:1 sugar solution should be stable for about a month if stored in a cool, dry place.
Cleaning Up Safely
Sprinkle baking soda generously over any tools, surfaces, or spills.
Add a bit of water—if it bubbles, there’s still active acid present.
Reapply baking soda until bubbling stops.
☝️This video still has some areas bubbling - more baking soda is needed to completely neutralize the oxalic acid!
How to Apply Oxalic Acid Dribble
Timing Matters
Oxalic acid only works on adult bees and uncapped brood. So the best time to apply the dribble is when capped brood is minimal.
Application Tips
Wear nitrile gloves to protect your skin!
Practice with your syringe first to get a feel for a consistent expulsion of solution.
Smoke the bees lightly so they move down between the frames.
Do NOT exceed 50ml of oxalic acid solution per colony.
Apply the solution directly onto the bees, not the frames.
Focus on areas with the most bee traffic between frames. Bees will groom themselves and each other, distributing the treatment throughout the colony.
Try to distribute the solution evenly. For example, if bees are occupying spaces between 10 frames, divide the 50ml across those gaps (about 5ml per space).
More updates to come as I continue experimenting with affordable, effective hive care. Questions or thoughts? Drop them in the comments—I love hearing from fellow beekeepers!
