InstantVap Products

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 & FelxVolt Batteries (Note: Power Stack batteries are incompatible)
• 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 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.

Replacement Dispenser for the InstantVap

Adjustable from 1 to 4 gram dose rates.

Suits all the styles

Check out our InstantVap Operational Guide for more info

Makita BL1860 18V 6.0Ah LXT Lithium-Ion Battery

This battery is perfect for the Makita Version of the InstantVap.
6AH will give you a rough total of treating 40-50 Hives with a 2 gram dose. (Includes the heat up time)

Check out our Automotive Charger for these batteries here 
Single and Dual Wall chargers also available  

100% genuine Makita battery!

Get full face protection with this comfortable and safe face-mask.
This will give you the best face & lung protection when using a Vaporizer with Oxalic Acid.

This mask will also give very good face & lung protection when working with Formic Acid.

This is a complete kit including a pair of Organic Vapour / Acid Gas Cartridges to suit.
Also included is a pair of FOGSTOP optix wipes and a handy container to store the mask and keep it clean.
You can get spare filter cartridges here.

NOTE: The service life of any acid gas cartridge filter is affected by many factors.

Replace both the filters: -

• When the expiry date stamped on the sealed packet has elapsed.
• Once opened, maximum use time is 6 months (even if not used). The carbon will absorb contaminants from the general environment.
• When contaminant can be detected by smell or taste.

Comes in Medium and Large - both are adult size, the large has slightly more room in the mask.

Silicone material
Reusable
Anti fog treatment on lens
Anti scratch lens
Low breathing resistance
High filtration efficiency filters
Protects against airborne contaminants

The Masks are tested and approved to meet the following standards:

Certified AS/NZS 1716:2012
Certified CE Standard EN143:2000 P3 R
Certified CE Standard EN14387:2004+A1:2008
Certified CE Standard EN149:2001+A1:2009
Certified CE Standard EN143:2000 P2 R

Protect yourself with this Half-Face Respirator Mask.

This will give you the best lung protection when using a Vaporizer with Oxalic Acid. Some form of eye protection should also be worn.

This mask will also give very good lung protection when working with Formic Acid.

This is a complete kit including a pair of Organic Vapour / Acid Gas Cartridges to suit.

Also included is a handy container to store the mask and keep it clean.
You can get spare filter cartridges here.

NOTE: The service life of any acid gas cartridge filter is affected by many factors.

Replace both the filters: -

• When the expiry date stamped on the sealed packet has elapsed.
• Once opened, maximum use time is 6 months (even if not used). The carbon will absorb contaminants from the general environment.
• When contaminant can be detected by smell or taste.

Comes in Medium and Large - both are adult size, the large has slightly more room in the mask.

Silicone material
Reusable
Low breathing resistance
High filtration efficiency filters
Protects against airborne contaminants

The Masks are tested and approved to meet the following standards:

Certified AS/NZS 1716:2012
Certified CE Standard EN143:2000 P3 R
Certified CE Standard EN14387:2004+A1:2008
Certified CE Standard EN149:2001+A1:2009
Certified CE Standard EN143:2000 P2 R

This is a pair of Cartridges to suit our Half and Full Face  Respiratory Masks
They are specifically for protecting you against Organic Acid Vapour or Acid Gas - Perfect for Vaporising Oxalic Acid or using with Formic Acid

The service life of any acid gas cartridge filter is affected by many factors.

Replace both the filters: -

• When the expiry date stamped on the sealed packet has elapsed.
• Once opened, maximum use time is 6 months (even if not used). The carbon will absorb contaminants from the general environment.
• When contaminant can be detected by smell or taste.

Meet standards and approvals AS/NZS 1716:2012

For efficient Varroa Mite control in beehives when using Oxalic Acid for treatment.

Check out our Blog Post on Brood Breaks in Hives

For full depth brood boxes. 

Oxalic acid treatments do not usually kill the mites that are inside capped brood cells. There is now a very efficient and effective solution!

Lock the queen in this cage to create a brood break period. Treat the hive with Oxalic Acid while there is no capped brood and achieve a very high Varroa kill rate.

See Data Sheet of testing done on this

Oxalic acid can be applied by vaporization, fogging or by the dribble method.

Check this link for more info:-

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-acid-questions-answers-and-more-questions-part-1-of-2-parts/

Due to its large size the bees don't feel queenless and are less likely to build queen cells. It has queen excluder sides so that nurse bees can still enter the cage and care for the queen.

There is a large opening under the top cap to release the bees when required. Only 25mm wide at the top and will fit in a standard brood box along with 10 frames with 33mm end bars. The main body of the frame is only 16mm wide so as not to interfere with brood emerging alongside.

The bottom edge is curved on the full depth cage to match the typical shape of the winter cluster.

There are many other applications.

In warmer locations, the queen can be locked up over winter to stop her laying eggs to conserve stores and to stop the Varroa mites from breeding.

Can also be used to bank an extra queen over winter when running 2 queen colonies and the bees are already familiar with 2 queens in the hive.

We recommend that clients add a small piece of wood as shown, if using the cage over winter. The wood is naturally the warmest material for the queen to rest on, while being surrounded by nurse bees.

The suggested wood dimensions as shown, are 20mm x 10mm x 110mm long.
(Tip: - The bottom bar on a beehive frame is often 20mm x 10mm section.)
Wood at 10mm thick is a firm fit, but we still recommend that one or 2 screws are fitted to keep it secure and in the best place. The top cap unclips to allow easy access for the strip of wood.

The top bar is 480mm long. Cage height is 228mm for full depth brood boxes and 175mm high for 3/4 depth.

Top quality product made in Europe from food grade polypropylene.

Stock supplied may be a different colour to what is shown in the photos.

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.