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The fastest cordless oxalic acid vaporizer for beekeepers: a beekeeping tool that treats a honey bee colony for varroa mites in about 10 seconds per hive.
The Turbo is the InstantVap built for commercial and sideline apiaries. It sublimates EPA-registered oxalic acid into a beehive through the entrance, running on the 18V/20V tool battery you already own, and it cycles fast enough that a crew can treat a 100-hive yard in a morning. It is the unit we run in our own yards during the fall treatment series. Lorob Bees is the primary US seller, with stateside support and a 2-year warranty.
Oxalic acid vaporization is a varroa mite treatment for honey bee colonies. The vaporizer heats 2 to 4 grams of oxalic acid dihydrate until it sublimates; the vapor fills the hive, recrystallizes on the bees and the comb, and kills varroa mites riding on adult bees while leaving the bees, the brood and the honey essentially untouched. Oxalic acid is registered by the EPA for this use and is labeled for use with honey supers on. Use only an EPA-registered product such as EZ-OX.
The status LED is readable in full sun without bending down: slow blink while warming up, steady when ready to treat the next hive, fast blink while the acid is sublimating, double blink when the battery is spent.
Batteries and chargers are not included; the batteries in the photos are for illustration. The Ryobi adapter is not recommended for the Turbo.
Oxalic acid reaches mites on adult bees, not mites sealed under capped brood. A single treatment does the most work when the colony is broodless: mid-winter, after a swarm or package is hived, or during a natural or induced brood break. With brood present, beekeepers run a spaced series across a full worker brood cycle so mites are caught as they emerge, which is exactly the job the Turbo's speed and cycle counter are for. Our Treatment Series Planner builds that schedule for your hive count, and our Broodless Window Finder estimates when your colonies are most likely broodless.
Backed by a 2-year parts warranty. All warranty and repair work is handled in the United States by Lorob Bees, and we repair units past the warranty period too.
Q: Does the Turbo come with a battery?
A: No. It fits the DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Ridgid, Bosch or Metabo HPT 18V/20V battery you choose at checkout. Use 5Ah or larger for best performance.
Q: How many hives can I treat per battery?
A: It depends on the pack and the dose. A 6Ah DeWalt pack treats roughly 40 hives at 2 g in mild weather; the display counts hives on the current battery so you know when to swap.
Q: What oxalic acid should I use in it?
A: Only EPA-registered oxalic acid such as EZ-OX; the 5 lb bucket is the bulk size for commercial yards. The label rate is 4 g per deep brood chamber; we recommend 2 g per box.
Q: Is safety gear required?
A: Yes. Oxalic acid vapor must never be inhaled. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator with acid-gas cartridges, gloves and eye protection, and stand upwind of the hive entrance. We use the PD-101 full-face respirator.
Q: Do I need the Turbo, or is a smaller model enough?
A: Under about 20 hives, the Lite or Compact is usually the right buy. The Turbo earns its price when treatment rounds are measured in hours. The InstantVap Sizer will tell you honestly.
All four models side by side, with prices and treatment times, on our oxalic acid vaporizers page.