Greetings new swarms and established colonies,
It looks like there are some ways to purchase ingredients for feed and disease treatments in smaller quantities and without the brand-name prices. Specifically:
1. the active ingredients in mite and dysentery treatments are thymol and eucalypol (apiguard), also found in mouthwashes. For example, Listerine and generic mouthwashes have menthol, thymol, methyl salicylate, and eucalyptol. Has anyone successfully substituted mouthwash, or would the alcohol content be a problem?
2. varmints like mice, skunks and larger mammals hate hot pepper. Do bees have the same aversion to cayenne pepper, and is it OK to sprinkle on bottom boards? I'd be concerned that the bees might eventually mix it with honey stores, since it might resemble a pollen source or otherwise find its way inside the combs.