Menthol treatment questions

[Dange]

I had purchased menthol due to the fact that I thought the girls had trachea mites. At the time I thought this was when it was cooler and wetter weather. So I thought it was nosema, but I bought the menthol just in case. Lately it has been really nice weather here in west Michigan average around 80 during the day and 60 at night. I have seen a few ( less than a dozen) bees acting like they have the mite. They are on the grass climbing up, buzzing, and falling back to the ground. One question is these are the correct symptoms of trachea mites? Also I just added my second super a week ago, so if I put the menthol on top will it hinder the bees from building new comb in the second super? Plus if I need to put this in do you guys recommend putting it in with aluminum foil?
As always I appreciate any and all the advise.
Thanks,
Brent

[Brian D. Bray]

If you want to treat for treachel mites mix a little of the menthol in with the simple syrup when you feed for pre-winter top off this fall.  The bees will be exposed to the benifits of the menthol as they process the syrup into the consistancy of honey.
It won''t take much, maybe a tablespoon per gallon.

[indypartridge]

I have seen a few ( less than a dozen) bees acting like they have the mite. They are on the grass climbing up, buzzing, and falling back to the ground. One question is these are the correct symptoms of trachea mites?

Hundreds of bees die every day. It's not unusual to see a few dying bees on the grass outside a hive.
As for tracheal mites, I've never treated for them, and don't know anyone who has, for at least a half-dozen years. Last year there was a USDA bee-health survey in several states where bees were sampled from numerous apiaries around each state. Here in Indiana, tracheal mites were just about non-existant.

[Dange]

Thank you I am just going to let them bee.

[danno]

if you treat your bee's for vorroa with organic acids or thymol, it will take out any tracheal mite problems you may have