Hops and bee mites

[flyboy]

Anyone know anything about this? Is it true?

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/is-beer-the-key-to-saving-the-bee/58944/

[Dabbler]

Isn't that the basic ingredient in HopGuard?

[Hops Brewster]

Yes, it is.  And as one who grows his own hops for homebrew,  there is a part of me that wants to experiment with simply putting some hops in with the frames, but I'm not willing to risk the life of a colony just to satisfy my curiosity.  Maybe when I'm a big-time beek with spare bees

HopGuard II is 16% hops beta acid.  That's a higher concentration than you would find in your beer.  I did not see in that article the concentration level they were using on their cardboard strips.

[Dabbler]

.... experiment with simply putting some hops in with the frames, but I'm not willing to risk the life of a colony just to satisfy my curiosity.

Using your own hops probably works best with German bees.   

[Hops Brewster]

oh, duh... there it is, in the 2nd paragraph.
"A U.S. study found that when a solution of 1 per cent hops beta acid was used to wipe bees, 100 per cent of mites placed on the insect died while the bees remained unaffected"

I guess I better schedule a weekend to wipe down all my bees. 

[BeeMaster2]

Hops,
You must have way too much time on your hands.
A friend of mine added a brush to the entrance that the bees had to craw through with a #8 screen below it so that the brush knocked the mites off and they fell through the screen to a pan. 
She claimed it worked well.
Jim

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

I grow my own hops as well for brewing, wonder if we can use the same technique used to collect essential oils from mint/etc. ? I personally do not have mite problems really, but this is interesting. the brush idea is sort of interesting also really.

[Hops Brewster]

I'd like to learn more about that brush idea, too.  Would she share her method?  Reminds me of the BeeGym,  a device developed by a Brit that uses a similar principle.  I think it's been discussed on this and other forums.  The bees learn to scratch the mite off and they fall through the screen.  Looks really interesting.

I'm sure the essential oils of hops are easily extracted.  After all, that's basically what we're doing by putting them in the boil.  Trouble would be controlling the extraction level, acid percentage etc.  They might also be available in health stores.  I'm sometimes surprised what I find there.  Then according to the article, we simply have to wipe the bees.  There must be an easier way.
Eureka!  I've got it!  We could just use HopGuard!

[Eric Bosworth]

For those of us non brewers. .. what is hop guard?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[KeyLargoBees]

its not brewing related...its a Mite Treatment that incorporates essential oils from hops into the treatment.

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/product/DC-301.html

[divemaster1963]

I like the idea of the brush. I have thought of using nylon gun brushes at the entrance of the hive that the bees would have to go thru. Plus would act as a detarent for wasps and lizards.

John