Researching a Thymol Treatment for Varroa Mites with Ashlee Robison

[Gary and Margaret - kiwimana]

This week we bring you a great interview with Ashlee Robison who is a Senior Chemistry Major studying at Fort Lewis College in Colorado.  She is doing research into the use of Thymol in controlling Varroa Mites.

Researching a Thymol Treatment for Varroa Mites

Here's What You'll Learn

• Why the existing methods of using Thymol are not efficient
  
• What is the biggest parasite of the Honey Bees in North America
  
• How do you attach a Thymol Molecule to a sugar Molecule.
  
• How to feed Thymol to Bees
  
• Nectar is a Glucose and Fructose Molecule connected together
  
• Field trials are going to start next Spring in North America
  
• Is it worth planting Thyme Plants near your Bee hives</li>
  

Have you ever used Thymol in your Beekeeping?  Did it work for you?

Gary

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[jayj200]

I hear fogging with mineral oil works well

this makes the Varroa Mites too slippery to cling to the bee

anyone hear of this  method?

[Michael Bush]

>anyone hear of this  method?

Yes.  Unless you add thymol to it, it requires weekly administrations from early spring until late fall to be effective at all.  Not a lot of knockdown power.  But no matter how much knockdown a treatment has it is only so effective when there is brood:

http://bushfarms.com/beesvarroatreatments.htm

I haven't treated for Varroa for more than a decade:
http://bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesfoursimplesteps.htm

[Kathyp]

Have you ever used Thymol in your Beekeeping?  Did it work for you?

when i need something, i use Apiguard.  When used according to instructions, it works well.  since i am a self proclaimed lazy beekeeper, i don't want it any more complicated that sticking a try of the stuff into the hive and walking away  :-)

[Gary and Margaret - kiwimana]

I hear fogging with mineral oil works well

this makes the Varroa Mites too slippery to cling to the bee

anyone hear of this  method?

Yes have seen it been done, I haven't heard of anyone that has had success with it as the only treatment.