WHO USES ESSENTIAL OILS?

[BEE C]

Just curious about who one here uses essential oils? I just found a really good (cheap and pure) source of oils, and have a stack of studies to read up on, but I like what Ive read so...for those who do use oils, im just curious....

Which oils do you/have you used?
What application method and what was your purpose?
I know there is A LOT of information/studies out there, but just curious about what peoples experiences are?
Perhaps unethical to ask, but does anyone have information on HOW/recipes for emulsifying oils with lecitathin as Honey b health does? 
Has anyone used the Caspian solution?  From what I understand, it utilizes essential oils to boost bees immune systems...are there any other commercial essential oil solutions (not crystals) that people know of that are like Honey b health and Caspian solution? Personal recipes? 

I'm not trying to go it alone with just essential oils or become the angel of death to my bees through experimentation, but there are a lot of people using essential oils and I was just curious about peoples experiences/uses. :-D

[Finsky]

........there are a lot of people using essential oils and I was just curious about peoples experiences/uses. :-D

Thymol is one and very effective. What else essential oils are recommended now?

.

[Michael Bush]

Lemongrass oil is a very good swarm lure.  :)

[BEE C]

Thanks guys,
I used lemongrass oil on the bottom board.  I was hoping to stimulate feeding.  The weather jumped to 15 degrees today and they are going nuts.  I think I may have to open up one of the entrances a bit more.  Pollen coming in at a high rate.  When I did a check of the hive, they were uncapping like mad.  I was worried about the amount of capped stores (a lot), but they are ripping through them now like mad.  Gave two entrance feeders with fumagillin b today and they emtied them in a few hours.
I also found a study that showed peppermint oil is very easily tolerated by bees.  Then I read a book on how to keep your pet mice healthy.  It said to keep all mint or peppermint oil away from them or it can make them sick. :-D  So I put peppermint oil on the bottom boards and around the outside of the hive.  I haven't seen any droppings since.

[Robo]

Perhaps unethical to ask, but does anyone have information on HOW/recipes for emulsifying oils with lecitathin as Honey b health does? 

No more unethical than making macaroni and cheese from scratch instead of buying Kraft in a box.

I had made some at one time,  but have never used the "real" HBH so can't really give a comparison.

Now a days I just use lemongrass for lure and mixed in my spray bottle of sugar water.

[BEE C]

Robo,
How much lemongrass oil per amount of sugar syrup do you use?  I used one drop per one litres of sugar syrup, and they went nuts.  Drained the quart feeders very quickly.  I use a blender to mix fumagilin b and hopefully the oil throughout the sugar syrup while its warm.  I didn't see any oil bubbles on the surface after blending.  If thats a normal response to lemongrass oil, I won't bother emulsifying the oil into the sugar with something else.  My purpose was to stimuate them with one litre a week, give them some fumagilin b and lemongrass oil to keep dysentry and nosema down.  I was able to get in to do a full hive inspection and both hives are starting to go through stores faster now (more uncapped wax on the BB).  Soon I would think it ok to do a spring feed, just waiting for them to use up stores more.

[Robo]

I just use a couple of drops in my spray bottle that I use when working the bees or gathering swarms. I don't feed with it anymore.

Attached is a PDF file with info on Honey-B-Healthy.  From the details they give, you can figure out the recipe (that is what I did when I did make it).  If memory serves me, I think I used ~ 1/2 tsp of lecithin per gallon.

[Cindi]

Rob, tried to download the Honey-Be-Healthy pdf file.  After about 3 minutes I gave up and cancelled it.  Hope that I am the only one that may have an issue with this download.  Best of the best days.  cindi

[Michael Bush]

This is from Clint on Beesource:

“Honey Bee Healthy” Recipe
5 cups water
2 1/2 pounds of sugar
15 drops each of spearmint and lemongrass oils
1/8 teaspoon lecithin granules
You have to dissolve the granules in very hot (almost boiling) water and let it cool prior to incorporating the oils into the mixture. The lecithin is an emulsifier and helps disperse the oils in the water mixture. This is the standard recipe according to a website article I read about using essential oils, and these are the two oils used in the HBH. I use less of the oils than the recipe calls for since I am feeding fairly heavily at this time, but for a spring or fall treatment, I will follow these measurements.
Essential Oils:

LorAnn Oils
4518 Aurelius Road
P.O. Box 22009
Lansing, Michigan 48909
(517) 882-0215
or toll free
1-800 248-1302
or by fax
(517) 882-0507
The last I purchased was Spearmint oil 1 ounce for $3.99
Be sure to mention that you are a Beekeeper to get the cheaper prices.
They seem to have it all in stock and a lot of great info on the oils used for beekeeping
Clint

[Robo]

Cindi - here is an HTML version of the PDF from Google,  not sure how long it will be there.
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:0jm5X7fIdkAJ:www.bee-commerce.com/download/hbhInfo.pdf+honey+b+healthy+pdf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us


BTW, don't mess around with buying lecithin in the vitamin aisle,  go to your local health food store and by it in bulk.  It is much cheaper and easier to use.   I think I got a baggie full of powder for less than a small jar of capsules.

[Scott Derrick]

There is much more information on the use of essential oils on West Virginia University website. Here is a link http://www.wvu.edu/%7Eagexten/varroa.htm

Scott

[Cindi]

Cindi - here is an HTML version of the PDF from Google,  not sure how long it will be there.
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:0jm5X7fIdkAJ:www.bee-commerce.com/download/hbhInfo.pdf+honey+b+healthy+pdf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
BTW, don't mess around with buying lecithin in the vitamin aisle,  go to your local health food store and by it in bulk.  It is much cheaper and easier to use.   I think I got a baggie full of powder for less than a small jar of capsules.

Rob, thanks very much.  When you said that you didn't know how much longer the site may be there, I quickly added it to my favourites, just in case.  I am a just in case kind of person.  I will look at it another time soon.  YOu have the best of the best day.  Cindi

[BEE C]

awesome information guys thanks.  I was talking to the herbalist that I get my oils from and she mentioned that she uses lecithin for mixtures for cancer patients as it apparently stops abnormal cell division.  She showed my the kind she uses and it was a liquid paste.  Just thought that was interesting...