BeeAnonymous
12-19-2007, 04:48 PM
just read this
http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/index.htm
Does any one have any experiance or has ever used it mineral oil to fight mites ???
Pro's Con's
Anyone
Grant
12-19-2007, 06:03 PM
There are many variations on this theme, which in no way demeans the wonderful work the Dr. R has done for beekeeping, and I hope he will see it this way.
I have found my best methods using canola oil. It's a botanical oil instead of a petroleum product. I take six blue shop towels and soak them in 1 cup of canola oil and lay them across the top bars of the brood nest. The bees chew them up and get greasy. Once in a while I'll have a hive that merely propolizes the towels.
I also fog canola oil with a 5% thymol and an assortment of eucalyptus, wintergreen, tea tree and patchouli oils chosen for their anti-viral, anti-fungal properties. I fog after supers are off, for us this is late July through September.
This works for me, and is one of several treatments I use. More and more, I also like powdered sugar dusting in conjunction with Screen Bottom Boards.
Grant
Jackson, MO http://www.MakingPlasticFramesWork.homestead.com
Mike Gillmore
12-19-2007, 06:13 PM
If you do a "search" and type in FGMO Thymol you will find several threads addressing your questions. It's a contentious topic so you will be reading various opinions from many different perspectives.
BeeAnonymous
12-19-2007, 10:10 PM
Very informative, thank you guys