Dreaming

[iddee]

Well, the posts here say the fgmo & thymol is supposed to kill all the V-mites that aren't in the capped cells. With no capped cells in my hives this time of year, I fogged them today. Now, according to what I have read, all my hives should be free of v-mites for the winter.
Re-read the subject.

[Jim Young]

Sweet dreams, since the mites haven't read that fgmo & thymol is supposed to kill all the V-mites that aren't in the capped cells.

In 2004, I treated weekly with fgmo & thymol and the daily mite drop counts remained above 100. When I saw that the daily mite drop counts continued to increase in late August, I treated with Apistan strips which resulted in an immediate 24 hour drop count of about 2,000 mites. The daily mite drop count remained above 1,000 for a few days gradually dwindling to zero at the end of 21 days, post-treatment. By the time I removed the Apistan strips in 45 days, the mite drop count remained at zero and the deformed wings had also disappeared.

Jim Young

[size="1"][ November 24, 2005, 08:39 PM: Message edited by: Jim Young ][/size]

[Michael Bush]

>Well, the posts here say the fgmo & thymol is supposed to kill all the V-mites that aren't in the capped cells. With no capped cells in my hives this time of year, I fogged them today. Now, according to what I have read, all my hives should be free of v-mites for the winter.
Re-read the subject.

IF you believe that's what has been proposed, then I don't think you've read much about FGMO fog here. Fogging every week or two constantly through the year might keep them down. Fogging once after they are not rearing brood will barely make a dent. None of the proponents of FGMO would expect to fog once and wipe out all the mites. No one, that I've heard, has ever made a claim that in any way resembles that.

[BjornBee]

Although iddee may be wrong if he only did fog once, and thats not really clear, I agree that it must be used as the "protocol" calls for, in making any statemenst for or against in referencing Dr. R's claims.

"Fogging every week or two constantly through the year "might" keep them down". Again since the strict guidelines are not being prescribed, the "might" part is possible correct. Both statements are in the gray area. I think to be clear and what iddee was referencing, is the claim that if followed correctly as the protocol calls for, than claims of 100% mite kill, and hives having absolutely no mites can be achieved. I think thats the point he makes but needs to be more complete in the FGMO guidelines.

In either case iddee, your statement will prove to be true. I have seen and followed FGMO, have closely watched another keep hives following the FGMO procedure, and in no way was FGMO 100% effective as claimed. Thats not to say that FGMO or any other oil based product would not be used as part of a IPM strategy and had merit in the aid to mite control, through enhancing hygenic behavior, grooming, etc. But to assume that it would be the sole item needed for mites control as claimed many times through the years is incorrect in my observations and opinion.. Dr. R has backed off some of the more persistant claims, and has actually made the statement along the lines that "its not a silver bullet". But that was after many questioned his claims.

I will add that some claim great success with one product, and the next beekeeper has no success at all. I have been part of a larger study and have seen just about all the products on the market work in one apiary and fail in another. This makes treating early and mite counts important to establish whether re-treating with another control would be needed. I think many factors include beekeeping management, timing of brood cycle and flows, enviromental factors, and other secondary pressure, all playing a part as to why something works one time and fails the next. To think that FGMO would be any different would be narrow minded, in regards to some merit. 100% anything is stretching it.

[size="1"][ November 25, 2005, 09:07 AM: Message edited by: BjornBee ][/size]

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Hi, In Kentucky we have treated with FGMO all this season into late fall. At the latest count on our two hives the mite fall was around 40 in 72 hours. The treatment was done every week on the same day. The hives are equipped with SBB and a sliding board of white Formica that is coated when inserted with FGMO also, spread by hand. We were ready with OA should the number have risen dramatically but that did not happen. The hives are now two deep with Miller Feeders on top (the girls were fed twice with slow response but ultimately emptying the feeders) Now the feeders fuction as insulation and the center slot leads through the inner cover to an upper entrance. The SBBs are open, the entrances are reduced to about one inch. The hives are on single pipe stands with Tanglefoot ant barriers and 18" above the ground. We have a kind neighbor who keeps an eye on them as we are in Florida. We hope that our girls, who have a good supply of honey make it nicely through the winter. We intend to continue with FGMO next season. Take care and have fun.

[iddee]

The post was tongue-in-cheek.
In reality, I have fogged all summer, use sbb, apistan strips in sept.-Oct., and a few additives in the smoker constantly. I was just referring to the posts saying the fog would get only the ones out of the cells and must be repeated as they hatch.
Again, read the subject line. I was just "funnin'", as they say in the south.

[Ronnie Elliott]

I'm going to fog tomorrow with Thymol/FGMO, and then next Saturday, if the bees are flying with just FGMO. I just love the cost, of not using the chemicals.