essential oils in syrup

[hummingberd]

I'm gonna be honest, I'm being a little lazy here. I did a quick search and didn't find what I'm looking for so here goes.

I got a 3# package, and have been feeding them sugar syrup. I believe some people add essential oils specifically wintergreen, to their feed to help combat nosema c. is this correct? I have a pail feeder and would like to know exactly how much to add to the syrup. Also, I get really confused but what is the ratio that I should be using right now? Thanks.

For the record, I'm working on small cell and chemical free, sugar free hives

[Mike Gillmore]

Read this recent thread:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218407

[WJensen]

hummingbird,

If you use a product called Honey B Healthy, which is a mixture of essential oils of lemmongrass and spearmint, along with lecathin for solubility, you put 1 tsp in a quart of 1:1 syrup. I know this doesn't address your use of wintergreen though...

Regards,

Wade

[MCC]

yesterday I googled varroa mites and found a study from the University of West Virginia regarding the use of essential oils to control the mites by feeding them the oils in the sugar water. It listed several different oils and also the amounts per volume. They also had results and receipes to use with crisco.

[dragonfly]

Generally, you can add essential oils (I use spearmint and lemongrass), but it's difficult to get it to "mix" in well without using lecithin to help emulsify it.
This time of year, you use a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. For fall feeding, 2 parts sugar to 1 part water.
Anyway, for a recipe with 5# of sugar, you can use 30-50 drops of most essential oils, but if you are going to use any thyme, cut it back to about 1/5 that amount. It's more toxic to bees than most commonly used oils in beehives, and it reportedly causes bees to be irritable.

[BEES4U]

Results of Research: Using Essential Oils for Honey Bee Mite Control
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/ipm/inse...oa/varroa2.htm
Essential Oils have Two Modes of Action:
1) Toxicity by direct contact:
When varroa mites contact essential oils such as wintergreen, patchouli, tea tree oil, et al., mixed into oil or grease, they are killed on contact--usually within a few minutes.

2) Impaired reproduction via feeding syrups containing essential oils:
When varroa mites feed on larvae that contain essential oils, their reproduction is interrupted. If the oil is strong enough, the females are unable to lay eggs. If the oils are in lower concentration, eggs are layed, but development of immature mites is delayed; young mites do not reach maturity before the bees emerge from the cell; consequently, the immature mites die.

Involvement of Essential Oils in Impaired Reproduction of Varroa Mites: Syrup containing the essential oils is fed at the hive entrance or in the broodnest. Many bees feed on the syrup and pass the essential oils around by trophalaxis (adult bees sharing their food reserves). The syrup and essential oil is ingested by nurse bees and enters the communal food in the crop and passes into the milk glands. When the nurse bees feed larvae, the essential oils are in the bee milk and communal food and are ingested by the larvae. Thus, when female varroa mites feed on treated larvae or larval food at the bottom of the cell, they ingest the essential oils which adversely affect their reproduction. The probable mechanism is interference with enzymes in the complex gestation (especially in the production of nutrients and new proteins) of the oocyte and embryo-larva of the varroa mite. Research needs to be conducted to verify this hypothesis and to verify the presence of the essential oils in bee larvae and ultimately, in the female varroa mites.

Impaired reproduction is not observed when canola oil, mineral oil, or shortening (eg., Crisco, a vegetable lard) containing essential oils are delivered to the hives. The fats and greases do not enter the food chain as readily as syrups, and the amounts of essential oils ending up in larval food or in the larvae themselves are inconsequential. Thus, there is no interruption of the development of mite eggs or of immature varroa mites. The mites that directly contact these materials rapidly die; but others are able to escape the essential oils in grease or canola oil by entering cells of mature larvae that are about to be capped, or by moving onto displaced nurse bees (see below, "Recent Findings") near the top of the colony, where the grease patties and tracking strips are not placed. We found that putting paper towels soaked in canola + essential oils in the tops of colonies from July to September, kills the varroa mites residing on the displaced nurse bees which congregate in the upper supers of large colonies.

Feeding of sugar syrup with essential oils at the entrance, or in the brood nest, places the essential oils into the food chain and prevents oviposition by female mites or retards the development of immature mites in capped larval/pupal cells.

We had several colonies that were treated with tracking strips and grease patties only, and we saw resurgence of varroa mites, especially when bee populations were at their peak, lots of brood was present, and when the bees occupied many supers as well as two brood chambers. However, we also had several colonies that were treated with the tracking strips and grease patties, and were continually fed syrup + essential oils at the entrance; in these colonies very few varroa mites were found. Those few that were found appeared to have come into the colonies on drifting bees.

Revised Dosages Used in Experimental Treatments:
1). Syrup: 25 drops (1 cc) of wintergreen or spearmint is added to one pint of honey (or two cups of sugar (about one pound or 453.6 grams)) in a quart jar (0.95 liter); hot water is added to fill the jar. We found that more of the essential oil goes into solution in honey than in sugar syrup; there may be a natural emulsifier in honey that helps essential oils to stay in solution. When making sugar syrup, we found that we must add the oil to the granulated sugar then add the very warm water (not too hot or else the oils will evaporate). We feed the bees as much syrup as they will take; Bob uses 1/2 gallon jars on his entrance feeders. We have had good results with wintergreen, spearmint, rosemary and peppermint oils. We plan to conduct experiments this fall and winter combining the essential oils with fumadil in syrup to see if the treatments are compatible. See diagram below for making entrance cleats to eliminate robbing.

Problem: oils mix poorly with water; we have had some reports of a few bees being killed when they feed on the last dregs of the syrup, above which lie pools of undissolved, pure oil;--they become completely wetted by the remaining oil. We are looking for a food based emulsifier which will allow all of the 1 cc or more of essential oil to go into solution in the syrup without harming the bees.

[dragonfly]

Problem: oils mix poorly with water; we have had some reports of a few bees being killed when they feed on the last dregs of the syrup, above which lie pools of undissolved, pure oil;--they become completely wetted by the remaining oil. We are looking for a food based emulsifier which will allow all of the 1 cc or more of essential oil to go into solution in the syrup without harming the bees.

Yep, that's the reason I use lecithin. It still doesn't mix as thoroughly as I would like, but it is better than the oil separating out.

[mistergil]

One point to consider- be aware that there is the potential to contaminate honey stores when using oils and some of these oils do have human toxicity so time your treatments accordingly.

[BEES4U]

Add the e.o.to the sugar 1st

[hummingberd]

is there any other emulsifier I could use besides lecithin? I'm not even sure where I could get that stuff?

[Hambone]

I don't know of another. GNC has it. Most herbal store's have it or can get it easily. Stick with the granules too.

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp...108498.2108456

[dragonfly]

Most herbal store's have it or can get it easily. Stick with the granules too.

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp...108498.2108456

Yes, stick with granules, and dissolve them in water that is almost to the boiling point. When I first started beekeeping, I didn't know about lecithin oil, and found out quickly that it does not mix with sugar-water syrup.

[hummingberd]

Yes, stick with granules, and dissolve them in water that is almost to the boiling point. When I first started beekeeping, I didn't know about lecithin oil, and found out quickly that it does not mix with sugar-water syrup.

seriously? Darn. I bought the liquid. So I need to dissolve the crystals in water and then what? What are the ratios I should use?

[dragonfly]

seriously? Darn.

Seriously.

When you are mixing your sugar syrup, reserve about a cup of water to bring to the boiling point (I use a pyrex measuring cup and put it in the microwave). Go ahead and make the rest of your sugar syrup recipe, then when the cup of water comes to a boil, remove it from the microwave (or stove-top) and mix in the lecithin granules. Stir well and let it sit awhile to dissolve as much as possible. For making a gallon of syrup, I use 1/2 half teaspoon of lecithin granules.
Anyway, after dissolving the granules, take a very fine strainer and strain the lecithin/water into the container of syrup. Shake it or stir it to mix, then add the essential oils. There is still going to be some difficulty getting the oils and the lecithin incorporated into the syrup, but it's the best method I have come up with. If anyone else has a better way, I'd love to hear it.

[Hambone]

Seriously. If anyone else has a better way, I'd love to hear it.

I place the lecithin granules in a 1/4-3/8 cup of tap water. Let them soak overnight. Give a stir and the lecithin is dissolved. No hot water or microwave needed. And a 1/4-3/8 cup of water is really not enough to worry about messing up a 1:1 ratio of syrup.

I add my sugar to almost boiling water. Dissolve sugar, reduce heat to mid-high, add the dissolved lecithin and eo's. It will be real cloudy. Stir forever (approx 10 mins) on mid high heat until mixed. The cloudiness will clear up alot. Not to what a straight 1:1 looks like, but you will notice the difference.

This way works great for me.

[Zane]

Hummingbred. I read a few recipes for "bee healthy"(essential oils, sugar, lecithin and other stuff) and thought it was used as a straight shot after I made the recipe but its not. Only a small amt of "bee healthy" goes into the 1:1 mix. Just didnt want you to make the same mistake I did. I added 10 drops of lemongrass and 10 wintergreen or something like that. The bee's didnt like it. I reduced it alot and now they like it fine. So in short or long! I believe just a couple drops ess oils per gallon should work. Wish I had exact recipe for ya sorry.

[dragonfly]

Hummingbred. I read a few recipes for "bee healthy"(essential oils, sugar, lecithin and other stuff) and thought it was used as a straight shot after I made the recipe but its not. Only a small amt of "bee healthy" goes into the 1:1 mix. Just didnt want you to make the same mistake I did. I added 10 drops of lemongrass and 10 wintergreen or something like that. The bee's didnt like it. I reduced it alot and now they like it fine. So in short or long! I believe just a couple drops ess oils per gallon should work. Wish I had exact recipe for ya sorry.

For a gallon of sugar sypup, I use 20-30 drops of lemongrass and the same amount of spearmint.

[Zane]

Dragonfly.
Thats roughly the recipe for a Honey bee healthy right? then you add "that" to the 1:1 in a smaller percentage or do you use your recipe directly to the feeders? I was under the impression the heavy amt of oil would be too hot for the girls? rookie trying to learn too

I have your coneflowers you gave me started inside but just got 8" of snow. Send up some warmth! pppplease!

[dragonfly]

Dragonfly.
Thats roughly the recipe for a Honey bee healthy right? then you add "that" to the 1:1 in a smaller percentage or do you use your recipe directly to the feeders?

No, that is the feeding proportions given directly to the bees.

I have your coneflowers you gave me started inside but just got 8" of snow. Send up some warmth! pppplease!

I'm so glad they germinated for you
I would send you some warm weather, but we had a really chilly front last week, and it's just now starting to warm back up. Not much warm to send you yet.

[Zane]

Thx DF I will start using the stronger recipe now.