Thyme Oil vs. Thymol Crystals

[OzarkMountainMan]

Howdy

What are some good sources for both Thyme Oil and for Thymol Crystals. Do you think there are any benefits of one over the other? I am having a tough time finding either one locally. The health food stores seem to have every essential oil except Thyme. And, i have no idea where to look for Thymol Crystals.

Thanks.

[Nabber86]

Well since you are in the Ozarks, why not try Ozark Herbals:

http://www.ozarkherbals.com/eothyme.html

We have been buying there EO's and frangrance oils for years for soap and candle making.

Top quality and fair prices.

[OzarkMountainMan]

Nabber86

Thanks for the link. Looks like their prices are reasonable.

[Nabber86]

They are good people.

Thanks to their oils, we have gone off the grid and havnt bought a bar of soap, or a candle, in a store for over 10 years.

[Axtmann]

For a useful treatment you need 99% and up pure Thymol. This is only available in crystal form or mixed in paste like Apiguard or others.

The Thymol concentration in your oil is for sure not more than 65-70%. For one successful treatment you would need at least 3 bottles oil per hive evaporated over a 3-4 week time, everything less would be wasting money for nothing.

[OzarkMountainMan]

Axtmann

Do you have a good source for the crystals? What type of store might I find them in locally?

Thanks

[PCM]

Do a Google, number of places, but probably not local.

PCM

[alpha6]

Axtmann, please state your source for this info. We have been using thymol oil for treatment of mites for three years now with a zero to near zero count on mites in hundreds of hives. It does work and is an extremely useful treatment. We give it to them in their feed and it takes very little to be effective.

For a useful treatment you need 99% and up pure Thymol. This is only available in crystal form or mixed in paste like Apiguard or others.

The Thymol concentration in your oil is for sure not more than 65-70%. For one successful treatment you would need at least 3 bottles oil per hive evaporated over a 3-4 week time, everything less would be wasting money for nothing.

[OzarkMountainMan]

alpha6

I have your recipes, and I appreciate the many times you have posted them. I plan on trying them when I find the supplies. Do you have a good source for the oil? Also, I tried our local brewery for yeast, but had no luck. Is there a good source to purchase? Most of what I have seen has been very expensive for very small amounts.

Thanks for your help.

[alpha6]

I get the thyme oil at the local vitamin cottage. It runs $4.95 or so an oz. An oz lasts for awhile as you only use a limited amount. Brewers yeast can be ordered from Mann Lake and others but the shipment costs will kill you as it is in 50 lb bags. I can get the dry mix at my local CO OP,and I think it was around $35 for a 50 lb bag. You may want to check there or something similar. You may also want to check Walter T. Kelley as they have free shipping on certain days this month. I am not sure they have it as I can't get their web site to load.

[OzarkMountainMan]

alpha6

Thanks. The only local sources I had found were the health food stores and the prices were through the roof (12.99 for 1 oz. of oil). I have a call in to the Coop for the yeast.

[alpha6]

Here is a link for some. Maybe if you ordered a couple it would be worth the freight.

http://www.herbalremedies.com/thymoil100pu.html

[brooksbeefarm]

I couldn't find brewers yeast anywhere in my area and broke down and ordered 50 lbs from Mann Lake. Shipping and the cost of brewers yeast to my area was $62.00, but 50 lbs. should last me with 60 hives a long time. Jack

[Hambone]

Hey Jack. Want to share your sub formula or is it a secret.

[Axtmann]

I have some Thymol strips left and put them on a scale.
2 strips have 25 grams and contains 99.6% pure Thymol, 1 ounce = 28 grams.

Now the calculation, you paid 12.99 for one ounce oil and I paid 2.50 Euro (approx 3.60 dollar) for 25 grams crystals (two strips). If I solve the strips in FGMO the result is your oil. Is there a way to get a better deal?

[brooksbeefarm]

Hey Jack. Want to share your sub formula or is it a secret.

Hambone, it's no secret, i used the Alpha6 formula's on 20 hives and they are doing great except for 3 that were late summer nuc's that are short on stores (my fault and the weathers), Otherwise they are healthy and strong. Next spring i'm going to treat them all with Dave's formula's it's a little time consuming but it payed off on the 20 i treated.
A word of caution, i had 3 hive's with heavy loads of varroa mites and mixed the frame spray with more thymol oil than Daves formula called for, (thought i'd kill them suckers) to make a long story short all three hives swarmed within four day's . Don't know if it was the strong smell of thym or the varroa that made them swarm, but know bees stayed with their hive and only ten to fifteen were found dead in each hive. Jack

[Hambone]

Thanks Jack. I have Alpha's formula. I have not made it yet though. I will search Dave's formula.