Cotton rope and Mineral Oil

[John V]

Thats what my mentor said he is using to control mites. He said he buys the cotton mop head re-fills, cuts them, soaks them in a food grade mineral oil, and then lays them across his frames.

He said the bees try to clean it out like any other foriegn material and thats how the mite are exposed. He said he's been doing it for years with no problems and that he picked it up from another guy with the same results. He also said shortly after his first year of trying it, he had his equipment tested by the local university and they found no traces of the mineral oil.

Anyone ever heard of this method?

He's a funny guy and says everyone he associates with in his bee club makes fun of him for it even though it works.

Thanks, John

[northbee]

what kind of mite is he trying to controll?

[John V]

I believe they were varroa and tracheal. I'll have to double check with him to make sure.

Later, John

[BEES4U]

That's a procedure that Dr. Pedro Rodriquez developed the FGMO.
FYI:
http://www.apicultura.com.ar/apis47en.html
Ernie

[John V]

Thanks Ernie. I feel reassured now. I've got some more ready to do....

Later, John

[Rick 1456]

Any advantage to adding wintergreen oil to the mineral oil?? How bout laying the rope across the entrance so bees must come in contact with it?
I like this idea Thanks
Rick

[sqkcrk]

Most of the bees are inside the hive. Only a small percentage of them leave and come back. better exposure inside.

I didn't understand, is that one strand of the mop head per colony laid across the frames? Or what? Clarification would be nice, thank you.

[John V]

He says he uses this method to control "mites". He said it works for them all, however, I would make sure before I actually trusted it. The link above only mentions varroa. He lays five or six across the tops of the frames of the brood chambers. I asked him about supering with them on and he said he does. Thats when he told me about having his equipment tested, and it came back negative with residue. I'm not sure how often he changes them, though. I'll have to ask him. I put some on last weekend and it seems they dried out REAL fast. I'll get some more details by Sunday.

Later, John

[MikeJ]

Mineral oil shouldn't dry out very fast.
This is a very interesting idea.
Even if traces were found it wouldn't hurt anything I can think of (mineral oil is edible).

I would like to hear as much information as you collect on it.

Mike

[N2ishon]

Anyone here know what kind of mineral oil should be used for varroa mite control on cords and where is a source of it?? Can I use any product sold at the drug store?- or do I need to specify glymol or liquid parafin? I have see some posts saying that if the oil is too viscus, the bees will die.

[MikeJ]

Mineral oil is sold in the pharmacy area of walmart, or any drug store.
I imagine you need to use the same mineral oil you would take for regularity.

Mike

[N2ishon]

Hey thanks Mike.

I have view several old posts here, and after viewing I suppose I'll add some honey and wintergreen oil to my cords and have the bees go at it. I don't have a fogger yet. And I probably wont invest in one or the thymol crystals to dissolve into the oil. I have read that putting a sweet pipe tobacco in your smoker and puffing a closed hive for a few minutes or a powdered sugar shake down is about as effective to control the population of mites.

Next I'll try walnut leaves, catnip and finally copper rings with magnets on top of hive body frames!. Where are the Universities and scientific publications on this stuff indicating proof they work and the techniques best applied? Too much black magic and art in this business. More science is needed.

[sqkcrk]

Just curious, since I know how the powers that be feel about promotion of off label use of chemical pesticides, what about the promotion of off label use of a non-pesticide? Or, in this case, would mineral oil be considered a pesticide since it is being used to control a pest? Which is the definition of a pesticide, after all.

maybe a disclaimer such as this is what so and so does, but i don't recommend it, would be proper?

[MikeJ]

Mineral Oil is a petroleum product - and is used for many things including regularity. It is (as far as we know) harmless when used as directed (meaning don't drink the whole bottle).

I doubt there would be any regulation problems since it is a FDA approved product... If there was a problem then the paint on the hive, the wood, etc. would be a problem.

Copper rings?

Mike

[Rick 1456]

Hey,
I'm new to this forum, so, I don't have a reputation or much care. I've been on other forums and it seems there are always those that do not have anything better to do than to stab at others trying to make their lousy lives appear better. To the authors of post 12 and 13,,,,,get a life somewhere other than computer forums. I'm sure you have ALL the answers. I'm not interested because of the price that has to be paid.
Good bye
Rick

[sqkcrk]

Hey,
I'm new to this forum, so, I don't have a reputation or much care. I've been on other forums and it seems there are always those that do not have anything better to do than to stab at others trying to make their lousy lives appear better. To the authors of post 12 and 13,,,,,get a life somewhere other than computer forums. I'm sure you have ALL the answers. I'm not interested because of the price that has to be paid.
Good bye
Rick

Welcome aboard Rick. You seem to have fit right in. Be sure to go through the steps to be able to enter tailgater and you can really let loose.

I was asking a real and serious question. There is nothing wrong w/ using a particular material if you are using it responsibly. But, if you or anyone else is promoting the use of a product in an irresponsible way, I believe that that is illegal and may even be actionable. I don't know if this use of mineral oil falls into this category. I would like to know. I certainly don't have all the answers.

Maybe before you start slinging mud you should spend some time getting to know who you are about to sling mud at. Seems to me that since I have been here almost infinitly longer than you thatI deserve some level of respect, if not me then the questions that I ask.

Good by to you sir,
Mark

[MikeJ]

Rick - Relax What is the big deal if people do make fun of me, you, or anyone else? They will do it and you can't stop it - and telling them off usually just makes them happy lol.

.......

The danger of using mineral oil in a hive? Having to go to the bathroom.
It is used as a food contact wood finish and for direct internal use. FDA approved if it helps. I haven't a clue if it will help with varroa or any other problem - but the "Scientists" say its safe

.......

As to the "studies", and were are the universities and "science". (by the way you may be interested to find out where universities came from).

Where are the studies that prove the scientific studies are right? I wouldn't rely too much on the studies since they will most likely (if the past proves anything) do a 180 in a couple of months.

I assume your getting at that this treatment is akin to voodoo and other silly things (when you refer to copper rings, magnets, etc.). Actually a lot of the different common items we use everyday can be put to purpose in many other ways. As for the tabacco you mention, it does cause mite drop. You do seem to have the method a little wrong though.

I don't deny poisons kill well. That is their purpose. My only problem is when people pour chemicals into their hives (or food, or whatever) to kill something and somehow think it will of course not effect them or their customers. I guess that is a scientific method?

The "science" you want to follow so closely gave you the problems you have today. A great example is the dairy business. It used to be that small amounts of milk was produced and used locally. The milk was edible and healthy. Contrary to what they would like you to believe it did not commonly make people sick. That began when the farmers began operating their farms according to the "scientific" methods. Chemicals, Feeds, etc. were developed to increase milk production (this includes feeds derived from other cows. It just didn't occur to people that feeding a cow another cow might cause problems.). This mass-produced milk was unhealthy and caused sickness since it was derived from sickly animals in unhealthy environments - the milk was not produced in a clean manor (you have to cut somewhere to get bigger and better). So incomes the great "scientific" idea to pasteurize the milk (or cook it as it really is). This would kill all those germs that were making people sick now (not to mention so many of the things that made milk healthy). Of course we find it doesn't always work. There are cases in which the milk doesn't get heated right, or some other problems and then people still get sick and die. There is an ingredients list on your jug now

See the "scientific method" seems in reality to develop something that ends up causing a problem that then will need a solution (even a bad solution in a very bad situation will appear great). I call it job security.

(just in case.... It applies to the bee business as well. There now I'm back "on topic" )

Mike

[Barry]

Oh my, I guess enough time has lapsed that what's old is new again.
Dr. Pedro R promoted the use of FGMO how many years ago now? I use to have all his stuff here but it got a little to hot here and he decided to leave and asked that all his stuff be removed. It's all out there in archives at various places. I haven't heard anything new from him for years. It would be nice to get an update on his work, if he's still doing it. Anybody know?

[sqkcrk]

Mineral Oil is a petroleum product - and is used for many things including regularity. It is (as far as we know) harmless when used as directed (meaning don't drink the whole bottle).

I doubt there would be any regulation problems since it is a FDA approved product... If there was a problem then the paint on the hive, the wood, etc. would be a problem.

Copper rings?

Mike

Yeah, copper rings? Where did that come from? Copper braclets for arthritis sufferers? I don't know.

Mike, I didn't think that my questions were berating of you or the author of the op who brought this idea to the forum. If you took it that way, Sorry. I was asking a question, perhaps more philosophical than reality based. But, is off label use of a product legal? I know that off label use and the promoting of it in regards to materials such as Tactic, a miticide, is not proper and we shouldn't do it. Does that pertain to "non-toxic" materials also? Regardless of being harmful or not?

[John V]

This is what so and so does, but i don't recommend it. I was just curious if this was a standard practice or if others had heard of it.

Later, John