[camero7]

March issue of Bee Culture mentions LaFore's Essential Oil Patties. However, I can't find any info on them. Google doesn't get a hit. Anyone know anything about them/ What they're made of, etc?

 

[loggermike]

What did the article say about them?

 

[camero7]

supposed to be a combination of 9 EO's. Followed 20 hives over a period of 10 months...virus skyrocketed after almonds but dropped "dramatically following a treatment that utilized LaFore's Essential Oil Patties, a product of Jeff LaFore of Milton, Freewater, Oregon..."

 

[loggermike]

I heard good things about a Washington(I think) beekeeping outfits essential
oil patties. I was given a couple of them by a friend. They were wrapped in little square paper packets and smelled of thyme and other things I couldn't identify. I tossed them into a couple of strong hives (in the almond orchard).Looking at them at the end of bloom,one hive had gone queenless and the other was booming(not a real test by any means! ). I dont know if this is the same item as I forgot the name of the beekeeping family that was said to be using this very successfully.

 

[Bud Dingler]

supposed to be a combination of 9 EO's. Followed 20 hives over a period of 10 months...virus skyrocketed after almonds but dropped "dramatically following a treatment that utilized LaFore's Essential Oil Patties, a product of Jeff LaFore of Milton, Freewater, Oregon..."

so they have PCR data to back up the virus claims? I doubt it.

One beekeeper I know who does almond swears that if you drink mountain dew and first tap 3 times on the can top before opening and always drink a full can of dew in the truck before inspecting each yard his mite loads are always low. If he forgets any part of that preyard inspection mt de treatment low and behold the mite levels are high again.

I have not tried this yet but other beekeepers say it works.

 

[loggermike]

Very funny. There is more to the story than what I can say here regarding the anecdotal evidence from thousands of hives.
Certain essential oils do have anti-viral properties. It is becoming more evident every day that viruses in conjunction with nosema and varroa are likely suspects in the collapse of hives all across the country. You cannot expect outfits that are losing 30% to 50% of their hives to not race for a solution that seems reasonable.Whether it will be another false lead,time will tell.

 

[camero7]

Well Bud, why don't you share the perfect solution to the mite/virus problem and also address the comb contamination while you're at it.

 

[honeydreams]

I know that the use of EO's is good but the jury is still out on how good it is.

 

[John_H]

Most of the Bee Culture article was about drenching with a stronger than normal mix of sugar syrup and Honey-B-Healthy. 40:1 and 50:1 ratios as I recall. Several commercial operators reported dramatic improvement in weak hives after the treated.

Anyone thought about trying that? Still a little cold for that sort of thing here.

Thanks,
John

 

[honeydreams]

i have done it but on acident. and yes that hive became real strong.

 

[jeff lefore]

a lot of interesting info here. some of it is true! i am jeff lefore from milton-freewater, oregon. i get a lot of requests about my essential oil patties from people around the country and even south america. it is a combination of essential oils, minerals, sugars and vegetable shortening. there is also tylan in the patty for foulbrood as well. what started out as research for a natural solution for chalkbrood twelve years ago has evolved into what we have now. a major reduction in nosema, virus levels and elimination of tracheal mite, mating disruption in varroa mites, these are some of the test results we have been getting. i get a lot of requests from very small beekeepers about buying these patties. your best contact is [email protected]. she can help most of your orders.

 

[Allen Dick]

...what we have now. a major reduction in nosema, virus levels and elimination of tracheal mite, mating disruption in varroa mites, these are some of the test results we have been getting.

Is anything published on this, and/or are there any controlled tests demonstrating these effects available?

I've heard anecdodes, but have not seen any scientific confirmation yet.

 

[Mike Snodgrass]

With a recent Penn state finding published recently in Bee Culture of 81 chemicals found in bees wax, with the 2 most prevalent beeing beekeeper applied, i think natural remedies or better, natural chemicals used as remedies might be the answer to our issues. I plan a Honey B healthy application regimen but also am considering grease patty applications as preventatives. The ingredient list for these patties mentioned here would be helpfull...

 

[pbuhler]

Some might like reading this article on the subject.
http://www.kelleybees.com/education/pdf/ConradArticle.pdf
Paul

 

[camero7]

Just a little antidote. One of my packages [waiting for results on exact cause] arrived with severe dysentery. They stained the top bars, the front of the hive and the area around the hive. I fed HBH and thyme oil [still am] and the dysentery cleared up. Just a very small sample, but worth sharing IMO.