# The Magic Formula for Varroa



## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Has anyone used this or have comments?
Ernie

The ‘Magic’ Formula is:
170g beeswax
450g coconut oil (or any vegetable cooking oil)
15g essential oil (we have tried eucalyptus, nutmeg, peppermint and spearmint)
Preparation
1. Break the beeswax into small pieces.
2. Melt in a double boiler (a large pot with water containing a small pot with the wax) with the coconut oil.
3. Stir until the wax melts completely and allow to cool to 42-45°C. If a thermometer is not available, cool until the mixture just starts to harden at the surface, but is still quite fluid.
4. At this point stir the essential oil into the mixture until thoroughly blended.
Treatment
The above mixture should be sufficient for 50 hives if applied as follows:
1. Cut strips from any of the following: bamboo, Bristol board, cardboard, plastic containers, plywood, or tins. The strips should between two and five cm wide by 20 cm long.
2. On one side of the strip spread one or two teaspoons of the miticide mixture, distributing it evenly.
3. Leave a 1 cm section at each end of the strip clean to avoid getting it on yourself.
4. Push the strip deep into the entrance of the hive undergoing treatment, preferably before 0900 hours on a hot, sunny day. If Varroa is present, the first effects of the treatment (dead or terminally ill mites on the bottom board) can be seen within 2-4 hours. Presumably the hotter and drier the weather, the faster the effects.
5. After 24 hours (longer for lower temperatures), the treatment is over and a number of dead Varroa can be seen under the brood chamber. Also, and possibly for the first time, white males can be observed dead on the bottom board or groggily walking about in a totally uncharacteristic behaviour (normally his whole life takes place within an invaded brood cell).


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Nope, never tried it, but it sounds interesting to me Ernie.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Most studies have shown no real evidence that EO's work against varroa. they seem to help with virus issues in some cases. However, some other studies show no effect for virus problems either.


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## Deamiter (Jul 21, 2009)

Out of curiosity, where did the recipe come from?


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## brushmouth (Jan 17, 2010)

BEES4U said:


> Has anyone used this or have comments?
> Ernie
> 
> The ‘Magic’ Formula is:
> ...


So, has any tried this treatment yet? Results?

BM


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

For all practical purposes Thymol is the essential oil of Thyme and it has been quite effective. 

Here are a few studies on essential oils:
Research on Essential oils for Varroa:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/g524807x44h786tn/
http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20053190631
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=409537&showpars=true&fy=2006
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=409537

If this has any effect, and I can't say it does, I would expect it to be a mechanism similar to the cords and the FGMO system. The bees try to tear up the item that has the grease on it to haul it out and get it on them and then the grease suffocates the mites.

The only real differences are that Dr. Rodriguez's formula uses cotton rope instead of the other items listed, and FGMO instead of coconut oil, and specifically thymol instead of just any essential oil. Otherwise it's the same concept.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Michael Bush said:


> If this has any effect, and I can't say it does, I would expect it to be a mechanism similar to the cords and the FGMO system. The bees try to tear up the item that has the grease on it to haul it out and get it on them and then the grease suffocates the mites.


So, essentially the old grease patty w/out additives sorta thing, but w/ thymol. Would one expect that a stip of mat board impregnated w/ oil to do the same thing?

Is the answer to varroa mites greasy bees? What would be the effects of spraying your bees w/ oil each time you work your hive?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

It does seem to have a negative effect on the mites. I don't know what the long term effect on the wax is, nor the long term effect of continuing to raise bees that have unknown resistance to the mites.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

But Michael, isn't anything we do to attempt to control varroa promoting an unknown resistance to mites?

Do you suspect a long term detrimental effect on the wax of applying an oil to an oil? Or are you refering to the essential oils?

And you must be back from your trip, eh? Or is it evening there?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>But Michael, isn't anything we do to attempt to control varroa promoting an unknown resistance to mites?

Which is why I'm doing nothing.

>Do you suspect a long term detrimental effect on the wax of applying an oil to an oil? Or are you refering to the essential oils?

I'm refering to oil as in making the wax softer. Essential oils are another issue as they disrupt the pheromones in the colony and disrupt the microbes.

>And you must be back from your trip, eh? Or is it evening there? 

It's 4:56pm here.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Here we go again with more conconctions to try out on our bees, none of this garbage has received enough testing by qualified individuals to know what the long term effects are on the mites(building up resistance) or bees. We do know that just about everything that goes into the hive shows up in the wax, and the bad stuff can't get removed, ever. Just think of all the people who have played scientist and chemist at home trying to find some potion that will kill mites and have actually tried it out on them. John


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## brushmouth (Jan 17, 2010)

jmgi said:


> Here we go again with more conconctions to try out on our bees, none of this garbage has received enough testing by qualified individuals to know what the long term effects are on the mites(building up resistance) or bees. We do know that just about everything that goes into the hive shows up in the wax, and the bad stuff can't get removed, ever. Just think of all the people who have played scientist and chemist at home trying to find some potion that will kill mites and have actually tried it out on them. John


John, with all due respect, you have not taken the time to see that this
homespun formula was posted by BEE4U in May. 
I only asked if anyone has used it and the results, much the same information that I am sure most of us would like to see.

Safe solutions are more likely to come from nature than a chemical lab. IMO
As far as your qualified individuals are concerned, would you place your faith in regulatory agencys which have allowed GMO seeds,HFCS, MSG, and at the same time blocked our access to promising mite treatments.?

That's all I have to say about that there.

BM


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

brushmouth, I am well aware that this formula was posted before, so how can you say I have not taken the time find this out? And where did I imply that safe solutions can only come from a chemical lab? And again, did I specify by name the qualified individuals that I trust to give us a long term assessment of the effects of this and other conconctions on honey bees and varroa? My response to this thread "magic formula for varroa" is my opinion only, so please don't take it any other way than that, and I would appreciate it if you would not assume I meant something in particular, just because I wasn't more specific for you. John


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