# I might have made a discovery!!!



## divebee (Mar 15, 2006)

What type of mint candy is it and what kind of mint flavor? Spearmint, Peppermint, or what ? 

That being said, there are some using various mint oils and such for this purpose. Lots of reading out there on this subject.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

>It is either mites do not like mint or the bees are pushing them away to eat the mint candy. 

OR, when the bees are eating the candy, the mites are climbing onto the bees


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Good point Bill, and very likely. Not sure I like the concept...... Just go with menthol bags??


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## Nick Noyes (Apr 28, 2005)

There were some guys around here using straight peppermint oil on shop towels for varroa. They said it was working good at the time but they lost half thier bees to varroa this last winter. So you might want to use something else with it. I don't know if peppermint oil kills trachea mites? We have put it in our feed sure makes the tank smell good for a long time.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Didnt know mint detoured mice. 

Are you talking just tossing a candy in your hive?


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

This has all the makings of a great old wives tale!


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

[ April 04, 2006, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: loggermike ]


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## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

Since 1977 approx 150 different natural oils and odorous substances have been tested against Varroa mites but ONLY Thymol is worth to use. All others are more or less USELESS.
Its unbelievable that some (lots of) beekeepers going the hard way and try to develop the wheel again. 

Not everything what stinks kills Varroa.

Whats there problem; the Internet is the best way to learn how to handle the situation without loosing the colonies.


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## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

I would recommend the smell from a skunk. 
We dont have skunks here so I think this pleasant smell has never been tested before.


Spray this liquid into your colony and you will never ever see a Varroa in this particular hive. 

Who wants to open that hive????


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## junglebill007 (Jul 2, 2005)

.

[ April 03, 2006, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: junglebill007 ]


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## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

I will be using peppermint oil on 1/4 of a shop towels this spring, due to info I have heard and read about it, the oil is about 52% menthol for the terrcial mites and something else in the peppermint is present that the varroa don't like either. I will all so be doing other treatments but I need to find something that works to keep bees alive.


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

There are good tested varroa treatments. There is no need to find own tricks. Varroa is not problem here any more. Results are good.

http://bees.freesuperhost.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1136436349

We have brood brake during winter and it makes treatment easy.


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

I have many hives that have 7 years of longevity or more with Wintergeen and Spearmint oils.
Here is one yard:
Catskill, this yard was started in the spring of 2002. I moved (6) hives that had over wintered in Round Top for (2) seasons of Russian stock. 
Winter of 2002 -03: Lost 3 of 6 hives from moisture. I wrapped and did not take into consideration the added moisture from the river.
Split remaining hives used bought Russian queens. (4th season for 3 hives, 1st for 3 hives)
Winter of 2003-04: Lost 2 of 6 hives, (1) cold Starved, (1) moisture a mouse had blocked off the air flow. No wrapping. 
Split (1) hive allowed to raise its own queen. (5th season for 3 hives, 2nd for 1 hive, 1st for 1 hive)
Put all (5) hives on SBB.
Winter of 2004-05: Lost 0 of 5 hives. Wrapped all w/ open SBB all winter. Empty box w/ paper and granulated sugar on top bars.
(6th season for 3 hives, 3rd for 1 hive, 2nd for 1 hive)
Outside of the (3) Russian queens bought in 2003, these hives have raised their own queens when ever needed.
Winter of 05/06: Going in with (9) hives. . All hives are wrapped with feeder boxes, syrup and sugar.
05 Season: (5) over wintered and (4) splits from this spring that raised their own queens. (7th season for 3 hives, 4th for 1 hive, 3rd for 1 hive, and 1st for 4 hives)
06 Season: As of March 4, all 9 hives are alive and well.

Mite treatments for these hives:
2000: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring and fall syrup (at Round Top)
2001: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring and fall syrup (at Round Top)
2002: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring and fall syrup
2003: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring and fall syrup
2004: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring and fall syrup; December 04 OA Trickle method
2005: Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in spring syrup; Feb 05 OA Trickle method; Wintergreen & Spearmint oils in Fall syrup:


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

How much of the oils per gallon?/ How much oils/colony?? Thanks


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

Bruce, I use approximately 20 drops of each per gallon. I try and feed a couple gallons of the syrup / oil mixture to each hive in the spring and fall.
So I would have to say that each hive would get approximately 80 drops of oil in the spring and then again in the fall.
I also use a very light syrup with a couple of drops in the sprayer instead of smoke most of the time.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Thanks MT...... I think I'll give it a go. Can't hurt and at least they'll smell good...


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## Hanginin (Mar 11, 2006)

Food for thought. Varroa mites choose their host by smell, the older bees being the desired target. If they all smell alike, the mite is at a major disadvantage.


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

>Varroa mites choose their host by smell, the older bees being the desired target.

Where did you hear that? It's my understanding that when they're phoretic, they are more likely to be found on nurse bees.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Varroa mites choose their host by smell, the older bees being the desired target.

I think you've confused Varroa with Tracheal mites.


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