# Thymol treatment for Varroa



## broodhead

I have been treating hives for Varroa using my own formula made from crystals of Thymol 91% alcohol and high grade mineral oil. 8-12 grams of Thymol crystals dissolved into about 3 ounces of 91% alcohol and then after dissolving the formula I add about 6 ounces of high grade mineral oil. I cut cardboard strips about 8 inches long and 1 -2 inches wide and let these soad for a period of time in the solution. After soaking I place these in a ziploc bag and transport to the bee yard.
My method of placing these in the hive varies, I have placed some of these down in the brood chamber between the frames and others I have placed on top of the brood chamber top bars. My success has been good, I seem to get good results from either application. I have been repeating these applications again in ten days.
Does anyone have other formulas for mixing?
Also I have soaked beer coasters and used on the top bars as well, they work just fine.


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## jim lyon

Have the bees pretty well disposed of those in 10 days, if not do the remaining strips still seem to have an effect on the bees 10 days later?


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## Axtmann

Broodhead, I would be careful with alcohol, this is very poison to bees. You might loos lots of bees the first two or three of days. You can use Thymovar or make your own, a mix of thymol and oil in a sponge. It takes longer to get the right amount of fumes to kill the mites than pure thymol and you pay for oil you don't need, but the treatment time is more than 10 days, and this is most important.

Using alcohol, you should let it sit open for some days till most alcohol is gone, but than a big amount of thymol is also gone with it. You can make your own "apiguard", mix the thymol cristals with vaseline and fill it in a lid from jars or spread it on top of the frames. Grind the thymol cristals with a coffee grinder to a powder, this gives a much better result.

Thymol itself is the active mite killer and any form will work. Check the result from your recipe and see how many mites are left. The result can go from a 50% up to over 95% mites kill, depends on the conzentration of fumes in a certain time in you hive. 

Before I used pure thymol in a strip form, I had the best result with lids, filled with thymol powder and a fly screen (hold by a rubber band). The only downside was, the girls tried to close the screen with propolis and I need a spacer for the lid. The bees try it with the strips also, but the thymol is in a kind of fabric or felt and propolis can't hold the fumes back.


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## broodhead

The alcohol is so dilute that it has no effect on the bees. The alcohol is used only to dissolve the crystals. The oil is absorbed into the alcohol and is soaked into the strips for a longer effect time. I also thought about using pure grain alcohol, we call it moonshine and the thymol will dissolve it the booze and it will not kill the bees. Hate to waste good booze, but I will give it a try. 
Now about that vaseline, that is a petroleum base and I would use something else that is food safe.
Thanks for the suggestions, Broodhead


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## broodhead

They are dry and do show some signs of wear. The bees sometimes try to comb them into the frame, but usually not. The good thing about this is that the cost of treatment is a fraction of what Apiguard is and the results have been just as good. Eighteen bucks a pound for the thymol crystals and a few bucks for the alcohol and oil. I really like this approach. Broodhead


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## mac

I dissolve the crystals in heated oil no need to use alcohol.


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## Axtmann

If you dissolve Thymol in heated oil it starts to evaporate immediately and a big part of Thymol disappears before it's in the hive. 

Heating up Thymol is danger, be very careful you can be dead in no time. If you do it in your kitchen ..... your wife will kill you right away.


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## mac

Axtmann said:


> If you dissolve Thymol in heated oil it starts to evaporate immediately and a big part of Thymol disappears before it's in the hive.


 Seems like alcohol will evaporate quicker


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## southeastflorida

I only have 40 hives, so a tub of Apiguard seemed simpler.
I went somewhat low dose this time as a test. 
$90 tub was less than half used after 2 treatments, so a rough estimate is $1 hive.
I got sloppy, and used a turkey baster, ran a bead down a couple frame tops.
They track it all over anyway.


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## natureway

Hello I apologize for such an off topic question. Where can i purchase thymol crystals in the USA? I need laboratory grade crystals. thank you


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## johng

I haven't bought any from them but, here's one place. Most health food stores sell them. 
http://www.medichest.com/thymolcrystalsnf100gram.html


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## tangie

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*



natureway said:


> Hello I apologize for such an off topic question. Where can i purchase thymol crystals in the USA? I need laboratory grade crystals. thank you


I just found this.... $48.00 for 2.2 pounds of Thymol crystals at http://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/thymol-crystals-aroma-chemical-p-751.html


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## Sage Kara

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*



tangie said:


> I just found this.... $48.00 for 2.2 pounds of Thymol crystals at http://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/thymol-crystals-aroma-chemical-p-751.html


Hi there,
I am just getting ready to become a beekeeper, and was told that thymol leave residue in honey in case if I want to have organic honey (hopefully, eventually), I have to use organic product to kill the varroa or any other mites. Did you try other products? 
Have you tried formic acid? Since it is organic chemical, I will do some research on it. Any suggestion?


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## beepro

Welcome to Bee Source, Sage Kara!

I think Amazon and probably ebay has them for sale.

I have used the OA before and they work very well for me.
It is also a natural organic form derived from the plants. There are a few
good posts if you like to do a search on OAV treatment.


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## my2cents

In the even someone wishes to make their own, which is not cost effective, here is a link to the formula.
http://beehivejournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/thymol-or-apiguard-varroa-recipe.html


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## aunt betty

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*



Sage Kara said:


> Hi there,
> I am just getting ready to become a beekeeper, and was told that thymol leave residue in honey in case if I want to have organic honey (hopefully, eventually), I have to use organic product to kill the varroa or any other mites. Did you try other products?
> Have you tried formic acid? Since it is organic chemical, I will do some research on it. Any suggestion?


"Organic" and "Natural" don't have much meaning in reality.
For instance suppose you grow tomatoes "organically", load them into wooden crates that are nailed together with galvanized iron nails (from China), glued with who knows what (from China), labeled with recycled paper, printing is ink is from who knows where (Viet Nam) , and those are your organic tomatoes. What the grocer and tomato-hauler do to them when they have them is probably equally inorganic yet they sell at a premium price. 

I'm pretty sure there is some Roundup residue in my organic honey. Treatment free here yet I still can't call it organic. IT IS but I just can't do the sales thing. It's raw honey. My hives are nailed and glued and painted with a chemical called titanium dioxide. (it's in all paint) 
There is a galvanized with zinc (chemical) screen on my SBB. The only really truly organic honey comes from cutouts from hollow trees and we can't sell that. Organic...meh.


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## jennSAL

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*

Has anyone tried thyme essential oil instead of thymol?


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## southeastflorida

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*



jennSAL said:


> Has anyone tried thyme essential oil instead of thymol?


tried it, but oil is not nearly strong enough, the crystals are VERY STRONG, 
care is needed, but the penetrating fumes they present are also needed.


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## jean-marc

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*

Lebermuth sells thymol cstals. There is anther company in California that used to advertise in the ABJ (dunno anymore as I no longer subscribe).

Jean-Marc


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## mbevanz

*Re: Thymol crystals. Where to buy.*

anyone tried flash treating with formic?


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## beemandan

broodhead said:


> My success has been good,


How are you determining your success?
Whoops! I just realized how old this thread is.


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## acbz

beemandan said:


> How are you determining your success?
> Whoops! I just realized how old this thread is.


I tried this method and did not seem to kill any mites. I have, however, had success with homemade apiguard gel which consists of powderized thymol crystals, water, and sodium polyacrylate. Lately have also been adding lecithin and a bit of vegetable oil per each batch as well.


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## Mbeck

What's the lecithin and oil do? Stabilize? Control the sublimation rate?


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## Slow Drone

Lecithin is an emulsifier.


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## BeeNectarCompany

Good call slow drone. 
We had great success by our customers this year. We actually use spearmint oil (along with tea tree and lemongrass) and it keeps the varroa at bay for them. We do use an organic lecithin as an emulsifier.


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## Live Oak

Try heating a pan of water to a boil then remove heat. Find a clean glass jar (I use salsa jars) with a clean lid that makes a good seal. Spoon the thymol crystals into the clean jar in the amount you need but remember that you want ideally a 5.5% thymol solution by weight in your final mix. Next add food grade mineral oil to the jar with thymol crystals. The oil will soak into the micro-spaces between the crystals. Fill the jar up with food grade mineral oil but allow 10% space for oil expansion. Place the lid on the jar very tight. Shake up and mix the thymol/FGMO mix as best you can, then place into the pan full of hot (NOT BOILING) water. Allow to set and observe the contents of the sealed jar. As the contents warms up from the hot water heat transfer, the crystals will begin to melt. You will probably have to remove the jar and reheat the water to boiling then remove heat then place the jar back into the hot water a number of time before the thymol melts totally. When the thymol melts you will notice a decernable layer of clear fluid in the top of the jar and a layer of an light amber colored fluid in the bottom of the jar. The bottom layer is the thymol. Remove from the pan of water and allow to cool enough to handle and then shake well to mix both layers of fluid in the jar. 

Next have ready ahead of time a larger jar (I used a gallon pickle jar) and fill with FGMO in the amount you want for your final mix. I mixed a total of a gallon of a 5.5% FGMO/thymol mix. Pour the jar of FGMO/thymol mix into the larger jar filled with FGMO. I added an 1/8 of a cup of Wintergreen food grade essential oil to this mix they replace the lid to the larger jar tightly and shake well to mix up. No emulsifier is needed to solubilize the Wintergreen essential oil or whatever essential oil you use because the essential oil is soluble in the FGMO. Once everything is mixed, it stay mixed for long periods of time. I use this mix in my propane fogger as an alternate treatment for mites from oxalic acid vaporizing and the Wintergreen helps to keep small hive beetles out of the hive. Probably NOT a good idea to use this when you have uncapped nectar in the hive. 

Thymol is a good treatment for mites but not even in the same solar system with oxalic acid vaporizing. Rotating mite treatments is a good idea to prevent mites building up a resistance to a particular treatment. Fogging with thymol/FGMO is a good option for this.


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