# thymol cords. How to use?



## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

Where are the cords placed in the hive. How many cords per hive? Thanks! ( and thanks Idee for the thymol chrystals!)


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## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

I am referring to the cords soaked in thymol/fgmo emulsion. Thanks.


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

this

http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/abjsept2003.htm

shows them on the topbars
and this

http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/abjmar2004.htm

discusses placing them on a tray and not needing to open the hive
I presume he's talking about sliding them in the entrance
see, ask 1 question, get 2 answers

Dave


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## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

Thanks Dave!


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## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

How many cords are used per hive and how often are the cords replaced?


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

I'm getting ready to make some up for after our honey flow is over
I figure they're basically a replacement for Apilife-VAR or ApiGuard
both of those products take multiple doses to keep them in the hive for longer than 1 brood cycle
I'll be aiming for the same thing
I guess it'll be experiment time
I used ApiGuard last year with pretty good results
let me know if you find better info

Dave


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

I found this article that mentions the quantity and time frame for the use of the cords. I am planning on trying them this year as well.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/minoiltest2.htm


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## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

Thanks for posting that link Ski! Looks like two forty inch cords should be placed on the top bars of each brood chamber. They should be refreshed and reapplied every thirty days. I assume this starts in late winter and that the cords can be removed when brood rearing stops in late autumn? Hard to believe those results with just the fgmo. With the addition of Thymol the mites should be utterly devastated and reduced to a mere name!


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

allrawpaul wrote:
With the addition of Thymol the mites should be utterly devastated and reduced to a mere name!

Ski replies:
Well thats what we shall see.
Lets all try and post our mite counts to see how things progress.


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

repeat


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

folks
let's talk recipes
this from Dr R

Emulsion soaked cords
1000 cc mineral oil @ 0.86 density 
(860 grams (30.34 oz.))
100 grams (3.53 oz.) thymol
1000 grams honey (2-1/4 pounds)
1000 grams beeswax (2-1/4 pounds)1
100 pieces of cotton cord (40 inches long each)
Add the weight of the ingredients without the cords
Divide into 100 grams thymol
 
Thus:100 = 2.53 % thymol
3960 total weight

this is wrong
the total weight is 2960 grams
this gives 3.4% thymol
a packet of ApiGuard is 50 grams with 12.5 grams of thymol for 25%
you guy's didn't think this could be easy did you
check my math, I've been wrong before

Dave


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Dave,

WOW good catch!!
your math is correct.

LOL I went back to the March 2004 ABJ issue and it is wrong as well.
But.
I also went back to the Sept 2003 issue of ABJ and the it states that :
The concentration of Thymol in the FGMO formula is a mere 3.49 %, a strength well tollerated by the bee populationas demonstrated by perfectly uniform brood frames and rapid colony growth.

The quantities although are:
1 liter of FGMO
1 Kilo of honey
1 kilo of beeswax
100 grams of thymol


So the question is:
do we want 3.4% or the 2.5 %

I would think that his quantities are correct as he must have mixed this stuff many times, but the good doctors math is in error. Just my thinking.

Ski


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

Ski

I don't doubt his recipe I'm just kinda questioning the fct that it appears to be a lot weaker than the commercial preparation
maybe ApiGuard is somehow time released so it can have more thymol without overwhelming the bees
just curious

Dave


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Dave,

Apiguard is used for 4 weeks (2 weeks for each of 2 containers). Correct me if I got that wrong.
If I understand Dr. R's instructions the cords are used all summer and into fall. So a lower dose for a longer period. Just my thoughts. And he seemed to have good results.

Just a note
Emulsion soaked cords 
1000 cc mineral oil @ 0.86 density 
(*) (860 grams (30.34 oz.)) 
100 grams (3.53 oz.) thymol 
1000 grams honey (2-1/4 pounds) 
1000 grams beeswax (2-1/4 pounds) 
100 pieces of cotton cord (40 inches long each) 

If you add 
1000 - oil (in error)
860 - oil
100 - thymol
1000 - honey
1000 - beeswax

Total is 3960 so we can explain the error of 2.53%.

The mite results are documented , so forward I march.


However if mite counts continue to climb up to 100 per 24 hours the apiguard goes in.
Ski


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Allrawpaul,

This article contains some of the mite counts before and after treatments.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/abjdec2004.htm


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

what are you going to use for chords?
in one of those posts it mentions upholsters whelp
I thought I might try to find some of that
cotton chord ain't easy to find these days, everything is plastic

Dave


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Dave,

Iddee suggested an industrial mop head which has the cord like material and is very close to the same diameter.

I wonder if Dr. R had screened bottom boards, most likely not?

Apiguard suggests closing the screened bottoms off.


I think I will try the cords with the screens open and see how that works.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/abjmar2004.htm


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## allrawpaul (Jun 7, 2004)

Just got the thymol/fgmo cords in all my hives. The bees dont like those cords. BZZZZZ!!! I ended up using cotton/poly cord, about 3/16" thick. Seemed to soak up the solution pretty well. Got it at Home Depot. The cord Cost about 12 bucks to put 4 thirty inch cords in each hive. Should have bought a mop head probably. A few bees looked like they got slimed pretty bad. Real greasy looking. Hope they make it.


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