# Any harm with Mineral Oil fogging ?



## BeeNurse (Mar 23, 2014)

I have been watching "The Fat Beeman." and have a question. If your fog with Mineral Oil, with or without Essential Oils, will that not harm the bees as well. Insects are killed by oil fogs by blocking their means of respiration. How is this sufficient to kill mites, but not bees ?? Will using the Essential oils make this more or less likely to happen ?? I have had good effects with OVA, but this sounds even quicker. Any input would be appreciated.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

The only harm is probably you fooling yourself into thinking that it is effective.


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Read this thread and I am sure you will find the answers you seek.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?283157-Started-fogging-today&highlight=glock


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## e-spice (Sep 21, 2013)

jwcarlson said:


> The only harm is probably you fooling yourself into thinking that it is effective.


 

Plus the oil coats the bees and I've heard they can't clean it off. It is very ineffective and possibly harms the bees. OAV is very easy on the bees, hard on the mites.


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

I REALLY wish FatBeeMan would take down that old video. Even he doesn't fog anymore. He sells his own vaporizers!

Rusty


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

deja vu. Didn't this same question come up last week? FGMO fogging covers everything in the hive with mineral oil. Think spraying fruit trees with horticultural oil. The scale, coddling moth eggs, etc. get covered with oil, can't breathe, and die.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

FGMO is petroleum. Why would you want it in your hive?


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

The mineral oil fog blocks the respiratory entrances of the varroa and trachael mites because their entrancs are so small. Honey bees have two entrances and are much bigger than the mites. Does not harm the bees.

"FGMO is petroleum. Why would you want it in your hive?" Is OAV any better to have in the hive?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Any action the beekeeper does carries a certain risk. Some actions carry a potential reward. The trick is to choose those actions that carry the most reward for the risk incurred.

Read the thread linked in post #3. What you will see is a mineral oil user eventually discovering that FGMO fogging is not very effective in controlling mites. And then he switched to vaporizing oxalic acid, and is very pleased with the results.

Strive for maximum reward with minimum risk.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Mr.Beeman said:


> "FGMO is petroleum. Why would you want it in your hive?" Is OAV any better to have in the hive?


OAV is infinitely better than FGMO, in that it kills mites and does no harm the brood, bees or queen. FGMO fogging has very dubious benefits (if any)....


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