Results of Research: Using Essential Oils for Honey Bee Mite Control Jim Amrine, Bob Noel, Harry Mallo, !erry "tasny, Robert "#i$more %&ast U'$ate$: (ecember )*, +-. /e ha0e foun$ that se0eral essential oils can either #ill, or a$0ersely affect 0arroa mites1 Essential Oils ha0e !o Mo$es of Action: +. !o2icity by $irect contact: /hen 0arroa mites contact essential oils such as intergreen intergreen,, 'atchouli, tea tree oil, et al1, mi2e$ into oil or grease, they are #ille$ on contact33usually ithin a fe minutes1 4. 5m'aire$ re'ro$uction 0ia fee$ing syru's containing essential oils: /hen 0arroa mites fee$ on lar0ae that contain essential oils, their re'ro$uction is interru'te$1 5f the oil is strong enough, the females are unable to lay eggs1 5f the oils are in loer concentration, eggs are laye$, but $e0elo'ment $e0elo'men t of immature mites is $elaye$6 young mites $o not reach maturity before the bees emerge from the cell6 conse7uently, the immature mites $ie1 5n0ol0ement of Essential Oils in 5m'aire$ Re'ro$uction of 8arroa Mites: "yru' containing the essential oils is fe$ at the hi0e entrance or in the broo$nest1 Many bees fee$ on the syru' an$ 'ass the essential oils aroun$ by tro'hala2is %a$ult bees sharing their foo$ reser0es.1 !he syru' an$ essential oil is ingeste$ by nurse bees an$ enters the communal foo$ in the cro' an$ 'asses into the mil# glan$s1 /hen the nurse bees fee$ lar0ae, the essential oils are in the bee mil# an$ communal foo$ an$ are ingeste$ by the lar0ae1 !hus, hen female 0arroa mites fee$ on treate$ lar0ae or lar0al foo$ at the bottom of the cell, they ingest the essential oils hich a$0ersely affect their re'ro$uction1 !he 'robable mechanism is interference ith en9ymes in the com'le2 gestation %es'ecially in the 'ro$uction of nutrients an$ ne 'roteins. of the oocyte an$ embryo3lar0a of the 0arroa mite1 Research nee$s to be con$ucte$ to 0erify this hy'othesis an$ to 0erify the 'resence of the essential oils in bee lar0ae an$ ultimately, in the female 0arroa mites1 5m'aire$ re'ro$uction is not obser0e$ hen canola oil, mineral oil, or shortening %eg1, Crisco, a 0egetable lar$. containing essential oils are $eli0ere$ to the hi0es1 !he fats an$ greases $o not enter the foo$ chain as rea$ily as syru's, an$ the amounts of essential oils en$ing u' in lar0al foo$ or in the lar0ae themsel0es are inconse7uential1 !hus, there is no interru'tion of the $e0elo'ment of mite eggs or of immature 0arroa mites1 !he mites that $irectly contact these materials ra'i$ly $ie6 but others are able to esca'e the essential oils in grease or canola oil by entering cells of mature lar0ae that are about to be ca''e$, or by mo0ing onto on to $is'lace$ nurse bees %see belo, Recent ;in$ings. near the to' of the colony, here the grease 'atties an$ trac#ing stri's are not 'lace$1 /e foun$ that 'utting 'a'er toels soa#e$ in canola < essential oils in the to's of colonies from July to "e'tember, #ills the 0arroa mites resi$ing on the $is'lace$ nurse bees hich congregate in the u''er su'ers of large colonies1 ;ee$ing of sugar syru' ith essential oils at the entrance, or in the broo$ nest, 'laces the essential oils into the foo$ chain an$ 're0ents o0i'osition by female mites or retar$s the $e0elo'ment of immature mites in ca''e$ lar0al='u'al cells1 /e ha$ se0eral colonies that ere treate$ ith trac#ing stri's an$ grease 'atties only, an$ e sa resurgence of 0arroa mites, es'ecially hen bee 'o'ulations ere at their 'ea#, lots of broo$ as 'resent, an$ hen the bees occu'ie$ many su'ers as ell as to broo$ chambers1 Hoe0er, e also ha$ se0eral colonies that ere treate$ ith the trac#ing stri's an$ grease
'atties, an$ ere continually fe$ syru' < essential oils at the entrance6 in these colonies 0ery fe 0arroa mites ere foun$1 !hose fe that ere foun$ a''eare$ to ha0e come into the colonies on $rifting bees1 Revised Dosages Used in Experimental Treatments:
+.1 "yru': 4> $ro's %+ cc. of intergreen or s'earmint is a$$e$ to one 'int of honey %or to cu's of sugar %about one 'oun$ or ?>)1- grams.. in a 7uart @ar %*1> liter.6 hot ater is a$$e$ to fill the @ar1 /e foun$ that more of the essential oil goes into solution in honey than in sugar syru'6 there may be a natural emulsifier in honey that hel's essential oils to stay in solution1 /hen ma#ing sugar syru', e foun$ that e must a$$ the oil to the granulate$ sugar then a$$ the 0ery arm ater %not too hot or else the oils ill e0a'orate.1 /e fee$ the bees as much syru' as they ill ta#e6 Bob uses +=4 gallon @ars on his entrance fee$ers1 /e ha0e ha$ goo$ results ith intergreen, s'earmint, rosemary an$ 'e''ermint oils1 /e 'lan to con$uct e2'eriments this fall an$ inter combining the essential oils ith fuma$il in syru' to see if the treatments are com'atible1 "ee $iagram belo for ma#ing entrance cleats to eliminate robbing1 roblem: oils mi2 'oorly ith ater6 e ha0e ha$ some re'orts of a fe bees being #ille$ hen they fee$ on the last $regs of the syru', abo0e hich lie 'ools of un$issol0e$, 'ure oil633they become com'letely ette$ by the remaining oil1 /e are loo#ing for a foo$ base$ emulsifier hich ill allo all of the + cc or more of essential oil to go into solution in the syru' ithout harming the bees1 4.1 rease 'atties: are ma$e ith four cu's of granulate$ sugar, to cu's of shortening %lar$ of 0egetable origin33use$ for ma#ing 'astries an$ frying fish an$ chi's, etc1, eg1, Crisco. an$ one of the folloing: 4+ cc of intergreen oil, 4+ cc of tea tree oil or 4+ cc of 'atchouli oil6 or ++1> cc of each of any to oils %eg1, intergreen < tea tree.1 %!his rate is +=? o91 %D1? cc. of essential oils 'er 'oun$ of sugar an$ grease.1 !he com'onents are thoroughly mi2e$ %ear glo0es or use a mi2er or large s'oon, as intergreen oil in such concentrations may be to2ic6 'atchouli oil an$ tea tree oil are not to2ic through the s#in.1 !he mi2ture is then ma$e u' into ? ounce 'atties %li#e a small, )1> hamburger.6 each 'atty is then $i0i$e$ an$ 'lace$ on to' of each broo$ bo2 %about one half 'oun$ or o9s1 of grease 'atties 'er hi0e6 one batch treats >1 hi0es.1 /e 'lan to ma#e 'atties this fall an$ inter that also contain teramycin %!M4> or !M>*. to $etermine hether me$ications can be combine$ for both mites an$ foul broo$1 ).1 !rac#ing stri's: are ma$e by cutting sheets or 'ieces of += in1 'le2iglass into stri's ) i$e by +? long %D1> cm by )>1> cm ., an$ use$ as a base for hol$ing a treate$ slurry containing essential oil1 !he slurry is ma$e as follos: +D1> o9s1 %4 an$ +=> cu's. of canola oil %synonym for ra'esee$ oil. are mi2e$ ith -1> o9s1 %slightly more than ?=> cu'. of melte$ beesa2 %ratio is ?:+1>., stirre$ an$ set on a hot 'late1 !o this li7ui$ e a$$ 4? ccFs of intergreen oil %or 4? ccFs of tea tree oil or 'atchouli oil or +4 ccFs of any to oils .1 /e stir the li7ui$ ell an$ 'our it into three o91 'lastic cu's1 /hen coole$, the slurry has a shoe3'olish or sal0e3li#e consistency1 !hen, 4 to ) teas'oons of the slurry are a''lie$ to the trac#ing stri' hich is 'lace$ lengthise @ust insi$e the front entrance of each colony1 !he bees must trac# through this slurry hen they enter or e2it the hi0e6 they then attem't to clean off the slurry an$ get it onto each other1 /hen the slurry contacts 0arroa mites, it #ills them1 !reatments are re'eate$ after > $ays or so: the ol$ slurry, $ea$ mites an$ $ea$, $eforme$ bees are scra'e$ off an$ ne slurry a$$e$1 !he trac#ing stri's also ser0e as small mite sam'ling stri's: if 0arroa mites are 'resent, $ea$ mites %the number reflecting the si9e of the 'o'ulation on a$ult bees. can be foun$ on the stri's about 4? to ? hours after treatment1 !he number of $ea$ mites on the stri's is significantly greater than hat it oul$ be $ue to natural mite mortality1 le2iglass is use$ for trac#ing stri's because it
has a 0ery smooth finish alloing an e0en co0erage an$ it is too har$ for the bees to che u' or remo0e6 masonite or other similar material coul$ be use$ @ust as ell1 ?.1 a'er inserts at to' of hi0e: ;or control of 0arroa mite on $is'lace$ nurse bees %see comments abo0e., e use >1> ccFs of intergreen 'er cu' of canola oil6 e 'ut this solution into a honey bear %use$ as a s7uee9e bottle. an$ a''ly se0eral lines of intergreen oil mi2ture in both $irections on a 'a'er toel so that the toel is saturate$6 the toel is then 'lace$ un$er the inner co0er or in the u''er su'ers here $is'lace$ nurse bees congregate1 !he bees che it u' an$ remo0e it in a ee# or so1 !hese are re'lace$ as nee$e$ to treat the 0arroa mites trying to a0oi$ the other treatments1 Be carefulG (o not get the oil3intergreen mi2ture $irectly onto the 7ueen1 Notes About Grease Patties:
+. a recent author state$ that grease 'atties ha$ no a$0erse effect on tracheal mites hen a$ministere$ to his colonies6 the 'a'er state$ that the 'atties ere 'urchase$ commercially1 Be certain that the grease 'atties you ma#e or buy contain 'lenty of grease or 0egetable oil1 5t is the free oil or grease that a''ears to suffocate tracheal mites an$ 'robably also, 0arroa mites1 /e belie0e that this 'hysical suffocating function is enhance$ or synergi9e$ by the essential oils1 4.1 "e0eral bee#ee'ers ha0e state$ that they ha0e use$ 'o$ere$ or confectionerFs sugar in 'lace of granular sugar, or e0en re'lace$ sugar ith honey6 some ha0e also a$$e$ canola oil to the 'atties to ma#e them softer an$ easier to a''ly ith an ice cream scoo'1 !he bees ta#e these softer 'atties more ra'i$ly6 an$, if ma$e ith honey, the essential oils may enter into the foo$ chain of the bee lar0ae an$ thus im'air $e0elo'ment of the 0arroa mites1 /e 'lan to try to e2amine this 7uestion in ne2t yearFs research1 Con0ersion ;actors: %go to the attache$ file calle$ measures. About Essential Oils: %go to the attache$ files, oils an$ chemical. "afety in Using Essential Oils: %go the the attache$ file, safety. 8arroa Mite Assessment: ou can 'lace a $etector boar$ on the bottom of the hi0e in combination ith 'atties an$ a trac#ing stri' to obtain a count of 0arroa mites ithin 4? to ? hours1 5n our tests the essential oils #ille$ more mites than A'istan1 /e ma#e $etector boar$s by ma#ing light oo$en frames, a little smaller that the bottom boar$ area, by sta'ling thin oo$en mol$ing stri's at their corners to += inch har$are cloth %ire screen.6 e then cut free9er 'a'er %a0ailable in grocery stores in the U1"16 it has large si9e, is fairly thic#, hite an$ $urable. to si9e, s'ray one si$e ith AM %a non3stic# s'ray for frying 'ans., an$ then sta'le it to the oo$en stri's on the si$e o''osite the har$are cloth1 !hese can be assemble$ in a fe minutes at a cost of I4 U1"1 or less1 Many bee su''ly houses 'ro0i$e them at a fairly e2'ensi0e 'rice1 Timing of Treatments:
/e ha0e foun$ that colonies, hea0ily infeste$ ith 0arroa mites in August, "e'tember an$ October, 'robably can not be sa0e$1 !he treatments ith grease 'atties an$ trac#ing stri's ill #ill mites, but it is too late in the season to allo rearing of ne, uninfeste$ broo$ hich oul$ enhance sur0i0al of the colony1 But, more im'ortantly, e0en if all 0arroa mites are #ille$ after hea0y infestation, the bees may still $ie from the acute bee 'aralysis 0irus, ashmir 0irus or other 0iruses transmitte$ earlier by the 0arroa mites1 Hoe0er, strong, healthy colonies33free of mites in early "e'tember, but later o0erhelme$ by an influ2 of lost bees an$ mites from $ying feral colonies or from untreate$ neighboring colonies33can be 'rotecte$ an$ sa0e$ by using the grease 'atties < essential oils throughout the
fall an$ inter1 "ince little or no broo$ ill be a0ailable as shelters, the contact of the grease an$ essential oils ill #ill 0irtually all of the mites33before they are able to transmit the 0iruses1 /e recommen$: +. !hat grease 'atties < essential oils %an$ other me$icaments as $esire$. be #e't on the hi0es throughout the inter1 4. !hat grease 'atties an$ essential oils be #e't on hi0es throughout the rest of the year %be sure no other me$icaments are use$.1 ). /hen tem'eratures are arm enough to allo flight, that colonies be treate$ ith syru's containing essential oils $eli0ere$ to the broo$ area %e1g1, boar$man fee$ers ith +=4 gallon @ars.1 ?. /hen tem'eratures are arm enough to allo flight, that trac#ing stri's be use$ to a$minister essential oils to the bees, es'ecially $uring honey flos1 Recent Findings:
5n colonies treate$ ith trac#ing stri's at the entrance an$ grease 'atties o0er the broo$ chambers, the 0arroa mites ere able to esca'e treatment1 (is'lace$ nurse bees, hich gather un$er the inner co0er, ere use$ as a hi$ing 'lace by the mites1 /e treate$ this grou' of bees an$ mites by 'utting a 'iece of 'a'er toel, treate$ ith canola oil an$ inter3green, @ust un$er the inner co0er1 8ery fe mites ere foun$ on these bees after treatment1 !he trac#ing stri's an$ grease 'atties are lethal to e2'ose$ mites %those on a$ult bees or al#ing o0er frames., but the mites can esca'e these treatments by going into broo$ cells about to be ca''e$1 !here ere 0ery fe mites on a$ults in treate$ colonies, but the mites ere re'ro$ucing at normal le0els in $rone cells an$ or#er broo$ cells %es'ecially in August an$ "e'tember.1 !he fe remaining $rone cells ha$ lots of mites in them %+) "e' -.1 /e conclu$e$ that the essential oils in trac#ing stri's an$ grease 'atties $o not enter the foo$ chain sufficiently to im'air mite $e0elo'ment1 !he colonies that ere fe$ syru' ith essential oils, in a$$ition to using trac#ing stri's an$ grease 'atties, ere 0irtually free of 0arroa mites, ithout using A'istan1 Robbing can be greatly re$uce$ by ma#ing an entrance cleat that surroun$s the boar$man fee$er an$ 'ro0i$es an entrance at the other en$ of the cleat:
(iagram of a oo$en cleat ma$e to fit in the entrance of a hi0e33$imensions ill 0ary1 &arge colonies ith many su'ers an$ lots of s'ace ma$e mite control more $ifficult: the treatments ere too $ilute$ by the 0olume of s'ace an$ number of $is'erse$ bees1 !herefore, e recommen$ that bee#ee'ers remo0e honey su'ers as soon as 'ossible an$ re$uce colonies to + or 4 broo$ chambers, at most1 5n some of our colonies, grease 'atties containing s'earmint oil ere 'ro'oli9e$6 but not those 'atties ma$e ith intergreen, tea tree or 'atchouli oils1 /e belie0e that $uring the late fall an$ early inter the 0arroa mite is 0ery susce'tible to control by essential oils $ue to the formation of a cluster an$ to the lac# of broo$1 By treating hi0es ith the grease 'atties %an$ trac#ing stri's an$ syru's if eather is arm enough. containing intergreen, tea tree an$=or 'atchouli oils, an$ ma#ing sure the treatments are near the cluster, then the 0arroa mites ill ha0e no 'lace to hi$e an$ all can be #ille$1 %No broo$ cells ill be a0ailable as shelters1.
Kueens: A 'otential 'roblem may be that 7ueens on mating flights may ha0e their 'heromone mas#e$ or may become somehat $isoriente$ by essential oils1 /e recommen$ that the essential oil treatments be remo0e$ from the hi0es hen 7ueen rearing an$ mating is ta#ing 'lace1 Care must be ta#en to a0oi$ getting canola ith essential oil $irectly onto the 7ueen1 (rones: /e foun$ that large numbers of $rone cells 'ro0i$e 'rotection to the 0arroa mites an$ are $efinitely the source of most bree$ing 0arroa mites1 Conse7uently, e recommen$ that the amount of a0ailable $rone cells be #e't to a minimum6 be sure to remo0e an$ re'lace ol$ comb containing lots of irregular $rone cells1 %"ee the literature for techni7ues using 'erio$ic $rone remo0al to re$uce 0arroa mites.1 omments on !arroatosis:
!here are to forms of 0arroatosis %infestation of bee colonies by the 0arroa mite.: +. Epidemic !arroatosis: !his form of 0arroatosis occurs hen the $isease s'rea$s uncontrolle$ through feral colonies, an$=or through untreate$ a'iaries in a large area1 5n this form of the $isease, ra'i$ $e0elo'ment of 0arroa mites is seen accom'anie$ by the com'le2 of ailments #non as M" %'arasitic mite syn$rome. or bee M" %see 'a'ers by "himanu#i an$ Hung., folloe$ by su$$en colla'se an$ $eath of colonies1 /hat is ha''eningL (ying feral colonies, or $ying a'iaries, sen$ forth lost bees that are carrying large numbers of 0arroa mites1 Or, robber bees may be 'ic#ing u' large numbers of mites from $ying feral colonies1 !hus a 7ueenright colony is su$$enly in0a$e$ by large numbers of 'horetic, 'arasitic mites1 Un$er normal con$itions, the mites in a colony $o not 'ro$uce huge numbers in @ust one or to months6 su$$en increases in mite numbers are the result of mass influ2 of bees an$ mites $eserting $ying colonies1 At the same time, the mites, coming from many $i0erse colonies, ha0e ac7uire$ many $ifferent 'athogens: agents of sac broo$, chal# broo$, acute bee 'aralysis 0irus, #ashmir 0irus, Egy't %$eforme$ ing. 0irus, chronic bee 'aralysis, etc1 !he su$$en a''earance an$ s'rea$ of these 'athogens in a colony 'ro$uces the syn$rome calle$ M"1 !he colony becomes 0ery ea# an$ unable to fen$ off common 'ests such as a2 moth, yello @ac#ets, etc1, an$ the colony ra'i$ly $in$les an$ then $ies1 E'i$emic 0arroatosis as s'rea$ into 0arious centers throughout the U1"1 by migratory bee#ee'ers, ho ere not aare of the $egree of mite infestations nor of the 0arious 'athogens being transmitte$1 !his e'i$emic 0arroatosis has thus s'rea$ throughout the U1"1 in a series of e2'an$ing circles in nearly e0ery state6 the $isease reache$ Bob NoelFs colonies in summer +>, hen he began his research ith essential oils1 !he most $ramatic results of effecti0e research ill be e0i$ent hen a''lie$ to colonies suffering from e'i$emic 0arroatosis1 4. "ronic !arroatosis: Once the e'i$emic has 'asse$ %as shon by the loss of all feral colonies an$ the loss of all colonies in a'iaries that ere not treate$., the 0arroatosis ill ta#e its normal chronic form: much sloer rate of $e0elo'ment of mite 'o'ulations in hi0es, hich if left untreate$, ill e0entually succumb in ) or ? seasons1 Also, 0ery fe of the other 0irus $iseases ill be seen, hich 'ro$uce$ the M" sym'toms $escribe$ abo0e1 !reatments using A'istan, formic aci$, etc1, ill 're0ent the mites from o0erhelming colonies1 !hus, here in the U1"1, bee#ee'ers ill enter the 'hase that the Euro'eans ha0e been e2'eriencing for the 'ast se0eral years1 !his mil$er form of 0arroatosis causes some bee#ee'ers to erroneously belie0e that 0arroatosis is not such a se0ere 'est of honey bees, an$ that the terrible scourge that $ecimate$ bee colonies must ha0e been $ue to other causes1 (es'ite its less se0ere e2'ression, chronic 0arroatosis is an insi$ious $isease ca'able of the e0entual $emise of all Euro'ean Honey Bee Colonies1
omments on Natural Resistance to !arroatosis:
!here are many 'a'ers in the literature that remar# on bee resistance to 0arroa mites, or on regions an$ countries here the 0arroa mite, although 'resent, is not a 'roblem1 /e belie0e that in many of these cases that essential oils in nectars %an$=or 'ollensL. collecte$ in an$ aroun$ the colonies ha$ a su''ressi0e effect on 0arroa mite re'ro$uction1 None of the 'a'ers consi$ere$ the 'ossibility that a com'onent of the beesF $iet %from nectar or 'ollen. or from 'ro'olis may ha0e a$0ersely affecte$ the $e0elo'ment of the 0arroa mites1 A series of a''ro'riate e2'eriments in Bra9il, et al1 locations here this as obser0e$, oul$ be able to $etermine if this in$ee$ is hat causes the large numbers of sterile or non3re'ro$ucing 0arroa mites foun$ in these colonies1 A recent re'ort of 0arroa mites on Apis cerana in a'ua Ne uinea mentions that none ha0e been foun$ in nearby colonies of Apis mellifera, suggesting that these colonies may ha0e resistance to the 0arroa mites1 Hoe0er, e belie0e that the @um' ma$e by Varroa jacobsoni from Apis cerana %its original, natural host. to Apis mellifera may be a com'arati0ely rare e0ent1 Maybe such a @um' occurs only once or tice 'er $eca$e: 'erha's our current 0arroa mite 'roblem comes to us from a @um' that occurre$ in Ja'an last century1 !his 'ossibility coul$ be e2'erimentally in0estigate$ by 'erforming a series of transfer e2'eriments33es'ecially one here 0arroa mites from 0arroa3infeste$ Apis mellifera are transferre$ to these su''ose$ly resistant colonies in an e2'erimental setting %e1g1, on some small 5slan$ $istant from a'ua Ne uinea.1 "imilar e2'eriments shoul$ be con$ucte$ in Ja'an an$ in China here A. cerana an$ A. mellifera are artificially sym'atric1 !he 'ossibility of Euro'ean Honey Bees in the U1 "1 $e0elo'ing hygienic beha0ior to remo0e mites has been mentione$ in se0eral 'a'ers1 /e belie0e that the e0i$ence suggests there a''arently are no 'o'ulations that e2hibit this beha0ior1 Our conclusion is base$ on the fact that 0irtually all feral bees ha0e been $estroye$ by the 0arroa mite1 5f there ha$ been hygienic beha0ioral ty'es 'resent, they oul$ be e0i$ent by no1 /e also belie0e that the Eastern U1 "1 ha$ consi$erable $i0ersity among the formerly immense feral bee 'o'ulations1 ;or $eca$es bee#ee'ers bought $ifferent #in$s of bees originally $eri0e$ from many 'arts of Euro'e an$ Central Asia %eg1, 5talians, (ar# ermans, Carniolans, Caucasian, an$ many ty'es of hybri$s such as "tarlines, Mi$nights, Buc#fast, et al1.33an$ from these colonies, sarms ha0e issue$ all through the eastern U1 "1 an$ 'ro$uce$ the feral colonies that ere abun$ant until 0arroa mite arri0e$1 /e belie0e that the enormous $i0ersity of these feral colonies throughout the U1"1 oul$ ha0e containe$ the genes for hygienic beha0ior, if such genes ere a0ailable1 But since 0irtually all feral bees are no gone, it is a''arent that e0en this e2tensi0e $i0ersity as not sufficient to 'ro0i$e any meaningful resistance to the 0arroa mite1 Hoe0er, e nee$ to be alert for the 'ossibility that somehere, in some corner of the formerly 0ast feral 'o'ulations, one such resistant hygienic colony or 'o'ulation manage$ to sur0i0e1 EPA Exemption of Essential #ils:
/e learne$ recently that EA has e2em'te$ certain acti0e ingre$ients from the re7uirements of ;5;RA %;e$eral 5nsectici$e, ;ungici$e an$ Ro$entici$e Act. inclu$ing some essential oils6 this information can be foun$ in the ;e$eral Register, 8ol1 -+, No1 ?>:D-3D, /e$s1, Mar1 -, +- %E2em'tion of certain 'estici$e substances.6 materials liste$ inclu$e cinnamon oil, citronella oil, lemongrass oil, mint an$ mint oil eg1, atchouli oil, 'e''ermint oil, etc1 EA further state$ that the inert substances in ;e$1 Reg1 8ol1 -+, No1 ?> can be a$$e$ to the acti0e ingre$ients liste$ in ;e$1 Reg1 8ol1 >, No1 +D:??**3??*+, /e$s1, "e' 4, +? %5nert ingre$ients in estici$e ro$ucts., inclu$ing clo0es, mineral o il, 'arafin a2, intergreen oil,
etc1 !he label for e2em'te$ 'ro$ucts must list the name an$ 'ercentage %by eight. of each acti0e ingre$ient an$ the name of each inert ingre$ient, an$ must not contain any false or mislea$ing statements %?* C;R Art1 +>-1+*, + July +?.1 Many states re7uire some form of state labeling such as Attention: this 'ro$uct is a 'estici$e hich is e2em't from fe$eral safety testing re7uirements1 "tate registration $oes not im'ly safety or efficacy1 User assumes full liability of use1 Contact your state 'estici$e office for their re7uirements1 Notes about trac"eal mites:
/e chec#e$ BobFs colonies for tracheal mites by collecting ol$er foragers: those that ha0e fraye$ ings an$ a bal$ thora21 /e remo0e$ their hea$s an$ first 'air of legs an$ e2amine$ the tracheal trun#s that are 0isible insi$e the resulting ca0ity %you may nee$ to 'eel off the collar ith force's on some s'ecimens.6 infeste$ tracheae coul$ be seen ith a han$ lens an$ ere $ar# s'otte$ or uniformly $ar#1 Results: in some control colonies %no treatments. )* ha$ tracheal mites6 in treate$ colonies, +* or less ha$ tracheal mites1 "ince bees are able to $rift consi$erable $istances, e sus'ect that some of those in our treate$ colonies may ha0e come in from other, $eclining feral colonies in the neighborhoo$ %a fe feral colonies still remain near Cumberlan$, but these ill 'robably all $isa''ear by +D.1 !he ol$er bees gi0e a more reliable test for the 'resence an$ e2tent of infestation by tracheal mite1 /e learne$ that British bee#ee'ers, u' until about +>*, use$ a bottle of intergreen oil %methyl salicylate. ith a ic# through the to' an$ 'lace$ in the bottom of their hi0es to control acarine $isease %tracheal mites. %courtesy of (a0i$ Eyre, Ontario, Cana$a.1 /e also learne$ that (r1 Rennie, aroun$ ++3+4>, recommen$e$ oil of intergreen o0er the original ;ro treatment %safrol3 nitroben9ene3'etrol. as a treatment for 5sle of /ight (isease %acarine $isease or tracheal mites. %courtesy of Mr1 Joe Hemmens, U.1 On 4)34> (ecember +-, four colonies at /8U ere e2amine$ for tracheal mite1 E2ams for tracheal mites ere negati0e in July, August, an$ "e'tember1 !he colonies ere treate$ ith grease 'atties an$ syru's containing intergreen an$ tea tree oil in summer an$ fall1 Eight of )bees on 4) (ecember ha$ tracheal mite %4414.6 eggs, lar0ae, males an$ females ere 'resent in$icating acti0e $e0elo'ment of the tracheal mites1 !he sam'le consiste$ of li0e an$ $ea$ bees from the front of colonies1 Each hi0e as sam'le$ again on 4? (ecember: Hi0e +: *=+ %* .1 Hi0e 4: )=+D %+D1-.1 Hi0e ): )=4)%+)1*?.1 Hi0e ?: -=4+ %41-.1 O0erall, the tracheal mite infestation as 4*=++- %+D14. total %4*=D or4*1- for the thre e infeste$ hi0es.1 !hree colonies %+,4,?. ere treate$ by sha#ing arm sugar syru' containing $issol0e$ menthol %+ ts' stoc# menthol solution 'er 'int. an$ canola oil %+ ts'='int. onto the bees on )* (ec1 +-: +=4 'int 'er cluster %ambient tem'erature -+ ;1. 'ro0i$e access here to the file tm1'$ !he hi0es ill be e2amine$ in January an$ ;ebruary to $etermine tracheal mite infestation1 E2'erimental !reatment: Menthol < Oil for !racheal Mite %Acara'is oo$i. Control Useful E7ui0alents an$ Measures for Mi2ing Essential Oils Essential oils use$ to control mites in honey bees eneral "afety Consi$erations for Using Essential Oils Kuestions or comments 'lease contact: James /1 Amrine, Jr1 (i0ision of lant an$ "oil "ciences, 1 O1 Bo2 -+*, /est 8irginia Uni0ersity Morganton, /8 4->*>3-+* U"A !ele'hone: )*?34)3-*4) E3mail: @amrineP0n0m10net1e$u
