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Author Topic: homemade treatment spray for Varroas  (Read 12288 times)

Offline beekeeper120

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homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« on: August 05, 2011, 04:23:11 pm »
Does anybody have a formula or know a commercial product that you can spray on to bees that will help control/kill varroa?  I read on a post down below something about Honey b healthy mixed with thyme but it goes no further..

Any help would be greatfull.

Offline Adrian

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2011, 04:43:47 pm »
Hello,

I use spearmint and lemongrass essential oil in a spray of water, honey and lecithin granules(Whole Foods has a good brand.) I blend this up..if you do not use the lecithin the oils will float on the mixture and not blend. I spray this on my bees regularly through the summer. They like it and lick it off each other. Not only does it strengthen them internally but all parasites hate it. I DO NOT HAVE MITES ON MY BEES! Their wings are shaped normally and not deformed. They live well and are strong but this is a very hands on approach and must be done regularly during the late spring and summer.

Be careful how much of the essential oils you use. You can hurt the bees. I use therapeutic grade oils for the bees from Young Living.  If I am making 16 ounces of the spray, I only use 3 drops(not droppers..be careful here) of spearmint and two drops of the lemongrass. I use just enough honey to sweeten it up and 1 teaspoon of lecithin granules and blend until creamy. The key for me is that from May on they usually get a dose of this once a week or once every two weeks until I button down the hives for winter. DO NOT OVERSPRAY--lightly spray on bees and in hives.

Now if I am strengthening bees in feed I mix thyme oil with the lecithin crystals in honey and a little bit of water. The thing about THYME oil is it is very potent. The thyme oil in Honey Bee Healthy is thymol....which is taken from pure THYME. So however and whenever you use thyme you must be very conservative because you can kill your bees with it. Put it on your skin and it will burn you, so you see how potent it is.

May you have good prosperity with your wonderful bees. The above system works but is very time consuming which I have noticed people with 25 or more hives usually opt for chemicals because they can not put all the time this requires. For me, this is what I do, so I am thankful for a natural, healthy way to strengthen and protect my hives.
Adrian

Offline sunnyside

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2011, 01:30:32 pm »
Adrian,

I use essential oils for everything inside my home and also on me and the family for various things.  I have everything on hand, lest for the lecithin granules.  I am going to try this!  How long have you been using this?  How many hives do you have?  How far does the 16 oz go?  Sorry for all of the questions, just really curious!!  Think this will fit in nicely here on the farm!!

Offline njoylife10

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2011, 09:44:24 am »
I'm interested in the answers to the above questions too.

njoylife10

Offline njoylife10

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2011, 01:37:05 pm »
I have a spearmint plant. I'm wondering if I could put a few leaves in to infuse the water and how many would that be?

njoylife10

Offline NDbeekeeper

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2011, 12:13:31 am »
Hi there  - how much thyme?
This is super exciting - because I tested for varroa mites early this year and although they don't have a huge mite load, they're still present. In ND it's getting quite cold, not sure where you are located but is this something that might work for fall treatment to help them go into winter strong? I was looking at Mann Lake's HopGuard...I suppose that it isn't as great as they claim...maybe better than checkmite though. :)
Say also - would this herbal spray also help with tracheal mites...I know one book recommended grease patties w/ spearmint(peppermint) mixed in, but maybe this would be better?

Offline NDbeekeeper

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2011, 12:19:53 am »
Oh yeah - how much lecithin do you use for the spearmint/lemongrass spray - and when you say blend - like in a blender, or just whip it by hand. Thanks!

~

Offline forrestcav

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2011, 02:44:07 pm »
so do you have measurements as to how much of each ingredient you use?
Just a beek trying to get ready for winter.

Offline Adrian

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2011, 07:52:53 pm »
Hello,

First of all let me say that I have no set ingredient amount but can offer this. Per 16 Ounce of water and a little honey in the mix (so the bees will  lick it off each other and get it internally as well,) I user one drop of each oil(NOT one dropper) if using Young Living Essential Oils. I am not a reseller of these oils, it is just my experience that these are truly therapeutic grade oils that have not been cut with anything synthetic or diluted, so they are highly concentrated. Then as far as the lecithin is concerned, I start with a teaspoon, blend it all up and then see if the oil is thoroughly mixed in. If you see oil sitting on top of the mixture,  add more. I am using Whole Foods brand soy lecithin, which will not hurt the bees at all. I never drench bees. I lightly spray them during the late spring, all through the summer, and fall before the weather turns, I spray them every couple of weeks. WHY? Because this is not a dramatic wipe out every parasite and hope some of the bees survive trip like the heavy chemical usage is. IT IS more labor intensive then using chemical products. What I end up getting is strong bees that can fight off anything with little to none parasites. So, I put the effort forth so they will thrive. When your weather is cool...consistently below 60 degrees...I will not wet bees with anything!

Hope this helps.

Adrian
Adrian

Offline Adrian

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2011, 07:57:24 pm »
I have a spearmint plant. I'm wondering if I could put a few leaves in to infuse the water and how many would that be?

njoylife10


Well, you will not get the same potency because an oil of a plant without the plant that has been cold pressed or distilled with minimal heat, is concentrated. I have never done what you are suggesting. Sorry.
Adrian

Offline Adrian

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2011, 08:02:08 pm »
Oh yeah - how much lecithin do you use for the spearmint/lemongrass spray - and when you say blend - like in a blender, or just whip it by hand. Thanks!

~


I use a blender to get true homogenization....everything thoroughly mixed! Please see below for the answers to your other question. Happy Bee Keeping to YOU! Are they not GRAND!?
Adrian

Offline Soapmaker

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2012, 06:17:00 pm »
Just be aware that in most cases lecithin is made from soy.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2012, 09:38:03 am »
In India they are using cow urine with very good effect.  Not that I'm recommending it, but it is probably better than anything else you'll come up with...
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Offline nietssemaj

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2012, 05:51:09 pm »
May also want to be warry of spraying this.. (or the cow urine) on the bee's comb while you have supers/honey you plan on harvesting. It will get into the honey.

Offline BlevinsBees

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Re: homemade treatment spray for Varroas
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2012, 06:46:40 pm »
I pee on all my brood combs but only after I extract  :-D
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