NZBF: Thyme oil - varroa mite

Welcome to NZ Beekeepers+
Would you like to join the rest of our members? Feel free to sign up today.
Sign up
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
Does anyone recommend using thyme oil mixed with coconut oil to treat verroa? I stumbled across a you tube video from Russia demonstrating
how this is used. (
) They had catch boards underneath the frames so could check the effectiveness of it, and it seemed to work. Could you use it in conjunction with the apivar strips?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grant

Mummzie

Staff member
1,284
1,161
Tasman
Experience
Hobbyist
Can I suggest you get a copy of "Control of Varroa- a Guide for New Zealand beekeepers" by Mark Goodwin & Michelle Taylor.

It will give good information and reasons for the choices of treatments that have become mainstream for many New Zealand beekeepers.
Its best to seek advice from places with the same environmental conditions.
 
  • Good Info
Reactions: Grant
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
Can I suggest you get a copy of "Control of Varroa- a Guide for New Zealand beekeepers" by Mark Goodwin & Michelle Taylor.

It will give good information and reasons for the choices of treatments that have become mainstream for many New Zealand beekeepers.
Its best to seek advice from places with the same environmental conditions.
Ok thank you.......I will do. :)
 

tommy dave

Gold
BOP Club
230
263
mostly wellington, sometimes dunedin
Experience
Hobbyist
I would stay away from experimenting with unusual varroa treatments unless you're
  1. Prepared to have hives die; and
  2. Experienced in keeping hives alive over at least a couple of years using commonly used varroa control approaches
In terms of use in conjunction with a method that is known to work (such as apivar), there isn't any reason to do so unless you're doing a multi.hive comparison trial, half with combination treatment, half with apivar only
 
  • Good Info
  • Agree
Reactions: Sailabee and Grant
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
I would stay away from experimenting with unusual varroa treatments unless you're
  1. Prepared to have hives die; and
  2. Experienced in keeping hives alive over at least a couple of years using commonly used varroa control approaches
In terms of use in conjunction with a method that is known to work (such as apivar), there isn't any reason to do so unless you're doing a multi.hive comparison trial, half with combination treatment, half with apivar only
Ok makes sense......I was just curious as to whether anyone had experimented with it. As I've only got one hive I'll just stick with the norm.
 

Grant

Staff member
Founder Member
Platinum
10,498
4,941
You can lead the way when you get to your 3rd year. By then it will give some others time to comment, or you may even sow a seed.
Ideally you'd want a treated hive a traditionally treated hive and a control hive for your study anyway :LOL:
 
  • Like
Reactions: tommy dave
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
You can lead the way when you get to your 3rd year. By then it will give some others time to comment, or you may even sow a seed.
Ideally you'd want a treated hive a traditionally treated hive and a control hive for your study anyway :LOL:
Ok thanks Grant.......I'll leave that trial to the experts.......and not a beginner 😅
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Grant
245
156
Christchurch
Experience
Beginner
Does anyone recommend using thyme oil mixed with coconut oil to treat verroa? I stumbled across a you tube video from Russia demonstrating
how this is used. (
) They had catch boards underneath the frames so could check the effectiveness of it, and it seemed to work. Could you use it in conjunction with the apivar strips?
I agree with the folks above that the tried and true is a good philosophy to follow but ALSO adding thyme etc, as long as it doesnt hurt the bees, may help . If you have several hives additionally adding thyme to one and seeing if it makes a diifference could be good research.
 
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
but its a case of reinventing the wheel, so why bother.
plenty of info around including commercial products.
What appeals to me is that the thyme oil would be an organic treatment that wouldn't harm the bees or people, if used correctly. I'm concerned that some of these commercial verroa treatments are the opposite, and then I worry would there be any residue in the honey. As I've only just removed 10 full frames of comb (my first ever) , I am getting it tested for tutin, glyphosate and also a pollen count....just curious....but I forgot to tick the box for the verroa treatment residue. Next time..... 😅
 

Grant

Staff member
Founder Member
Platinum
10,498
4,941
I think it's definitely a good idea to have aspirations of trying something that fits well with your ethos. The best advice is to get used to keeping bees first. Do a season or two in as standard a way as possible while you learn, then start adding in variables related to different practices.

Many people end up losing the hive while experimenting as soon as they get into the hobby, then have no idea what caused the losses because there are so many variables involved was it them, their treatment, the queen, starvation, disease, stress, weather, lack of swarm control
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sailabee

Sailabee

BOP Club
1,238
1,296
North Auckland
Experience
Hobbyist
As I've only just removed 10 full frames of comb (my first ever) , I am getting it tested for tutin, glyphosate and also a pollen count....just curious....but I forgot to tick the box for the verroa treatment residue. Next time..... 😅
Are you aware that when getting the comb honey tested for tutin, you must stipulate it is being used for comb honey, as they adjust the allowable levels.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Trevor Gillbanks
8,865
5,295
maungaturoto
Experience
Commercial
What appeals to me is that the thyme oil would be an organic treatment that wouldn't harm the bees or people, if used correctly. I'm concerned that some of these commercial verroa treatments are the opposite, and then I worry would there be any residue in the honey.
it harms bees and people. if it didn't it wouldn't kill mites.
it also will put residue in honey if you don't use it correctly.
its nothing new, its been done for many many years.

unfortunately its rather common for people to go into beekeeping with preconceived ideas that are not realistic.
most of them usually kill their hives. they end up with a box in the garden and stories of how the "used to be a beekeeper". :rolleyes:
sorry if thats harsh but the goal is beekeeping not "treating hives with ............".
start with beekeeping first, move on to the fancy stuff later.
 

Sailabee

BOP Club
1,238
1,296
North Auckland
Experience
Hobbyist
Even the commercially produced Thyme treatments cause the bees to bail out of the hive as it makes it stink, and bees have a very strong sense of smell, and the ambient temperature has to be right or else it is even more useless. Personally, I don't know of a hobbyist - experienced or not who has has success with the manufactured treatment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vinflobie
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
Are you aware that when getting the comb honey tested for tutin, you must stipulate it is being used for comb honey, as they adjust the allowable levels.
Sorry, I didn't mean comb honey........just honey which is being processed and put into jars.....almost 17kgs and a very light coloured honey.....wouldn't know the first thing about comb honey production but I've read it can be dangerous if removed after 31 Dec.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sailabee
18
12
Narrow Neck AUCKLAND
Experience
Beginner
it harms bees and people. if it didn't it wouldn't kill mites.
it also will put residue in honey if you don't use it correctly.
its nothing new, its been done for many many years.

unfortunately its rather common for people to go into beekeeping with preconceived ideas that are not realistic.
most of them usually kill their hives. they end up with a box in the garden and stories of how the "used to be a beekeeper". :rolleyes:
sorry if thats harsh but the goal is beekeeping not "treating hives with ............".
start with beekeeping first, move on to the fancy stuff later.
Good advice.......yes I recently heard of a chap who had 48 hives up towards Pakiri who lost the lot due to using a new herbal verroa treatment.....The owner of the hives wasn't involved in their keep, but he employed a beekeeper to look after them and it all turned into
a big disaster unfortunately.......
 
8,865
5,295
maungaturoto
Experience
Commercial
Even the commercially produced Thyme treatments cause the bees to bail out of the hive as it makes it stink, and bees have a very strong sense of smell, and the ambient temperature has to be right or else it is even more useless. Personally, I don't know of a hobbyist - experienced or not who has has success with the manufactured treatment.
we ran a trail site for a few years.
yes it works. it can be successful but like most, if not all, of the alternative treatments is its variable in effectiveness. doing mite counts is critical.
 
2
0
baverly Hills
Experience
Beginner
Hello everyone :)!
I find myself in the same situation as you. I was disappointed by the effectiveness of a product anti-varroa that I used previously:rolleyes::confused:. Therefore, I prefer to turn to natural treatments, if possible.

I would like to know your experiences and recommendations regarding natural treatments to fight varroa mites. If any of you have used such methods before and had good results, I would love to hear more.

Thank you in advance for your precious help !:geek:

Cordially,
Gisele
 


Top