REGARDING           RE>Tracial mites(sp)                                      
                                                                                
Bill Painter wrote:                                                             
> I understand that a patty can be made to keep down tracial mites using        
> wintergreen.  My question is would one made with pepermint work just as       
> well or better or not at all?  If it does work does anyone have a recipe      
> for this?                                                                     
                                                                                
Actually, all that is necessary is a mixture of vegetable shortening and        
sugar.  The oils seem to coat the bee enough to make her unsuitable for the     
tracheal mite.  I always use a commercially prepared mixture, also containing   
terramycin, called Terrapatty.  This controls both AFB and EFB as well as the   
tracheal mite.  I think that the recipe for the sugar/shortening patty was      
one three pound can of shortening and a five pound sack of sugar, well mixed    
with a kitchen beater.  To this can be added one small packet of TM25           
terramycin, if you want.  I just take an ice cream scoop and put one to four    
scoops (depending on colony size) between hive bodies or on top of the upper    
hive body.  Omit the terramycin if using during the honey flow.                 
                                                                                
Before the ease of using this patty became known, many beekeepers used to put   
a few ounces of menthol crystals, contained in a screen or plastic bag, into    
the hive to control tracheal mite.  The bees absolutely hate the smell of       
this and propolize very heavily around the container to wall it off from the    
rest of the hive.  Removing this mess with the heavy mint smell was a real      
bummer, in my opinion.  I'm glad we don't have to fool with it any more.        
                                                                                
Ted Fischer