I'm no Norwegian translator, but here's what I gathered from the article: Retired Veterinarian thinks bees with Varroa might be similar to animals with mites. Folk remedy for animals with mites: use aspen bark (branches, leaves, or some other part???) Dude gets idea to try 'something old' in a new way; using chopped aspen twigs as a varroacide... finds that his hives survived (no, he's not a beekeeper, beehaver maybe?). Now has many hives: "this might be a cure". =) Hmm... Aspen bark/branches/twigs as a possible Varroacide? I'm pretty sure that Aspen bark contains high levels of Salicyl (similar to aspirin but not the same). I wonder if Salicylic alcohol or Salicylic compounds have been evaluated any kind of scientifically controlled test with Varroa? (un-related paper on allergens contained in Aspen) "Salicyl alcohol or 2-methylolphenol ...salicyl alcohol in aspen bark. ...salicyl alcohol, salicylaldehyde..., aspen wood dust and an extract prepared from the bark of aspen (Populus tremula). ...We analysed salicyl alcohol and salicylaldehyde in the bark extracts and found the 2 chemicals in equal amounts, about 0.9 µg/mg in aspen bark and in lower concentrations in rowan and the willows. ...Besides salicyl alcohol, salicylaldehyde is also recommended to be used to screen for contact allergy to aspen. Both of these chemicals should be tested in forest workers in areas where aspen is growing. " http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118692752/abstract - Mike (well over his head here) ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * *******************************************************