On the subject of Menthol, one of my colonies succumbed to acarine (tracheal mites) this year. My first experience of this ever. As I had a new queen only a week or two old in the hive and she was laying well, I did not want to destroy them. So I decided I would try a remedy given to my father earlier this year by Dan Deasey, an 87 year old Irish beekeeper of great repute. It is basically the same as described in earlier postings - the method of adding it to sugar feed. His recipe required far less menthol, but I decided to stick with the recipe as is given for preventing mould from growing on the syrup. I am afraid I still tend to feel more is better at times. Dan Deasey told my father it was an old remedy for acarine, and very effective. It seemed the perfect opportunity to try it out. Results so far are exterememy promising, they 'look' like they have hawled themselves back from the brink, but I have not had time to do another test yet. What I did was take as much of their own stores away and feed as much syrup plus thymol as I could so that (in theory) they will be eating this feed throughout the winter, and not just at the time I fed them. The whole hive smelt strongly of menthol so it is obviously a good way of getting the vapour into the hive atmosphere. As I say it is too early to tell yet, and next Spring will be the day of reckoning. I shall let you all know my results then. Madeleine Pym