On Fri, 28 Mar 1997, Joel Govostes wrote:
 
> Are many beekeepers mixing the mint-oil(s) into the terramycin/sugar/grease
> patties administered in springtime?  I wonder just how much to add, and/or
> if it might interfere with the action of the antibiotic (?).  Will the bees
> get all discombobulated or ignore the patties if the mint added is too
> much?
>
  Hi Joel;
 
   I'm not using terramycin in my patties. I use grease, sugar , honey and
6 drops of peppermint oil per. 3 lb.s of mix. I'm using peppermint oil
because it vaporizes faster. ( smells stronger) Most of the testing has
been with wintergreen.I would stay with wintergreen and not experiment
much on your own.The reason I say this , is that mint oils are toxic to
bees if they are given too much at one time. That information has come to
me from a PhD. that has knowledge of mint oils and bees.I belive mint oils
will take care of the mite problem. I did not loose any bees to mites this
last winter. One hive used up all there stores, do to a queen that would
not stop laying. We have a problem , mint oil is cheap, crisco and
honey-sugar is not too spendy either.How do you get the USDA and
researchers working on mint oils and testing them so we can use them? That
is the million dollar question. I know we have some very good researchers
that would work on a funded project.I'm a realist and know that the
squeeky wheel gets the grease. Beekeepers as a rule do not squeek very
loud. Companys do, with money.The noise is deafining in DC. Not everything
is negative , in the ABJ about 6 months ago some beekeepers and a
University did some work with mint oils. (wintergreen ) . I'm sorry that I
don't have the info at hand and wish that someone would acknowledge the
people and U that did the work.
  I know in Canada that a researcher is working on queen egg laying when
mint oil is used to stop the mites.We do need more work to answer more
questions.Just because my bees wintered the best they ever have is not
just do to mint oil.I have found a way to keep the moisture level down in
the hive and use insulation on top. Testing oils has to be controlled and
done with  care by those that have been educated to perform tests.
 I hope that breeding a resistance to the mites comes soon. It takes time
to do a fix in breeding. That is the long term cure for the mite.
 A little sidline , I do not use terrimyacine unless needed.We mask
problems with the use of too many drugs. I want bees to clean house on
there own.I want to explain (unless needed) If I get some bees out of a
house or barn and want to dust them a little to cut down the chance of
messing up some of my equipment. I will use some TM.
 
Best Regards
 Roy