I found this about that:
They tested
a select series of plant materials, screening for those with active compounds against A. woodi. Some of the plants selected for screening, viz. creosote bush (Lar- rea tridentata), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), coffee (Coffea arabica), and orange peel (Citrus sinensis) are known or suspected to have insecticidal and acaricidal properties (Rodriquez and Levin, 1976; Liu, 1991; Kretschmar and Baumann, 1999).
The others were selected either because they are commonly used smoker fuel (corn cobs, Zea mays; pine needles, Pinus cembroides; Johnson grass, Sorgum halepense) or we were asked to check their activity by beekeepers because they are highly aromatic or resinous (eucalyptus, Eucalyptus sp.; mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa; pecan, Carya illinoiensis).
There were variable responses by both A. woodi and adult bees to different plant smokes. Corncob smoke was toxic to adult bees, whereas it caused only moderate adult mite mortality. We are not aware of what com- pound(s) in corncobs caused bee mortality. It is possible that residues contaminated the corncobs. Smoke given off by burning coffee beans also gave moderately high A. woodi mortality, but was harmless to bees. Further testing is warranted with this material.
Eischen, F. A., & Vergara, C. H. (2004). Natural products smoke and its effect on Acarapis woodi and honey bees. Apidologie, 35, 341-350.
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if this is the only time corn was tested, it can hardly be considered conclusive. On the other hand, who needs corn cobs. I prefer burlap from coffee sacks, myself.
PLB
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