Medhat Nasr explains that his tests of Apiguard shows 60% efficiency,
with the surface area of the "ashtray" type being insufficient to
provide sufficient vapour levels, and that climate conditions were a
problem.

First, thank you, Medhat, that's very useful info; I'll stick with the
strip product if/when I use thymol.  I'd be curious to know what
climatic conditions affected your tests - too cold for vaporization?

He adds:

> By the way the two products thymovar and apiguard smell the same
> since they use the same active ingredient.

Oh, I suspected so.  :-)

I imagine that in an out apiary, people would neither notice nor care.
With a colony that's next to the house, which we like to sit on
the deck and watch, we get used to the scent of a healthy hive,
and the thymol smell is disturbing because it doesn'e smell like a
healthy hive.  Of course that's neither here nor there - the important
part is to get rid of the mites.  But if my house smelled like that,
*I*'d abscond!  :-/

> Oxalic acid in shop towels or strips is under investigation in
> Canada.

I'm very glad to hear that work is in progress!

Thanks again!


Anne, backyard beekeeper, Montreal.

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