>  Maybe this is me quibbling over details, but herbal treatments are still

drug treatments.  Just because they are "natural" does not mean they are
necessarily safer (though to be fair, most herbal treatments have lower
doses of active ingredients).  It often means they are simply less studied.

Second that.


A few months ago someone showed up at our BKA meeting promoting the virtues of smoking a hive with Creosote Weed  as a Varroa treatment, ostensibly to replace other Varroa treatments.   He was importing it from the States.     He made claims of efficacy that were not supported by the one or two studies I could find on this.

He did not know if this had any negative effect was upon bees, negative effect upon humans, or left residues in wax or honey.     He seemed indignant at the suggestion that such a "Natural" recommendation could have any shortcomings.

After some consideration, I conclude that it was not "Natural" that he was really looking for, but instead something that was novel, that hadn't been co-opted by "the establishment".


[ Full disclosure:    I use Juniper in my smoker, due to rumored anti-varroal properties.    Would never recommend this to others on this basis, or actually fumigate with it, but it certainly smells pleasant. ]

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