Hi All.

    I've used thymol in the form of Apiguard for two seasons. So far it's
been perfectly effective under my conditions, with a generally low level of
mites. Current natural mite fall is running at about one mite per day per
hive. the smell of thymol can be very noticeable in the hives on a warm day
during treatment, but it has never so far been persistent.

    That being said, I wouldn't want to use this or any other varroa
treatment without monitoring, and without at least having alternatives
available if mite counts began to rise. I wouldn't want to rely on thymol
alone in a situation where my hives were being swamped by drifting bees from
collapsing hives in the area. Given the worrying report on Apistan in
January's 'Bee Culture'
(http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/months/02jan/02jan1.htm), which suggests
that it affects drone fertility and queen size, I'm just glad I've never had
to use it.

Regards,

Robert Brenchley
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Birmingham UK