"Thanks, Bill, for posting it under the VC thread. I don't have any complaint toward you. "
Not a problem, and feel free to shoot the messenger.
I agree that the concentration is low, especially after reading David's post (5% of each oil) and Randy's post (20%). But, I DO know that the concentrate I make up smells strongly of the EOs as does the syrup to which I add the concentrate. Does it have any curative/preventative powers? As I wrote, I don't think so at either the original HBH concentration (I used HBH for several years before I started making my own concentrate and did not see any improvement with Varroa), or the 'diluted' recipe. It does seem to stimulate the uptake of syrup, because I have seen hives continue to take such syrup in the spring, even after the flow has started (and before I added supers). And, on the rare occasions, when they do not take the syrup (like this spring, when I added the thyme oil, and the feeders sat on some hives I was nursing back - again without supers - for over a month), the syrup did not mold. By the way, the syrup they did not take was made with original HBH from a bottle I found in a kitchen cabinet, so it was not my 'weak' EO solution that turned them off.
So, my view is that it is not a treatment. Rather, it is a feeding stimulant. The dose may be low, but, if I can smell it, I KNOW the bee can. And, if it makes syrup just a bit more palatable for them, given how easy it is to make up and how long it lasts, I am fine with using it 'as is' without any higher expectations.
The one downside to using EO in syrup is it can really trigger robbing, and if you use it to feed nucs, it, the nucs are less able to defend themselves than full hives. For this reason, I do not add EO to syrup for nucs. In a 5-frame nuc with an internal feeder replacing one frame, the syrup is so close that they never have a problem taking it.
Update: In my post above I made reference to EO, either in HBH or homemade, not helping to control Varroa. I was curious and went to the HBH website to read what is claimed for the product. The only thing I saw was that it is ........ a feeding stimulant. Am I losing my mind, because I could swear that, years ago, the claims were that EO in syrup somehow 'confused' mites, and they did not make it into the cells, and I THOUGHT that was what was claimed for HBH (or maybe just implied?). Not trying to put words in anyone's mouth, especially the manufacturer. I probably am just losing my mind. Okay, I checked some more websites, and I guess it was / (maybe) still is touted as a treatment. Doesn't mean I'm not losing my mind, just that this is not an example of it.
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Bill Greenrose
Claremont, NH
+43.35687 +43° 21’ 25”
-72.3835 -72° 23’ 01”
CWOP: D5065
Weather Underground: KNHCLARE3
HonetBeeNet: NH001
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