Mike Rowbottom wrote:

> I find it hard to understand how industrially produced thymol (chemically,
> for example,  5-Methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)phenol - C10H14O) can be used to
> treat bees producing Organic honey.

Expediency and practicality.

I have found, working in the organic movement, that there are
inconsistencies that always get back to expediency and practicality. For
example, antibiotics can be used on farm animals but not on bees and
still be organic. Why not bees?  No one wants to lose a cow or horse
because of the expense, but no big deal losing a few hives. Plus the
beekeeper's voice is fairly muted in the organic movement, compared to
organic farm owners with lots invested.

"Natural" pesticides that are much more destructive to the environment
than many "manufactured" pesticides are approved. If they were not, then
you could not sell your produce either because it would not be there or
damage would make it unappetizing and un-sellable. Hence, thymol can be
natural even if manufactured, even though the concentrations used in the
hive are nowhere to be found in nature.

The truly "organic" or "natural" grower would forgo all such stopgap
measures. But if they did, they would either fail or take large losses,
since nature is unforgiving. Ask any farm stand operator how people
check every ear of corn for worms, and if they find one.... So nature is
not allowed to take its course and chemicals, be they "natural" or
"manufactured" are allowed. The real world has a sobering effect on
utopians.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Me