Hi Bob:

>I have already had a couple calls asking about using garlic and sugar for
mites. Ever heard of the method?

This is part of a letter from the Letters to the Editor section of the June
2002 issue of American Bee Journal.

The treatment is as follows:
1. I start with 4 lbs. of powdered sugar
2. I stir in 8 oz. of *pure* garlic powder
3. I dust the brood and brood frames with this mixture.
4. Be sure to also dust between frames.
5. Be sure to also dust bees.
6. I treat in early spring first.
7. Then, after the honey is taken off.
8. I also perform a third treatment in early winter.
9. I do not have any smell or flavor of garlic in my honey.
10. Garlic will not harm bees.

In his letter, Mr. Adams mentions having kept bees since 1942. He says he
uses nothing else for varroa control and his method works successfully.

He provided his phone number and address  in the letter, so I suppose it
could be given out if anyone is interested. Email me.

>Comments?
This comes from the chapter on Biotechnical Controls in the book-- Mites of
the Honey Bee:

“An area of study that apparently has not been developed in control of
varroa has been non-insecticidal dusts. Such dusts have been used on some
other arthropods with some reasonable success, but as far as I can
determine they have not been used to any great degree to control varroa.
Since many small arthropods are very susceptible to cuticle abrasion and
desiccation, dusts and abrasives dusts might be effectively used. This
treatment could be especially effective along with a screened bottom board.”

Previous posts have been made from beekeepers who use plastic squeeze
bottles to dust their bees for mites. Remember the vibrating hopper from a
couple of weeks ago that Paul Harvey talked about on his radio broadcast?

Hasn’t this garlic thing been mentioned previously here on Bee-L? Probably
the powdered sugar alone will do the trick.

Regards,
Dick Allen