"Todd" said:
> I have read reports of greatly reduced (50% less) brood levels in spring
> following Apilife (thymol) treatments.  It also seems to be hard on the
> bees- I seem to remember reports of bees moving away from the source,
> sometimes bearding on the front of the hive in warmer weather.

I have just updated my page on thymol and oxalic acid:
http://www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/PENotes/VarroaTreatment.htm
and this may help to answer any questions that you may have.  You will note
that with the method detailed, I have not seen any of these adverse effects
that are sometimes reported.

Last autumn I fed down 133 colonies and lost 20 of these during the winter -
almost all due to queen failure following the disastrous spring and early
summer last year.  With only two swarms that were not from my colonies, I
have this year increased my total to 163.  The average crop based on autumn
count (i.e. the 133 that I fed for winter) was 77.5lbs (against a 23 year
average of 69lbs) and I have around half a ton of heather honey (perhaps 20%
of it will be cut-comb) from the 32 colonies that I moved to the moors in
August - these were average colonies chosen mainly because they were easy to
load, rather than for their strength.

Peter Edwards
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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