> http://tinyurl.com/d6gb7yf
>

The link is to a study that used both Thymol and  resveratrol and what its
effects were on nosema.

I have been reluctant to post about a test I conducted with Thymol and its
effect on nosema since the results, at the time, I did not consider
conclusive. But the study tends to support the assumption currently held by
some beekeepers that Thymol works in controlling nosema.

I am sure what started the use by beekeepers was the study by Penn State,
that we discussed in great detail, about the use of a .067% solution of
Thymol affecting Varroa. We spent some time in getting the amounts right. I
found it interesting that the percentage was almost the same as the amount
of Thymol in Listerine (.064%). I tried the Thymol solution for Varroa
control and lost my colonies.

But there have been reports that it did work to control nosema. So I
decided to see what would happen.

This spring I treated my two colonies with 1/4 gram of Thymol in one gallon
of sugar syrup.

How do I measure that small of an amount? Dissolve 3 gm of Thymol in one
cup of ethyl alcohol (Vodka is suggested but gin works). Then add one
teaspoon of the mix to one quart syrup and you have the correct amount.
There are 48 tsp per cup, which amounts to 1/16 gm per tsp or 1/4 gm per
gallon.

Tony Jadczak took samples from my colonies and nosema loads were very low
in one and low in another. That sounded like it worked, but he has also
seen the same loads in non treated colonies. Which is why I was reluctant
to post anything about the treatment.

With the study that Ghislain posted above, this treatment, if it in fact
works, is a cheap and easy method of controlling nosema.

Still in the Buyer Beware category.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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