At 03:42 AM 6/4/96 +0000, you wrote: >I am new to this list as I have just started keeping bee's (two new hives). >If this is a rehashing of old topics I apologize. > >I understand that a patty can be made to keep down tracial mites using >wintergreen. My question is would one made with pepermint work just as well >or better or not at all? If it does work does anyone have a recipe for >this? > I don't know about wintergreen but menthol is, I'm told, derived from peppermint. I use a spray made by mixing 2 ml peppermint oil with 1 quart of 1:1 sugar syrup to combat tracheal mites. This is sprayed directly on the bees in early spring and during summer after the honey supers have been removed. I also keep grease patties on the bees all the time, medicated in winter and unmedicated during honey production. It has been almost 2 years since I've used any menthol an my bees and I haven't lost any to tracheal mites, knock wood. Frank Humphrey [log in to unmask] Franklin D. Humphrey Sr. [log in to unmask]