Subject: varroa:Natural products for the control of varroa

From: [email-masked] (Andy Nachbaur)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 14:50:00 GMT

*bee-list:varroa*
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From: "Gordon L. Scott" <[email-masked]>
Date:         Tue, 4 Apr 1995 14:12:15 GMT
Subject:      Re: Natural products for the control of varroa

Our local Association has been using french  chalk  (talc),  icing
sugar and lactic acid on a low-key investigative basis.

The two powders are reputed (and appear  to)  interfere  with  the
mites  ability  to  grip  it's host^H^H^H^H victim, resulting in a
physical knock-down of adult mites.  Dust all comb-sides 'til  the
bees are all dusty.

Lactic acid is a soft/natural pesticide of sorts, I'm not sure  of
the  mechanism  but  it  seems  reasonably  effective (5% solution
sprayed directly over the bees for a few seconds per comb-side)

All of these require repeat treatments every four  days  for  four
treatments. All of them *can* get the bees pretty buzzy.

I'm unaware of any adverse effects these treatments  may  have  on
the bees or brood.

At present, I personally use drone-comb trapping & Bayvarol.

--
Gordon Scott          [email-masked]   Compuserve 100332,3310
Basingstoke Beekeeper [email-masked]