GREASE PATTY FORMULA
(Revised 2004)
1. 4 Pounds of Granulated Sugar
(sucrose)
2. 3 Ounces of corn oil
3. 11/2 Pounds of
vegetable shortening (Crisco)
4. 1 Pound of honey
5. 2 Ounces plus 1 tsp. of Wintergreen oil.
6. 1/2 Pound of Mineral Salt (Pink color) approx. $8.00 for 50 # from feed stores.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Note: If
the mixture is too thin, add more sugar, and if too thick, add honey until it
is like the dough for canned biscuits from the grocery store. It should be
easily molded into patties.
NOTE: The
Colonies must be treated using this system (BEFORE) mite populations reach
injury level to the colony. Once the colonies reach parasitic mite syndrome
(deformed wings), they will not consume enough of the patties to do any good,
however; we are showing an increase in housecleaning debris so we think the
fumes from this concentration of winter-green may be killing mites inside the
cells through the caps and the bees are attempting to remove everything related
to the smell. The bees themselves are apparently not affected.
When feeding the patties, use two 5 ounce patties between
the supers. Separate them so they overlap the normal ends of the cluster.
This allows normal movement above the center of the brood cluster. This strength
Wintergreen oil has been found to kill small hive beetles en masse.
However, beetle populations are directly related to varroa-mite infestation
so controlling varroa is the dominant
requirement. In summer, we are
using a screened bottom board (8 mesh hdwe cloth) AND a screened
top in place of an inner cover. The hives are placed in fall sun to discourage SHB. When using a top screen, be sure
that the outer cover gives3/8
inch unrestricted (visible from side) airflow (does not reach down
to the level of the super or the
bees may propolize the screen.) Colony populations explode when they have enough ventilation. A nice experience is to lift the outer cover
of a hive and look in on totally calm bees in the top of the super. If you
then see any hive beetles on the top of the screen trying to enter the hive,
you need to accept that you have some varroa build-up in progress and
monitoring varroa is necessary.
Note: Wintergreen oil in excess of 500 parts per million gives a 50% kill of the bees. (50 LD) is the term used to signify 50% toxicity. The above mix is approximately 225 ppm. Also, wintergreen oil is on the EPA FIFRA inert list 4A not the active list 25(b). For more information on the EPA FIFRA list go to this internet site: http://www.epa.gov/PR_Notices/pr2000-6.pdf.
RAYMOND E. CROCKER
2786 CANNONS CMP/GRND.RD
(864)579-2652