NEWS ON VARROA FIGHT
After one year of experimentation we can tell that a varroicid effect can be obteined by
 the inserction of seed oil (the one for alimentary use) in the hives.
Oil is surely known, in  the centuries, in the fight against the parasitic mites of man
 (lice, crab-lice) and other domestic animals (ticks).
Its effect is based on suffocating, infact the varroa, taht hase a high ratio surface/volume,
 'cause of its flat form, makes a great part of ist oxygenation trought its chitinous cover;
 if its pores are obstructed from the oil, the varroa dies of suffocation.
For this it' s necessary to grease the upper part of the frames and of the top; bees, walking 
across the frames, dirty their legs, and trying to clean themselves, spread the oil  all over 
their body.
We suggest to go on in this way:
Taken off the top, fall down the bees from that into the hive and paint this using 15cc of oil,
 remove the bees from the frames by a little of smoke, and spray a trickle of oil (about 1cc)
 by a sprayer on the upper  part of the wood sheet of every frame (it' s not necessary
 to take off the frames).
Bewere to not spray oil directly on bees.
Bewere to not spray oil between frame and frame.
Bewere to not put oil on frame' s sides.
Luckely, ' cause of its density, in the sprayers the oil tends to discharge stream and not
 vaporized, that makes it easier.
This method of fight has many advantages:
1) It doesn' t injure to the image of  the honey  because it doesn' t induce scare of
 eventual residues.
2) It can be used also in the  "harvest-time" with out problems of contamination of
 honey with noxious substances to man' s feeding.
3) It is easy to use and it doesn' t need a great effort of the beekeeper.
4) It can be used during all the normal visits to the hives.
But, as disadvantage, we can tell that acting only on varroas that parasite the adult
 bee and not on those that parasite the eggs, the method has a limitated effect.
To obtain a result you have to repeat at least 4 treatments in a month (one a week).
Anyway the oil is also a good way to introduce other active substances (of natural origin) 
in the hive, i.e.: thyimol and menthol, that split up in it, so that you  can obtain a synergic
 effect and longer during the time, with a great result.


Translation by: Francesca Quadrini