Grease patties provide a way to help keep Varroa mite populations low during the winter, assuming they are low to start with. A hive that is already heavily infected with Varroa will not benefit from grease patties because the bees will not be healthy enough to consume it.
A grease patty with essential oils added—usually wintergreen or tea tree—helps to control mites in two ways. First, the grease tends to get all over the bees, and a slippery surface is difficult for the mites to hang onto. Some research has shown that mite drops may be two to three times greater in the presence of grease patties.
Secondly, the essential oils have a repellent effect on the mites. In addition, some research indicates that if mites come into direct contact with wintergreen or tea tree oil it can kill them outright or interfere with their breeding cycle. Although the EPA does not recognize these oils as being effective, there is much evidence in the beekeeping community that the oils work quite well. Many beekeepers keep grease patties on the hive year-round, but patties with essential oils incorporated into them should not be used when honey supers are on the hive.
Many recipes for grease patties can be found, but the one from the University of West Virginia is quite popular and appears below. The only problem I see with this recipe is the use of honey. If you do not have disease-free honey from your own apiary, do not use honey. I recommend substituting heavy syrup (2 parts sugar to one part water) for the honey unless you are absolutely certain you know the origin of the honey. This point cannot be stressed too much. Honey may contain spores of American foul brood and can easily transmit the disease to your hives. Although, harmless to humans, these spores can wreak havoc on your apiary.
The inclusion of salt provides the bees with essential minerals that they usually get from the environment when they collect water and other materials. Since these products are not collected in the winter, the salt helps to round out the honey bee diet. The sugar and/or honey simply make the patties more attractive to the bees.
The patties can be made in advance and kept in the freezer until you need them. Beekeepers usually place four or five small patties (about 2 ounces each) on the top bars and one just inside the front entrance.
Wintergreen oil can be toxic to humans when absorbed through the skin, so always wear protective gloves when mixing the patties.
Grease Patties
Yield:
One batch will treat 8-10 hives. You can easily increase or decrease the recipe size depending on your needs.
Ingredients:
4.4 pounds (2 kg) granulated sugar
3 ounces (90 ml) corn oil
1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 pound (454 g) honey
1/2 pound (227 g) mineral salt (pink color)
2.2 ounces (65 ml) wintergreen oil (or tea tree oil)
Directions:
Step 1: Pulverize the salt so that it mixes evenly throughout the patty. This also prevents water droplets from forming around salt crystals.
Step 2: Mix all the ingredients thoroughly using protective gloves.
Step 3: Make patties the size of small hamburgers.
Step 4: Store in freezer until ready to use.
By the way, if you can’t find a source of mineral salt—or you don’t want to buy a 50-pound bag—go to your pet store and buy a “bunny wheel.” A bunny wheel is nothing more than a mineral salt lick for rabbits and the bees don’t seem to object to this inclusion of rabbit food in their diet.
Rusty
Kris this might be good for you to use for the bees—-check it out—–DAD
I do not understand the necessity of another note.
I have used this for two years. Hardly any hive beetles and very strong bees in spring. Really good stuff.
Your grease patties look great but have you ever or heard of someone mixing a protein (yeast or soy flour) into the grease patty?
Bruce,
You could easily mix a protein supplement into the grease patty. I don’t because I use protein supplements just prior to spring build-up only, whereas I use grease patties all winter.
[...] oil is transferred on to the bee making it hard for the Varroa mites to gain a hold on the bee. Here is what the Honeybee Suite says about it. Pollen and Grease [...]
I am a bit confused by the differing ideas so help me out here. At the beekeeping meeting I was informed not to feed grease-based pollen patties before you were sure the bees would consume them because the grease attracts mites; they put the larva in the patties then you are overrun with mites. But this says grease with wintergreen is good for controlling them. So if I put wintergreen in the pollen patty the mites won’t be a problem, yes?
Sarah,
Female Varroa mites lay their eggs in brood cells with developing larvae, just before the cell is capped. They will never lay their eggs in a grease patty.
However, small hive beetles–both larvae and adults–are attracted to grease patties and pollen patties as a food source. I think maybe they were talking about small hive beetles, not Varroa mites.
It’s wonderful the way you answer my questions. Alrighty, so let us conclude it is small hive beetles. I do confuse the two pests. Will the wintergreen work for them as well if put into a pollen patty? I don’t see a category about hive beetles, have you written anything about them?
Well, Sarah, you do keep me busy. As far as I know, wintergreen oil has no affect on hive beetles.
You caught me on the subject of hive beetles. I haven’t written about them and I was wondering when someone would ask. I do have a pile of notes, though, so I’ll try to get to it. When, I don’t know.