The use of grease patties for bees to control various hive diseases and pests is widespread. In this article, we take a look at what you can use grease patties for bees to treat.
The Simplest Grease patty – for treating Tracheal mite uses sugar to attract bees to the patty. The bees then burrow around in the fat and get covered in it. This in turn results in the bees getting a thin coat of fat on the exoskeleton.
2 parts Crisco Vegetable Shortening (or similar product)
3 parts granular white sugar
1 part sugar syrup (make this by dissolving two parts sugar in one part hot water).
For many years, Terramycin grease patties, or so-called extender patties were the first line of defense against American Foul Brood (AFB) – a bacterial disease that kills hives.
This board allows air to flow in through the base of the hive, and, if used in conjunction with a ventilated lid allows the bees to move huge volumes of air through the brood nest and out of the lid...