Avid Avid, manufactured by Syngenta Professional Products, is an insecticide/miticide containing the active ingredient abamectin.

The active ingredient, which occurs naturally, is derived from the soil micro-organism, Streptomyces avermitilis. A vid is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, European red mite, carmine spider mite, Southern red mite, spruce spider mite, cyclamen mite, broad mite, and rust and bud mite. This insecticide/miticide has both contact and translaminar activity. Translamina r is a term that refers to insecticides or miticides that can penetrate the leaf tissue and form a reservoir of active ingredients within the leaf, such as the s pongy mesophyll and palisade parenchyma cells. Mites, such as the twospotted spi der mite (Tetranychus urticae), the mite most commonly encountered both indoors and outdoors, particularly from spring through late fall, feed on the leaves and may ingest enough active ingredient to kill themselves, even after spray residu es have dried. Avid may provide up to 28 days of residual activity. The label rate for all mite species is 4 fl.oz. per 100 gals. Avid is active on the mobile life stages of m ites; however, the miticide has no activity on eggs. Although Avid is slow actin g, any treated mites are immobilized after exposure. It has a mode of action tha t affects the gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) dependent chloride ion channels by increasing membrane permeability to chloride ions, thus leading to inhibition o f nerve transmission, paralysis and death. Akari Akari has the active ingredient fenpyroximate, manufactured by SePRO Corp. This miticide has a very general label stating control of spider mites. It is also la beled for control of broad mite, cyclamen mite and eriophyid mites (several spec ies). Akari is a contact and stomach poison, so complete coverage of all plant p arts is important during application. Akari does not have translaminar activity. It is active on all mite life stages including eggs. However, it has higher eff icacy against the larvae than the other life stages. Akari works quickly, provid ing rapid knockdown of existing mite populations. In fact, treated mites immedia tely stop feeding and females fail to lay eggs. This miticide provides up to 21 days of residual activity. The label rate is 16-24 fl.oz. per 100 gals. Akari has a similar mode of action as pyridaben (Sanmite) and acequinocyl (Shuttle). All three miticides are mitoch ondria electron transport inhibitors (METIs). However, the site of action is dif ferent from that of Shuttle. Still, these miticides should not be used in succes sion in a rotation program. Akari has a mode of action that involves inhibition of the mitochondria electron transport system at the NADH-coenzyme Q reductase s ite of Complex I. Floramite This miticide, manufactured by Chemtura Corp., contains the active ingredient bi fenazate. It is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, Pacific mite, str awberry mite, European red mite, citrus red mite, clover mite, Southern red mite , spruce spider mite, bamboo mite and Lewis mite. Floramite is not active on bro ad, rust or flat mite. It has contact activity only, so thorough coverage of all plant parts is essential. It is active on all mite life stages, including eggs. Floramite works quickly and may provide up to 28 days of residual activity. The label rate is 4-8 fl.oz. per 100 gals. Floramite has a mode of action involving

the blockage or closure of GABA-activated chloride channels in the peripheral ne rvous system. Hexygon Hexygon, manufactured by Gowan Co., contains the active ingredient hexythiazox a nd is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, arborvitae spider mite, Eur opean red mite, honey locust spider mite, Pacific spider mite, Southern red mite , spruce spider mite, strawberry mite and Willamette mite. Hexygon is a contact and stomach poison miticide, so thorough coverage of all plant parts is essentia l. The miticide may provide up to 45 days of residual activity. The label rate i s 1-2 oz. per 100 gals. Hexygon is active on mite eggs and the larvae stage. In fact, any eggs deposited by adult females that contact treated surfaces are not viable; however, Hexygon has no direct activity on adult mites. Hexygon has the same mode of action as clofentezine (Ovation), so it is important to avoid using these two miticides in succession in a rotation program. The mode of action of Hexygon involves disrupting the formation of the embryo during development or in hibiting larval maturation. However, the specific mode of action and target site of activity are still not well understood. Judo This insectide/miticide, manufactured by OHP Inc., contains the active ingredien t spiromesifen. It is formulated as a 480 soluble concentrate (SC) containing 4 lbs. of active ingredient per gallon. Judo is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, Southern red mite, Lewis mite, tumid mite, maple spider mite, spruc e spider mite, honeylocust spider mite, euonymus mite, boxwood spider mite, broa d mite, cyclamen mite, false spider mite and eriophyid mites (several species). This miticide is similar to pyridaben (Sanmite) in terms of target pests, with a ctivity on both spider mites and whiteflies. Judo is active on all life stages e ven the eggs of both spider mites and whiteflies. However, Judo is less effectiv e against the adult stage. The label rate is 2-4 fl.oz. per 100 gals. The mitici de has translaminar activity providing up to 30 days of residual activity, which is similar to other miticides including hexythiazox (Hexygon), bifenazate (Flor amite) and abamectin (Avid). Judo has a very unique mode of action compared to the other insecticide/miticide s currently available. The active ingredient works as a lipid biosynthesis inhib itor. Lipids are a group of compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen, which incl udes fatty acids, oils and waxes. Lipid molecules are responsible for a number o f functions such as cell structure in membranes and sources of energy. As such, Judo blocks the production of lipids, which disrupts cell membrane structural in tegrity and reduces energy sources. Ovation Ovation, manufactured by Scotts Co., contains the active ingredient clofentezine and is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, Pacific spider mite, McDa niel spider mite, European red mite and yellow spider mite. Because Ovation is a contact miticide only, thorough coverage of all plant parts is critical during application. This miticide is active on mite eggs and the immature stages, such as the nymphs and larvae, with no direct activity on adult mites. Although Ovation is slow acting, it can provide up to 45 days of residual activi ty. The label rate is 2 fl.oz. per 100 gals. Ovation has the same mode of action as hexythiazox (Hexygon), which means these two miticides should not be used in

succession in a rotation program. Ovation has a mode of action that disrupts th e formation of the embryo during development or inhibiting larval maturation. Ho wever, the specific mode of action and target site of activity are still not wel l understood. Pylon Pylon is an insecticide/miticide containing the active ingredient chlorfenapyr. Pylon, manufactured by OHP Inc., is labeled for control of twospotted spider mit e, broad mite, cyclamen mite, citrus bud mite and rust mite. This insecticide/mi ticide has both contact and translaminar activity. Additionally, Pylon works as a stomach poison when ingested. The insecticide/miticide is active on the mobile life stages, including larvae, nymphs and adults. It has no activity on mite eg gs. Pylon may provide up to 28 days of control. The label rate is 2.6-5.2 fl.oz. per 100 gals. The mode of action of Pylon involves uncoupling oxidative phosphoryla tion, which is a major energy-producing step in cells, by disrupting the H+ grad ient, and thus preventing the formation of adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), a high -energy organic phosphate responsible for energy transfer during cellular reacti ons. Sanmite The active ingredient in Sanmite, manufactured by Scotts Co., is pyridaben. Sanm ite is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, broad mite, European red m ite, Southern red mite and tumid mite. Sanmite is a contact insecticide/miticide only, so thorough coverage of all plant parts is important for effective contro l. It has activity on all mite life stages, including eggs, nymphs, larvae and a dults. Sanmite works quickly on the mobile stages and may provide up to 45 days of residual activity. The label rate is 4 oz. per 100 gals. Sanmite has a similar mode of action as fe npyroximate (Akari) and acequinocyl (Shuttle). All three are METIs; however, the site of action is different from Shuttle. Still, these miticides should not be used in succession in a rotation program. Sanmite has a mode of action that invo lves inhibition of the mitochondria electron transport system at the NADH-coenzy me Q reductase site of Complex I. Shuttle Shuttle has the active ingredient acequinocyl. Manufactured by Arysta LifeScienc e, this miticide is formulated as a 15-percent soluble concentrate (SC). Shuttle is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite and spruce spider mite. The mi ticide works by contact activity only but is active on all spider mite life stag es, including eggs. It kills spider mites quickly and provides up to 28-days of residual activity. The label rate is 6.4 to 12.8 fl.oz. per 100 gals. Shuttle ha s a mode of action similar to fenpyroximate (Akari) and pyridaben (Sanmite) as a ll three miticides are METIs. However, whereas both Akari and Sanmite work in bl ocking electron transfer at Complex I in the mitochondria, Shuttle binds to the Qo center of Complex III in the mitochondria, reducing energy production by prev enting synthesis of ATP. Regardless, it is still important to avoid using any on e of these three miticides in succession in a rotation program. TetraSan

TetraSan, manufactured by Valent U.S.A. Corp., contains the active ingredient et oxazole, and is actually a growth regulator for mites, inhibiting the molting pr ocess. TetraSan is labeled for control of twospotted spider mite, citrus red mit e, European red mite, Lewis spider mite, Pacific spider mite, Southern red mite and spruce spider mite. This miticide has both contact and translaminar activity providing up to 28 days of control from a single application. The label rate is 8-16 oz. per 100 gals. TetraSan is active on the egg, larvae, and nymphal stage s of mites. It generally has minimal activity on adult mites. However, adult fem ale mites that are treated do not produce viable eggs. The mode of action of Tet raSan is as a chitin synthesis inhibitor by preventing the formation of chitin, which is an essential component of an insect and mite s exoskeleton causing the cu ticle to become thin and brittle. As a result, mites die while attempting to mol t from one life stage to the next. ProMite ProMite (formally Vendex) is one of the older miticides and contains the active ingredient fenbutatin-oxide. Manufactured by Griffin LLC, this miticide is avail able in water-soluble packets and is labeled for control of twospotted spider mi te, clover mite, oak mite, Southern red mite and spruce spider mite. ProMite is a contact miticide only, so it is important to thoroughly spray all plant parts during application. This miticide is slower acting than most miticides, taking 7 -10 days to eventually kill mites. However, it provides up to 30 days of residua l activity. The label rate is 8-16 oz. per 100 gals. ProMite is a warm-weather m iticide providing better control when the ambient air temperature is above 70 F. ProMite has a mode of action involving the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylati on at the site of dinitrophenol uncoupling, which disrupts the formation or synt hesis of ATP. This is a restricted use miticide (48-hour restricted entry interv al). Conclusion It is fortunate there are a plethora of miticides available, for both indoor use in greenhouses and outdoor use in nurseries, which have distinctive modes of ac tion. This makes it easier to develop rotation programs based on using different modes of action in order to avoid mite populations developing resistance to cur rently available miticides. Be sure to read the label carefully prior to mixing any miticide in order to obtain essential information, including which mite stag es are controlled, number of applications recommended, frequency of applications , recommended pH of the spray solution and any phytotoxicity issues for particul ar crops. Someone here mentioned a "home remedy" insecticide that they use--dish soap, cit rus peel, and garlic. Do you think this is worth a try? Neem oil, garlic, lemon peels..... I've personally never used these things and c an't advise you. I use grapefruit seed extract as a preventitive measure but hav en't had the need to use it as a treatment and with so many plants ill... Safers would be the way to go. Then after they are mite free, you might want to try so mething in your misting water to prevent future attacks! It's going to take you a good month or so to rid yourself of mites. several trea tments of safers in required, several weeks apart. AVID is better - but it is waay too expensive. I use 2 drops of dishsoap, (whate ver I have on hand, but no anti-bacaterial type) ground garlic and citrus rind. I apply all in a mister and spray away, 2-3 times per wk. Because my mister clogged w/the rind, I'm now using citrus juice. I buy those li

ttle limes/lemons in the store for.70 and add about 1/2 teas per mister. I don't measure which I know isn't helpful..When I used the citrus rind, I probably use d 1/4 teas..and instead of chopping the garlic, let a clove sit at least 24 hour s in water. Before adding this concoction, I'd spray my plants w/plain water. Since you do n ot have a sprayer on the first floor sink, mist w/a new sprayer.. I cannot answ er that question. LOL. 2 or 3 yrs ago I started using it, then one day while bro wsing for garden supplies, I saw an insecticide w/citrus rind included..thought that funny. As far as using alcohol....there are no health risks as long as ever yone isn't breathing in the vapor as you spray. Once it's where it's supposed to be it is safe, and of course, it evaporates to nothing. You will find isopropyl alcohol in a huge number of solutions in your bathroom cabinet...from cleansers to emollients. Safe for the skin of infants and adults....and plants! The grapefruit seed extract is a brand called Proseed and is a liquid concentrat e. I bought it at a health food store about 5 years ago and I only use it on my plants.(although in has 101 different uses) I use 3 or 4 drops in a pint mister with 1 or 2 drops of dish soap. I mist my plants almost every day so they get tr eated almost every day. I've just got in the habbit of adding it to every bottle ..... Irina, I wouldn't be too hasty ridding plants..I've over 400 plants, and when a pest comes in with a bug, I panic, but because of my birds, I cannot use any str ong sprays..(this includes cleaning aids) 2 months ago I got a plant that had mealy and white fly. I wouldn't/couldn't use anything harsh, so I used my brew and now all signs of bugs are gone..I wouldn' t give up so fast..Toni I use 50/50 water alcohol on most of my plant, only because I don't have patienc e to treat my plants continually, and if you can find it use ivory soap, you don 't want detergent. They also sell ivory soap flakes, about a tablespoon flakes t o a quart squirt bottle. Ivory is also a good shampoo for killing fleas, I learn ed that working in a dog grooming shop :) I don't use chemical insecitcides..I make my own, so far they work. I make a batch using 2-4 drops of dishsoap, ground citrus peel, garlic, and a ca pful of Listerine (mouthwash is something I've recently started using) Set all i n a mister, spray daily..Make sure mist aims every part of plant. If you see clu sters of mites, use a paper towel, wipe away before spraying. For each cluster u se clean sheets. I also spray w/Fish Emuslion, but mostly to prevent scale. This might work to ri d mites, but not sure on that point. I recommend you drown them. Fill a tub with 90 degree water. Wrap towels, rags whatever around the pots and soil surface ( This keeps from making a mess, then sink the pots into the water till nothing of the plant shows. Leave them in there one hour. The hot water means that the egg s will be penetrated and killed. All stages of the spider mites will be drowned. Sterilize your plant room with bleach and alcohol. Sprinkle powdered sulphur in to cracks and things. Keep an eye out for any reinfestation.Some people say to u se cold water. NOT SO. HOT, so the eggs die.Forgot to mention adding garlic. Cay enne pepper was also added, I think. Which reminds me my grandma makes a tinctur e of apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, cayenne and something else for colds.I n my opinion, which is, I believe, backed up by controlled tests, Marigolds do l ittle to repel pests. Not all Marigolds are equal, but even for the best ones th e plant to be protected needs to be planted in an ocean of them. On the topic of Neem, it may surprise you, but some beekeepers spray it directly on their colonies to control mites that prey on the bees. It is an oil which me ans it will kill soft bodied insects it is sprayed directly on such as aphids. I t's primary mode of action though is from it's active ingredient which *must* be ingested by the insect. Once ingested it is an anti-feedant and a reproductive disruptor meaning the insect will starve to death and not reproduce. This makes Neem fairly safe on beneficials since they don't eat our plants and t

hus ingest the active ingredient. Spraying it in the evening will reduce the ris k of spraying beneficial insects, but keep in mind it's sprayed directly on bees by some bee keepers.I'd like to help clear up the confusion about these oils on bees. I have kept bees before and have done much research on the subject. Though I don't have personal experience with neem oil on bees, I do know about w intergreen and tea tree oil use. As far as I know, the pure oils are never spray ed directly on bees, as they are toxic to them in large enough quantities. I've only heard of it being used as a spray when a teaspoon or so is well mixed with water and lightly misted on the bees. The way the oils are commonly used is by m ixing a small amount of it with vegetable shortening and sugar. In the proper pr oportions the shortening dilutes it to a level that will not harm the bees, but will be lethal to varroa mites. Though shortening itself will often smother mite s, the essential oils increase the effectiveness of a shortening treatment. A ca ke of the sugar and shortening mixture is placed in the hive, and the bees will pick up the sugar crystals to carry them away. They end up getting a bit of the shortening on themselves and will spread it around as they groom their bodies, a nd the small amount of oil in it will only kill the mites. Another method common ly used is mixing up a sugar syrup to feed the bees and adding a small amount of oil to it (it works better if an emulsifier, such as honey, is used). Again, th e amount used will not be toxic to bees. The bees will ingest the sugar water, a nd have just enough of the oil's toxin in their system to harm the female mite's reproductive system. When the bee larvae are fed the sugar water, they will als o become toxic to the mites that feed on them. When the mites feed on the larvae and later hatch out with the new bee, they will not be able to reproduce. So in conclusion, yes, the oils will kill bees, but only in a high enough quanti ty. It shouldn't be sprayed directly on the bees in any case, and should only be used if diluted to the proper percentage and used in the right dose (just like any other treatment for any animal or plant). If used properly it won't harm the bees. There's been a lot of research in this area, as beekeepers rely on their bees to stay alive and healthy. They're not trying to kill their bees, and if no t treated, the varroa mites will take care of the bees anyway. (Note: the sugar water treatments are only used after honey is collected, and st opped before the honey supers are put back on to avoid bees filling the comb wit h sugar syrup instead of I would have thought it common knowledge by now. You should spray late in the day, some say after 4.00pm to be as bee safe as you can. Is there a Beekeeper among us, back me up. when it come to mites/ vampires or ot her wise, bee keeper use small amounts of many poison to save the bees. o RE: Why not use neem? clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jolj 7b/8a-S.C.,USA (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 22:12 justaguy2, have you talked to a beekeeper about the reason they use any product. Digitalis saves lives, but if you do not need it ,then it will kill you.That mak es it a poison to some one who does not need it. If bee keeper did not use these items to protect the bees, then we would not have bees. Before you get on about poisons, do a search on Honeybee & the pest that they ha ve to fight just to live for the 30 days they are alive.Parasites like Varroa & tracheal mites,CCD,Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus(IAPV),American Foulbrood, Europ ean Foulbrood,Nosema,Chalkbrood,Sacbrood,Stonebrood,Wax Moths,Small Hive Beetle, Ants,Bears,Raccoons,Skunks,Mouse & Birds. Sorry folks, but some of these statements are a kin to throwing out any medicine in any hospital that was not grown organically. No matter how many live it has or will save.

Throw the baby out with the bath water. A combination of cinnamon oil, clove oil , lemongrass oil and thyme oil with vegetable soap (synthetic antibacterial soap is very harsh) will kill most bacteria and fungi without killing your plants. P eroxide and baking soda can burn leaves. My concoctions are based on plenty of s cience. I don't know how to post links here, but you can easily search google sc holar for "compost tea fungal/bacterial disease" and get tons of papers. From wh at I hear (I haven't read in depth) only compost teas prepared areated are funct ional, but they have consistent efficacy in out-competing disease organisms. The other mixture I mentioned is based on the antifungal/antibacterial propertie s of eugenol (clove oil) thymol (thyme) cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon) and citrol (le mongrass). Searching "Antibacterial/antifungal [chemical name]" will turn up ple nty. ou have half a point that my mixture may not kill whatever is killing his t rees, however the suggestion I gave includes at least two broad fungicides and t hymol, which reduces the resistance of microorganisms to the effects of other ar omatic (and conventional) antimicrobials. http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/content/58/8/1074.full.pdf http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/11024087.pdf You wanted a link to a study on compost tea? Here's an official usda.gov study (pdf link): http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/10382/1/IND43655115.pdf @john: I have ne ither the time nor space where I am currently living to properly plant or care f or fruit trees. When my hugelkultur beds are planted up next year I'll happily s how you how productive my methods are in general though. Also, whether you decide to go organic or chemical, you will have to learn what materials and methods to use, and what details to pay attention to. Each has its own learning curves, and in each case if you proceed ineptly you end up with eq ually bad results, and if adeptly then potentially equally good. In the one case your harvest will be full of poisons and in the other not; one potentially full of nutrients and the other devoid. However, you cannot use the methods of plant ing and arranging your orchard/fields for chemical farming and expect it to work for organic farming. Likewise if you use chemicals you can't expect organic far ming techniques to work (although some will). Anyway, I made this mix with: tea tree oil, fish oil, cooper... And I am putting on them very earlier in the morni ng, every 4 days. They doing fine now... and this ugly thing finally surrendered. When working in garden, do NOT wear cologne or sweet- smelling lotions. This attracts bees. Carry one of those knee pads and your clippers every time you go out to inspect your garden. You will almost ALWAYS see something that needs clipping or trimmin g. Invest in decent name-brand tools. They last for years and can be sharpened. Tools I cannot garden without: Cultivator Scuffle Hoe Sharpshooter Adjustable Rake Garden Cart Hand Tools (long trowel, cultivator, long weed gig) Approach gardening with the attitude that there WILL be failures and enjoy the s uccesses. Got my love for gardening by tagging around after my Grandmother, and she's been gone for 40 yrs. Love it! Greatest therapy in the world! I use "T" post in my g arden, when rotating crops (like tomatoes) you can have the mail box attached to a piece of ! !/2" PVC which will drop down over the "T" post so moving your sto rage box is easy. In the off season it can be placed in the shed out of sight. I have two gardening areas and use the small tools more around the tomatoes. My f

avorite natural pest spray is about fifteen drops of Neem oil and three drops of tea tree oil emulsified with some natural veggie wash cleaner and water. I put that in a spray bottle and spray any nasty bugs I see eating my plants. Neem oil is great. It doesn't actually kill the bugs, it damages their brains and makes them forget to eat. In a few days, they starve to death and leave your plants al one. I spray the tea tree oil for its anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-f ungal properties. You never know what type of diseases or mildews may attack ten der young plants. It truly is great stuff. I keep a jar of Chlorox bleach/water on the porch that I use in between prunings to disinfect my pruning shears. I pu t the lid on it when I'm thru in the garden. I would also suggest stronger Neem solution, and add a a few drops of liquid soap too. Each pest has its own living cycle so you would have to reapply. Here is some more information about life cy cles of some common pests: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/orchidcongress/pests1.html The ants pretty much farm the aphids. By getting rid of ants around your property, you should s ee a dramatic decrease in your aphid population. To directly kill the aphids, I recommend using Chrysanthemum tea. Chrysanthemum contains a chemical called Pyre thrin which act as a mild natural insecticide. You will have to spray your trees every couple of days for about a week or two untill the insects finally realize its futile. The aphids will eventually come back and you will have to spray aga in but hopefully your tree has absorbed enough chitinase from the worm castings and also your beneficial bacteria and mycohrizzal fungi would have established i tself well enough in your potting soil that even if the bugs did come back, they will take one bite out of your plant, vomit a little, and scuddle to your neigh bors yard for some greener pastures :) Remember that neem is unlike most of the other products we typically use. Azadirachtin is the active ingredient and it is a growth regulator. It could take two weeks or more to see the effect. That ins ects are still alive 4 days later is not a surprise. Aphids are exquisitely sensitive to soap sprays, but repeated applications are n eeded every 4 days or so to hit each part of the pest's life cycle. The only thing that eliminated scale from my citrus was horticultural oil.I'm he ading out the door to get me some epson salt, ammonia, tea tree oil, liquid seaw eed, and some unsulphered molasses to make that concoction for my brugs and see if it will help them any. At this point I'll do whatever it take s to save them. Oh and I thought I was doing so good with my 3 in one spray. Gee when those lit tle suckers (bugs) get ahold they are a pain to get rid of. (frown) I used this in my sprayer outside 5 lbs of flour to 1 quart of buttermilk it made 25 gallon s of spray. It did work now for a break down to gallons. Take 1/25 and make prop ortions accordingly. Premix the flour real well. Close proportions 2 oz buttermi lk and whatever flour you can easily make go into solution. This is a remedy fro m the 30's. spray top and bottom of leaves. I've used the flour/milk mix on eggp lants and other veggies. I used it to kill those tiny black beetles that always infest my eggplant. It does work on them and I assume it will work on other suck ing insects. It suffocates them and dehydrates them as it dries. KarynEssential Oils Their Properties Special Note of Caution: many oils listed are very potent. When working with oil s, most are not applied "neat" (meaning "straight" or undiluted), except to skin that is tough (palms of hands, bottoms of the feet). Always apply with care. If an oil starts to sting or burn, rub a carrier oil (olive, almond, sesame seed, jojoba, etc) over it and the burning will stop. Some oils are NOT listed here si mply because the are way too potent for the average person to use, and must be u sed with caution. Please read everything you can about an oil before using it. W e don't want anyone getting hurt. Thank you. Angelica (Angelica archangelica) (Electromagnetic Freq: 85 MHz) (73% monoterpene

s) Relieves nervous exhaustion and stress, revitalizes tired mind and provides m ental drive. Invigorates the lymphatic system, increases perspiration, cleansing system of toxins. Aids indigestion, flatulence, dyspepsia, colic. Stimulates ap petite. Urinary antiseptic. Provides use as expectorant in colds, bronchitis, pl eurisy. Used to relieve asthma, and restore sense of smell. General tonic to the lungs. Said to encourage production of estrogen thereby helping with painful pe riods (this may be more so with the Asian species). Said to control uric acid an d may be beneficial to rheumatic conditions, arthritis, gout, and sciatica. Usef ul for headaches, migraines, inflammation, and toothache. Also a remedy to neutr alize snake bites. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) (75% phenylpropanoids) can be relaxing to muscles, incl uding smooth muscles (those not subject to our voluntary control, such as the he art and digestive system). It may also be used to soothe insect bites when appli ed topically. Beneficial for mental fatigue, basil may help stimulate and sharpe n the sense of smell. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) has been used in the Middle East for hundreds of year s for skin conditions associated with an oily complexion. It soothes insect bite s and may serve as an insect repellent. It has about 300 chemical constituents t hat contribute refreshing, mood-lifting qualities. Bergamot is responsible for t he distinctive flavor of Earl Grey Tea. Benefits nervous and digestive system. Cedar, Red Canadian (Thuja plicata) was used traditionally by the Canadian Nativ es to help them enter a higher spiritual realm. They used it to stimulate the sc alp and as an antiseptic agent. Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) (98% sesquiterpenes) was recognized historically fo r its calming, purifying properties and is used to benefit the skin and tissues near the surface of the skin. It also helps calm nervous tension, and benefits t he digestive system. The oil with the highest percentage of sesquiterpenes, Ceda rwood supplies oxygen to tissues and erases DNA damage; just another weapon in o ur battle against cancer. Chamomile, Roman (Chamaemelum nobile) may help calm you and relieve restlessness and tension. It is used cosmetically in Europe for the skin. Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum) (73% phenylpropanoids) is among the most antise ptic essential oils with a high antioxidant rating. It has been produced in Sri Lanka for over 2,000 years. Invigorates and rejuvenates mind and body. Cistus or Labdanum (Cistus ladanifer) comes from a rose that has a soft honey-li ke scent. Cistus has been studied for its effect on the regeneration of cells. Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) supports the cells. It contains natural estriol, a p hytoestrogen. Relaxing, sweet scent, used as a toning and sedating scent/oil esp ecially for women. Also seems to help digestive and glandular problems. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) (90% phenylpropanoids) is one of the most antiseptic essential oils. Eugenol, its principal constituent, is used synthetically in th e dental industry for the numbing of gums. Most powerful of the antioxidants and a wonderful aid to the immune system. Also repels ants. Coriander (cilantro) (Coriandrum sativum) oil has been researched at Cairo Unive rsity for its effects in supporting pancreatic function. It also has soothing, c alming properties. Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) (28% monoterpenes) is one of the oils most used to support the circulatory system.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) oil has been researched at Cairo University for its su pportive effects on pancreatic function. It is used in European hospitals. Elemi (Canarium luzonicum) is distilled from the gum of a tree originating in th e Philippines. It has been used in Europe for hundreds of years in salves for sk in and is included in celebrated healing ointments such as baume parlytique. Ele mi was used by a 17th-century physician, J. J. Wecker, on the battle wounds of s oldiers. It belongs to the same botanical family (Burseraceae) as frankincense ( Boswellia carteri) and myrrh (Commiphor myrrha). Elemi is highly regarded today for soothing sore muscles, protecting skin, and stimulating nerves. Eucalyptus Dives High in phellandrene and low in eucalyptol. This species has di fferent, more specific antiseptic action than other eucalyptus oils. It is excel lent for skin or topical application. Avoid direct inhalation. Eucalyptus Globulus Contains a high percentage of the compound eucalyptol, a key ingredient in many antiseptic mouth rinses. Often used for the respiratory syst em, eucalyptus has been investigated for its effect on insects in a study called "Laboratory Evaluation of a Eucalyptus-based Repellant Against Four Biting Arth ropods," published in Phytotherapy Research. Has a pungent, camphor-like aroma u sed traditionally to expel mucus and fortify the respiratory system. DO NOT use with children under 5 or asthmatics. Eucalyptus Polybractea Well suited for topical application or diffusing. This sp ecies is highest in the antiseptic compound eucalyptol (about 80 percent) and ha s one of the strongest antiseptic actions among the eucalyptus oils. AVOID DIREC T INHALATION. Eucalyptus Radiata One of the most versatile of the eucalyptus oils, is suitable for topical use, diffusing, and even direct inhalation. Relatively gentle and n onirritating. This antiseptic oil has been studied extensively by Daniel Penoel, M.D. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is antiseptic and stimulating to the circulatory and respiratory systems. Fir (Abies alba) has been researched for its antiseptic abilities. Fir, Douglas (Pseudotsuga menziesii) has antiseptic properties and helps soothe sore muscles. Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) (40% monoterpenes) (8% sesquiterpenes) is consi dered a holy anointing oil in the Middle East and has been used in religious cer emonies for thousands of years ( ...presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankinc ense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11). It was well known during the time of Christ for its anointing and healing powers. Frankincense is now being researched and used therapeutically in European hospitals. High in sesquiterpenes, it is stimulating and elevating to the mind and helps in overcoming stress and despair as well as supporting the immune system. Comforting, centering, and elevating; long associ ated with spirituality, the sesquiterpenes help to erase DNA damage and supply o xygen to tissues (excellent for cancer patients). Galbanum (Ferula gummosa) (80% monoterpenes) is referred to in the book of Exodu s (And the Lord said unto Moses, take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha , and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there b e a like weight. Exodus 30:34). Galbanum was used for both medicinal and spiritu al purposes. It is recognized for its antiseptic and body-supporting properties. When combined with other oils such as frankincense (Boswellia carteri) or sanda lwood (Santalum album), galbanum's electrical frequency increases dramatically.

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) has been used for centuries for skin care. Its strength lies in the ability to revitalize tissue. It is excellent for the skin , and its aromatic influence helps release negative memories. Also used for glan dular and reproductive systems, with some benefits to the nervous system. Used b y skin care specialists in restoring balance between oily and dry skin and hair. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) (59% sesquiterpenes) is used to combat nausea, vomi ting, or dizziness associated with motion sickness and has been studied for its gentle, stimulating effects. Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) supports the circulatory system, urinary tract, and liver function. It has relaxing and calming effects. Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) works as a mild disinfectant. Especially helpful for the urinary system, and when trying to lose weight. Benefits the nervous sys tem during stressful situations. Diffuse for a refreshing, uplifting aroma. Like many cold-pressed citrus oils, it has unique fat-dissolving characteristics. Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) (Electromagnetic Freq: 181 MHz) has been stud ied in Europe for regenerating tissue and improving skin conditions, nerves, and circulation. It is best known for its effect on bruises, wounds and other injur ies, as well as for reducing pain. Also, known as an excellent cell regenerator and helps reduce formation of scar tissue. Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) (70% monoterpenes) is another Biblical oil, noted for its antiseptic properties. (Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:7) It has been studied for suppo rting the respiratory system. Idaho Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) stimulates a positive attitude and a general fee ling of well being. This oil has been used extensively as an insect repellant. A ccording to E. Joseph Montagna's The Herbal Desk Reference on herbal formulas, i t may help numerous skin conditions and tone the entire system. Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is an "absolute" extracted from the flower and is an essence rather than an essential oil. It is good for sensitive skin and can a lso be uplifting and stimulating. Considered an aphrodisiac for centuries, Jasmi ne supports the nervous system and is helpful for women going through menopause. Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma and/or J. scopulorum) (Electromagnetic Freq: 98 M Hz) (42% monoterpenes) may work as a detoxifier and cleanser that also benefits the skin. It has also been used to support proper nerve function. Laurus Nobilis An essential oil used for fragrance in cosmetics and perfumes. An cient Greeks and Romans used leaves of the laurel tree to crown their victors. B oth leaves and berries were used to improve appetite and calm digestion. Laurus nobilis has antiseptic properties. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) (Electromagnetic Freq: 118 MHz) is the most ve rsatile of all essential oils. Therapeutic-grade lavender has been highly regard ed for the skin. The French scientist Rene Gattefosse was the first to discover these properties when he severely burned his hands in a laboratory explosion. La vender has also been clinically evaluated for its relaxing effects. It may be us ed to cleanse cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The fragrance is calming, rel axing, and balancing -- physically and emotionally. Makes an excellent rub for s prains, strains, and sore muscles (used in a carrier oil) and goes well mixed wi th Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca). Can be taken internally (1 to 3 drops in a cup of w ater) for headaches and even migraines. A few drops for a gargle works really pe achy.

Ledum (Ledum groenlandicum) has been used for years in folk medicine. As a tea, ledum soothed stomachs, coughs, and hoarseness. It was also believed to stimulat e the nerves. Lemon (Citrus limon) has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function, lymphatic, circulatory, and digestive systems. Is antibacterial and may serve as an insect repellent as well as being beneficial for the skin. Diffuse or add a few drops to a spray bot tle to deodorize and sterilize the air. Add two drops to soy or rice milk for pu rification or combine with peppermint (Mentha piperita) to provide a refreshing lift. Use for removing gum, oil, or grease spots. Add to food or soy or rice mil k as a dietary supplement or flavoring. CAUTION: Citrus oils should NOT be appli ed to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light within 7 2 hours. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is used for purification and digestion. Resear ch was published in Phytotherapy Research regarding topically applied lemongrass and its properties. Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is used for supporting the muscles and the respirat ory system. It assists in calming the nerves and is antiseptic. Melaleuca (Alternifolia) Highly regarded as an antiseptic essential oil. Has hig h levels of terpinenol, which is the key active constituent. Famous for its bene ficial effects on immune system; excellent disinfectant and cleaners. Tea tree o il has been highly praised for a wide variety of healing uses. Some people find the oil irritating when used full strength and need to dilute it with oil, but m any people use it straight on athlete's foot, insect bites, arthritis pain, burn s, cuts, nail fungus warts and sprains. You might wish to first test your sensit ivity. If a rash develops using a small amount, you can dilute with a carrier oi l (olive, almond, etc) Diffuse or apply topically. Safe for use on children and pets. Melaleuca (Ericifola) (formerly known as Australian Rosalina) is a relatively un known essential oil with antiseptic and calming properties. This variety of mela leuca oil is exceptionally gentle and nonirritating to the skin and is used by t he well-known essential oil researcher Daniel Penoel, M.D., to support the respi ratory system. Diffuse or apply topically on location or to the temples, wrists, throat, face, and chest. For a whole body massage, dilute four to eight drops i n 30 ml of carrier oil. Add several drops to bath water. Melissa (Melissa officinalis) (Electromagnetic Freq: 102 MHz) Uplifting, mood en hancing, Melissa officinalis is also called lemon balm because of the lemony sme ll of its leaves. It is a costly essential oil because of the large volume of pl ants needed to produce small quantities of oil. Beware of inexpensive offerings of melissa, since it is often adulterated with lemongrass and citronella. Meliss a Essential Oil is excellent for restoring a calm and relaxed feeling. It reliev es occasional nervous tension and has been found helpful for the relief of occas ional sleeplessness. Melissa is often used as a digestive aid and helps with occ asional heartburn, gas, bloating, and feelings of fullness. True therapeutic-gra de Melissa is highly effective and greatly valued. Mountain Savory or Winter Savory (Satureja montana) has been used historically a s a general tonic for the body. Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) (62% sesquiterpenes) is an oil referenced throughout t he Old and New Testaments (A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me. Song of Solomon 1:13). The Arabian people used it for many skin conditions, such as wri nkled, chapped, and cracked skin. Is has one of the highest levels of sesquiterp enes, a class of compounds that has direct effects on the hypothalamus, pituitar

y, and amygdala, the seat of our emotions. Myrrh is widely used today in oral hy giene products. It is emotionally strengthening and empowering; prized since anc ient times; antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflam matory; has traditionally been used for aging skin (not for use during pregnancy ). Like Frankincense, this is an excellent weapon in your arsenal to battle canc er. Myrtle (25% monoterpenes) has been researched by Dr. Daniel Penoel for its effec ts on hormonal imbalances of the thyroid and ovaries. It has also been researche d for its soothing effects on the respiratory system. Myrtle may help with chron ic coughs and respiratory tract ailments. Apply topically, diffuse, or use in a humidifier. Suitable for use on children. Neroli Fresh, floral aroma brightens spirits and clears the mind. Supports the b ody under stress and enhances skin tone. Nutmeg (Myristic fragrans) helps support the adrenal glands for increased energy . Historically, it has been used to benefit circulation and muscle aches and pai ns. It also helps to support the nervous system and may assist in overcoming ner vous fatigue. Apply topically mixed with Massage Oil Base. Add to food or soy or rice milk as a dietary supplement or flavoring. Orange (Citrus sinensis) brings peace and happiness to the mind and body. It has been recognized to help a dull, oily complexion. Diffuse or apply topically on location, or add to food or soy or rice milk as a dietary supplement or flavorin g. CAUTION: Citrus oils should NOT be applied to skin that will be exposed to di rect sunlight or ultraviolet light within 72 hours. Oregano (Origanum compactum) (60% phenylpropanoids) is highly damaging to many k inds of viruses and was recently shown in laboratory research conducted at Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, to have a 99 percent kill rate against in vitro colonies of Streptococcus pneumoniae, even when used in 1 percent concentration. (S. pneumoniae is responsible for many kinds of lung and throat infections.) It is antibacterial, antiviral, containing 31 known anti-inflammatories, 28 antiox idants, and 4 potent COX-2 inhibitors. Apply topically neat to bottom of feet. M ix with Massage Oil Base if applied elsewhere on the skin. May be used undiluted in Raindrop Technique. Add to food or soy or rice milk as a dietary supplement or flavoring. DO NOT use with children under 5. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) (71% sesquiterpenes) is very beneficial for the sk in and may help prevent wrinkled or chapped skin. It is a general tonic and stim ulant, helps the digestive system, fighting candida (yeast) infections, and bene fits the nervous and glandular systems. It has antiseptic properties and helps r elieve itching. Pepper, Black (Piper nigrum) (74% sesquiterpenes) is a stimulating, energizing e ssential oil that has been studied for its effects on cellular oxygenation. It h as been used for soothing deep tissue muscle aches and pains. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) (Electromagnetic Freq: 78 MHz) (45% monoterpenes) ( 25% phenylpropanoids) is one of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for so othing digestion. Jean Valnet, M.D., studied peppermint's effect on the liver an d respiratory systems. Other scientists have also researched peppermint's role i n affecting impaired taste and smell when inhaled. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati studied peppermint's ability to improve concentration a nd mental accuracy. Alan Hirsch, M.D., studied peppermint's ability to directly affect the brain's satiety center, which triggers a sense of fullness after meal s. It is beneficial to the sinuses and muscular system, and especially useful fo r women during monthly cycles or menopause. Diffuse. Massage on the stomach or a dd to water or tea for supporting normal digestion. Apply to bottom of feet to c

ool off on a hot day. Rub on temples for a calming effect, or place several drop s on the tongue as an invigorating pick-me-up. A wonderful flavoring and preserv ative. Avoid contact with eyes, mucous membranes, or sensitive skin areas. DO NO T apply neat to a fresh wound or burn. Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium) is an oil derived from orange leaves, has antisept ic properties and re-establishes nerve equilibrium. Pine (Pinus sylvestris) (30% monoterpenes) was first investigated by Hippocrates , the father of Western medicine, for its benefits to the respiratory system. In 1990 Dr. Penoel and Dr Frachomme described pine oil's antiseptic properties in their medical textbook. Pine is used in massage for stressed muscles and joints. It shares many of the same properties as Eucalyptus globulus, and the action of both oils is enhanced when blended. Promotes alertness and mental focus; benefi ts respiratory and urinary system. Not to be used by children under 5. Can be a strong skin irritant. Avoid oil adulterated by turpentine, a low-cost but potent ially hazardous filler. Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) is referred to by the people of Madagascar as th e oil that heals. It has antiseptic properties and is supporting to the nerves a nd respiratory system. Rose (Rosa damascena) (Electromagnetic Freq: 320 MHz) has a beautiful fragrance that is intoxicating and aphrodisiac-like. Rose helps bring balance and harmony. In his clinical practice, Dr. Penoel uses this oil for the skin. It is stimulat ing and elevating to the mind, creating a sense of well-being. It has been calle d the Queen of oils for women's concerns, establishing harmony throughout the bo dy no matter what life brings. It is also great for circulation and skin care. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis CT 1,8 cineol) has been researched for its anti septic properties. It may be beneficial for the skin and for helping overcome me ntal fatigue. Beneficial for the circulatory, nervous, and muscular system. Has a history of use over the centuries for hair and skin. NOT TO BE used with high blood pressure or epilepsy. Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) is soothing and nourishing to the skin. It has been researched at Weber State University for its inhibition rate against gram positi ve and gram negative bacterial growth. Sage (Salvia officinalis) has been used in Europe for numerous skin conditions. It has been recognized for its benefits of strengthening the vital centers and s upporting metabolism. It may also help coping with despair and mental fatigue. Sandalwood (Santalum album) (90% sesquiterpenes) is high in sesquiterpenes and h as been researched in Europe for its ability to oxygenate a part of the brain kn own as the pineal gland, the seat of our emotions. The pineal gland is responsib le for releasing melatonin, a powerful hormone that enhances deep sleep. Sandalw ood is similar to frankincense oil in its support of nerves and circulation. It was used traditionally for skin revitalization, yoga, and meditation, and has be en found to help remove negative programming from the cells (again, another canc er weapon). Also traditionally used for urinary and respiratory systems. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) oil helps support the respiratory and nervous systems . It may help open and release emotional blocks and bring about a feeling of bal ance. Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) (93% sesquiterpenes) is highly regarded in In dia as a perfume, medicinal herb, and skin tonic. Highly prized at the time of C hrist, it was used by Mary of Bethany to anoint the feet of Jesus before the Las t Supper. This relaxing, soothing oil helps nourish and regenerate the skin.

Spruce (Picea mariana) (38% monoterpenes) oil helps support the respiratory and nervous systems. Its aromatic influences help to open and release emotional bloc ks, bringing about a feeling of balance. Tangerine (Citrus nobilis) is a calming essential oil. It helps with anxiety and nervousness. Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus) has been used in Europe for its antiseptic funct ions. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is one of the most antiseptic essential oils and very hi gh in antioxidant rating. It contains thymol, which has been studied for its eff ect on gingivitis and plaque-causing organisms in the mouth. It may be beneficia l in helping to overcome fatigue and exhaustion. Sharp and woody aroma, helps im prove circulatory, immune, skeletal, respiratory and nervous systems; anti-micro bial use for infections and disinfectant use; dilute with water to clean and dis infect surfaces; especially good to use in a sickroom; makes a good massage oil as it stimulates circulation and can be used to clean burns and wounds; inhaled, it aids in asthma attacks and is a good choice if you are recovering from pneum onia. Tsuga (Canadensis) (Tsuga canadensis) is distilled from the leaves and twigs of the conifer tree commonly called hemlock. The bark from the hemlock tree was use d by American Indians to make poultices for wounds and sores. Tsuga essential oi l is used in liniments. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a root that has been used for thousands of y ears for its calming, relaxing, grounding, and emotionally balancing influences. During the last three decades, it has been clinically investigated for its tran quilizing properties. Researchers have pinpointed the sesquiterpenes valerenic a cid and valerone as the active constituents that exert a calming effect on the c entral nervous system. German health authorities have pronounced valerian to be an effective treatment for restlessness and for sleep disturbances resulting fro m nervous conditions. Vetiver (Vetiveria zanioides) (97% sesquiterpenes) has a heavy, earthy fragrance similar to patchouli with a touch of lemon. Young Living's vetiver oil is hydro -diffused under ultra-low pressure. Vetiver oil is psychologically grounding, ca lming, and stabilizing. Vetiver may help us cope with stress and recover from em otional traumas and shocks. Vitex (Vitex negundo) is steam distilled from the inner bark, tiny branches, and leaves of the chaste tree. It has been extensively researched in Europe for its neurological effects. NOTE: Vitex is different from the extract of the chaste b erry. Western Red Cedar Referred to as the "Tree of Life." It has antiseptic propertie s, is nourishing to the skin, and helps promote a sense of calmness. White Fir (Albies grandis) is an essential oil with antiseptic properties. Wintergreen (Gaultheria prcumbens) contains the same active ingredient (methyl s alicylate) as birch and is beneficial for massage associated with bone, muscle, and joint discomfort. Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) may be extremely effective in calming, balancing ( the nervous system) and bringing about a sense of relaxation. This native flower of Madagascar and the Reunion Islands is symbolic of love, and the fragrant, pa le yellow petals are often strewn across the marriage bed. Its soft, floral scen

t is often used in men's fragrances as an alternative to the sweeter and more fe minine rose. Ylang Ylang affects the glandular system, great for hair and skin, stimulates adrenal glands, but at the same time can be used for insomnia and pai n. Has been known to have good results for impotence and frigidity. Taken intern ally, it has been said to lower blood pressure, alleviate problems with PMS, and ease intestinal infections. For depression, rub a drop or two between your palm s and inhale the warm aroma. Our thanks to Young Living and the Herbs Place for all this wonderful informatio n. Eucalyptus essential oils kill dust mites. Combine 2 cups of distilled water, 5 drops of organic liquid soap and 30 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, and spray it on Editorial Comments on Treating Scabies with Tea Tree Oil: It appears this oil can be an effective alternative to using strong pesticides a nd drugs to combat scabies infections. Based on the above research, it appears a 5% solution of tea tree oil was the most effective at killing mites. Among 22 essential oils tested as fumigants against the bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus (Bruchidae), those of Thymus serpyllum (rich in the phenols thymol and carvacrol) and Origanum majorama (rich in terpinen-4-ol) were the most toxic (RegnaultRoger et al., 1993). In a more detailed study, Shaaya et al. (1991) evaluated the fumigant toxicity of 28 essential oils and 10 of their major constituents against four di!erent 0261-2194/00/$ - see front matter ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv ed. PII: S 0 2 6 1 - 2 1 9 4 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 0 7 9 - X species of stored product coleopterans. Most interestingly, there was little overlap among the insect species with respect to the most toxic oils and constituents, indicating that while these substances are generally active against a broad spectrum of pests, interspeci"c toxicity of individual oils and compounds is highly idiosyncratic. Sarac and Tunc (1995), investigating the fumigant action of four essential oils to three species of stored product pests, reached the same conclusion. A number of investigations by Ho and colleagues (Ho et al., 1994, 1995, 1997; Huang and Ho, 1998; Huang et al., 1998) have demonstrated contact, fumigant and antifeedant e!ects of a range of essential oil constituents (cinnamaldehyde, a-pinene, anethole, extracts of cloves, Syzygium aromaticum, and star anise, Illicium verum) against the red #our beetle Tribolium castaneum and the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais. Eugenol, the major constituent of oil of cloves and also of the holy basil, Ocimum suave, was shown to be e!ective against these and two additional coleopterans, S. granarius and Prostephanus truncatus (Obeng-Ofori and Reichmuth, 1997). Recent studies have also indicated e$cacy against pests on plants. Essential oils of cumin (Cuminum cyminum), anise (Pimpinella ansium), oregano (Origanum syriacum var. bevanii) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) were e!ective as fumigants against the cottonRecent studies have also indicated e$cacy against pests on plants. Essential oils of cumin (Cuminum cyminum), anise (Pimpinella ansium), oregano (Origanum

syriacum var. bevanii) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) were e!ective as fumigants against the cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) and the carmine spider mite (Tetranychus cinnabarinus), two greenhouse pests (Tuni and Sahinkaya, 1998). E$cacy of basil (Ocimum spp.) against garden pests has recently been reviewed (Quarles, 1999). Lee et al. (1997) reported on the toxicity of a range of essential oil constituents to the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera), the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the house#y (Musca domestica), and dietary e!ects of a number of monoterpenoids against the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) have been recently reported (Lee et al., 1999). There is even evidence that certain essential oils and their constituents are e!ective against Varroa jacobsoni, an ectoparasite of the honey bee (Calderone et al., 1997). However, systematic investigation of the antifungal activities of essential oils and their constituents predate those of the insecticidal properties. Kurita et al. (1981) screened 40 such compounds against seven species of fungi (primarily food spoilage organisms), and Singh et al. (1980) similarly screened "ve essential oils against 22 species of fungi, including both human and plant pathogenic types. More recently, Muller-Riebau et al. (1995) screened nine essential oils against four species of plant pathogenic fungi, whereas Wilson et al. (1997) screened 49 essential oils against the fruit pathogen Botrytis cinerea. In the former study, antifungal activity was strongly associated with monoterpenic phenols, especially thymol, carvacrol and eugenol, in the oils. Some of the essential oils and constituents found to be insecticidal (e.g. eugenol) were previously reported to be activAcaricidal activities of some essential oils and their monoterpenoidal constituents against house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) El-Zemity Saad, ,1 Rezk Hussien,2 Farok Saher,2 and Zaitoon Ahmed2 Author information ? Article notes ? Copyright and License information ? Go to: Abstract The acaricidal activities of fourteen essential oils and fourteen of their major monoterpenoids were tested against house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssi nus. Five concentrations were used over two different time intervals 24 and 48 h under laboratory conditions. In general, it was noticed that the acaricidal eff ect based on LC 50 of either essential oils or monoterpenoids against the mite w as time dependant. The LC 50 values were decreased by increasing of exposure tim e. Clove, matrecary, chenopodium, rosemary, eucalyptus and caraway oils were sho wn to have high activity. As for the monoterpenoids, cinnamaldehyde and chloroth ymol were found to be the most effective followed by citronellol. This study sug gests the use of the essential oils and their major constituents as ecofriendly biodegradable agents for the control of house dust mite, D. pteronyssinus. Keywords: Natural acaricides, Essential oils, Monoterpenoids, House dust mite, D ermatophagoides pteronyssinusEucalyptus essential oils kill dust mites. Combine 2 cups of distilled water, 5 drops of organic liquid soap and 30 drops of eucaly ptus essential oil, and spray it on your bed daily to keep the dust mites at bay .Essential Oils That Kill Mites Written by camilla medders | Translated by ehow contributor Dust mites are tiny bugs that eat dead skin cells. Although the mites themselves are not harmful, many people are allergic to their droppings, which are present in mattresses, pillows, carpeting and furniture. According to the Dust Mites Ce

nter website, between 100,000 and 10 million dust mites can live in a single mat tress. Luckily, there are several ways to get rid of dust mites, including essen tial oils. Spraying furniture and bedding with diluted oils, or washing bedding with hot water, soap and a few drops of oil may help get rid of dust mites. Clove Out of 14 essential oils tested by scientists at the Alexandria University in Eg ypt, clove oil proved to be the most effective in killing dust mites. Clove oil has a pleasant smell and is very safe when used conservatively, but it can be ha rmful in large amounts. Clove oil may cause an allergic reaction in some individ uals, and should be avoided by people who have kidney, liver or seizure disorder s. Chenopodium Chenopodium, also called epazote and wormseed, is used as a spice in Mexico and Central and South America. Researchers at Alexandria University found it to be t he second most effective essential oil for killing dust mites, but this oil may be difficult to find in the United States. Fennel Fennel, an oil with a liquorice-like smell, is also effective in killing mites. This oil is relatively safe, but according to Botanicals.com, it should be used only in moderation, and avoided by people who are pregnant or have endometriosis or epilepsy. Rosemary and Eucalyptus Researchers at Alexandria University also found that caraway, rosemary and eucal yptus oils were somewhat effective on dust mites. Rosemary and eucalyptus were m ore effective when left in contact with the mites for 48 hours. These oils are a ll non-irritating and non-toxic, with very few adverse health effects, but Botan icals.com does not recommend that pregnant women use eucalyptus. Oil Blends If you don't like the fragrance of these oils, you could try blending them with another essential oil to create a more acceptable flavour. Natural food stores o ften have tester bottles of essential oils so you can sample their smells and fi nd a combination you like. In addition, blending two or more of the mite-killing essential oils could increase their effectiveness, as researchers found that so me compounds in the oils work better in conjunction with others. Tea Tree Tea Tree oil is often used in grease patties for control of mites. It seems as if Tea Tree oil can be interchanged with wintergreen oil with no loss of effe ctiveness. Varroa Mites Essential oils, in regards to mite control, have two apparent modes of operation , primarily, direct toxicity. In the case of varroa mites, once a mite comes in to direct contact with an essential oils such as wintergreen or tea tree oil mix ed into a grease patty they are usually killed within a few minutes. This howeve r, requires that the infected bee actually contact the grease patty. Due to this contact requirement, direct toxicity cannot eliminate mites, only aid in the co ntrol of mite levels. Secondly, it appears mite reproduction can be impaired whe n bees are fed a syrup containing essential oils. Essential oils are passed from feeding bees to other bees and larva through trophalaxis. Essential oils thereb y pass to the brood and poison any female Varroa that attempt to parasitically f eed on the larva.See also: http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/ipm/insects/pollinat/hone

ybee/index.htm There are plants named, which are the source for the oils. I wonder if we just p lant them for the bees to be the proper food. Like Hippocrates said: Let the foo d be your medicin. Name | Distribution | Latin Name | German Name - wintergreen | North America | Gaultheria procumbens | Wintergrnstrauch - thyme | Europe | Thymus | Thymian - tea trees | Australia | Melaleuca alternifolia | Australischer Teebaum <= I ha ve a couple of small ones in my greenhouse ;o) - spearmint | Europe | Mentha spicata | Grne Minze - rosemary | mediterrain | Rosmarinus officinalis | Rosmarin <= this is my favor ite herbal remedy for anything! - peppermints | Europe | Menth piperata | Pfefferminze - pennyroyal | European | Mentha pulegium | Polei-Minze - patchouly | Pacific & SouthEast | Pogostemon cablin | Indisches Patschuli - melaleuca | Australia | Melaleuca leucadendron | Sonnentaugewchse - eucalypt | Australia | Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus - citronella grass | Australia? | Cymbopogon nardus | Zitronengrser - cinnamon | Asia and Australia | Cinnamomum | Zimtgewchse - catnip | Europe | Nepeta | Katzenminze I would add some lavender to that list. And of course poplar trees with their ve ry healing resin. Because I use rosemary for myself I will plant a lot more of rosemary. Essential oils from 14 species of Labiatae were steam-distilled and analyzed. Be an leaf discs freshly sprayed with different concentrations of the acetonic solu tions of the oils caused mortality and induced repellency in adult females of th e carmine spider mite,Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisd.), and egg-laying was redu ced. Seven-day-old residues still had some activity. On the basis of EC-50s, the most effective oils were:Lavandula angustifolia xL. latifolia (0.09%);L. angustifolia (0.1%);Melissa officinalis (0.12%);Mentha pipe rata (1.3%);Salvia fruticosa (1.4%);Ocimum basilicum (1.4%); andRosmarinus offic inalis (2.2%). n in vitro Evaluation of Tagetes minuta Essential Oil for the Control of the Hon eybee Pathogens Paenibacillus larvae and Ascosphaera apis, and the Parasitic Mit e Varroa destructor Preview Access options DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2005.9698924 Martn J. Eguarasa, S. Fusellia, L. Gendea, R. Fritza, Sergio R. Ruffinengob, G. C lementeb, Alda Gonzalezc, Pedro N. Bailacd & Marta I. Ponzid pages 336-340 Publishing models and article dates explained Received: 01 Jul 2003 Accepted: 01 Dec 2003 Version of record first published: 28 Nov 2011 Article Views: 9 Alert me Abstract

Biological activity was evaluated of the Tagetes minuta essential oil in differe nt in vitro laboratory experiments on the mite (Varroa destructor), honeybees (A pis mellifera), the bacterium that causes the American Foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae), and the fungus that produces chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis). Two methods of complete exposure were used for mite lethality test: by spraying in Burgerjo n's tower with 10 mg of active ingredient in solution with distilled water and e mulsion, and in unmodified Petri dishes (60 x 20 mm) with oil (different concent rations) diluted in 1 mL of ethanol. Ratio selection was obtained as: LD50 of Ap is mellifera/LD50 of V. destructor. Determination of Minimal Inhibitory Concentr ations (MIC): to P. larvae was tested at concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 , 250, 350, 450, 500, 600, 650, 700, 800 and 1000 ppm. An A. apis strain was gro wn on agar MY20 supplemented with variable concentrations (between 0 800 ppm) of T . minuta oil was evaluated. Results obtained in tests of total exposure showed t hat the concentration was able to kill 50% of mites in 24 h (DL50) and was estim ated to be 4.37 mg/cage. The efficacy after spray treatment reached 56%. The rat io selection was 3:11. Against P. larvae, the oil showed MIC values ranging from 700 800 L/L depending on the tested bacterial strains. Tagetes minuta oil in agar MY20 inhibited mycelial growth of A. apis above concentrations of 200 ppm (p = 0 .0001). Oil concentrations of 700 and 800 ppm achieved maximum growth inhibition of A. apis (67% of growth inhibition on average). Tagetes minuta oil demonstrat ed in vitro antibacterial, antifungical and miticide activity, although this oil shows a moderate inhibitor effect compared with other essential oils of native plants from Argentina. However, this oil presents a ratio selection that would a llow it to be used in field conditions with a good safety margin. It is possible that this oil can be used in combination with others, in integrated pest manage ment strategies in bee colonies. Download full textEucalyptus essential oil as a natural pesticide Daizy R. Batisha, Corresponding author contact information, E-mail the corre sponding author, Harminder Pal Singhb, Ravinder Kumar Kohlia, b, Shalinder Kaura a Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India b Centre for Environment and Vocational Studies, Panjab University, Chandiga rh 160014, India http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2008.08.008, How to Cite or Link Using DO I Permissions & Reprints View full text Purchase $31.50 Abstract Eucalyptus (family Myrtaceae), an Australian native, represented by around 700 s pecies is a genus of tall, evergreen and magnificent trees cultivated world over for its oil, gum, pulp, timber, medicine and aesthetic value. Among the various wood and non-wood products, essential oil found in its foliage is the most impo rtant one and finds extensive use in food, perfumery and pharmaceutical industry . In addition, the oil possesses a wide spectrum of biological activity includin g anti-microbial, fungicidal, insecticidal/insect repellent, herbicidal, acarici dal and nematicidal. The present paper discusses this environmentally benign pes t control using eucalyptus oils against bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes, wee ds and mites. The use of eucalyptus oil as a natural pesticide is of immense sig nificance in view of the environmental and toxicological implications of the ind iscriminate use of synthetic pesticides and overcoming/reducing the problem of i

ncreasing pest resistance. Keywords Antimicrobial activity; Eucalyptus species; Essential oils; Environment friendly pest control; Herbicidal activity; Insecticidal/insect-repellent activitystract Essential oils distilled from members of the genus Lavandula have been used both cosmetically and therapeutically for centuries with the most commonly used spec ies being L. angustifolia, L. latifolia, L. stoechas and L. x intermedia. Althou gh there is considerable anecdotal information about the biological activity of these oils much of this has not been substantiated by scientific or clinical evi dence. Among the claims made for lavender oil are that is it antibacterial, anti fungal, carminative (smooth muscle relaxing), sedative, antidepressive and effec tive for burns and insect bites. In this review we detail the current state of k nowledge about the effect of lavender oils on psychological and physiological pa rameters and its use as an antimicrobial agent. Although the data are still inco nclusive and often controversial, there does seem to be both scientific and clin ical data that support the traditional uses of lavender. However, methodological and oil identification problems have severely hampered the evaluation of the th erapeutic significance of much of the research on Lavandula spp. These issues ne ed to be resolved before we have a true picture of the biological activities of lavender essential oil. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abstract: Essential oils of four plants (two species of lavender, peppermint, and a eucaly ptus) and some of their principal constituents, i.e., linalool, linalyl acetate, fenchone, menthone, menthol, and eucalyptol, were tested in vitro for their aca ricidal activity against Tyrophagus longior, a mite species that is a pest in st ored food. Two different procedures were carried out to test the activity of the se compounds by direct contact and by inhalation. In the direct contact assays f ive different quantities of each undiluted substance (6, 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.25 l) w ere spread on the internal surface of 6-cm petri dishes, each containing 10 mite s. The activity by inhalation was tested using two petri dishes of different siz es: the smaller one (6 cm), containing 10 mites, was covered with a filter-paper disk and enclosed in a bigger dish (9 cm) containing 6 oz 2 l of each undiluted substance. At the highest doses, the essential oils of the two lavender species and of peppermint killed 100% of the mites, both by direct contact and by inhala tion. Eucalyptus oil was the least active. Among the essential oil constituents, menthol showed the highest activity, killing 100% of the mites at the lowest do se (0.25 l) by direct contact and at 6 l by inhalation. However, linalool, fenchon e, and menthone also showed good acaricidal activity. Eucalyptol, like the essen tial oil of which it is the principal constituent, had the lowest activity. Comp osition and Acaricidal Activity of the Resin's Essential Oil of Protium bahianum Daly Against Two Spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus Urticae) Preview Access options DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2007.9699310 Wendel J.T. Pontesa, Jos C.S. de Oliveiraa, Claudio A.G. da Camaraa, Adelmo C.H.R . Lopesa, Manoel Guedes Corra Gondim Jniorb, Jos Vargas de Oliveirab & Manfred O.E. Schwartzc pages 379-383 Publishing models and article dates explained

Received: 01 Jan 2006 Accepted: 01 Mar 2006 Version of record first published: 28 Nov 2011 Article Views: 5 Alert me Abstract The essential oils from two sources of resinous exudates of Protium bahianum obt ained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by combinations of GC and GC/MS. Twenty -two and thirteen components were identified in the oils from fresh and aged res ins, comprising 95.8 % and 98.6 %, of the oils, respectively. The aged resin oil contained a high percentage of oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes (85.4 %) with a high predominance of -(Z)-santalol acetate (83.1 %). In contrast, no sesquiterpe nes were detected in the fresh resin oil and it was constituted basically by mon oterpenes hydrocarbons (42.4 %) and oxygen-containing monoterpenes (27.7 %), of which a-phellandrene (13.9 %) and terpinen-4-ol (7.4 %) were the major component s, respectively. The acaricidal activities against Tetranychus urticae of the re sin oil were also investigated. Both oils showed fumigant toxicity (mortality an d fecundity), but only the aged resin oil induced repellence. Download full textAcaricidal Properties of Artemisia absinthium and Tanacetu m vulgare (Asteraceae) Essential Oils Obtained by Three Methods of Extraction no access HLne Chiassona, Andr Blangerb, Noubar Bostanianb, Charles Vincentb, and Andr Poliquin a aUrgel Delisle et Associs, 426 chemin des Patriotes, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, QC, J0H 2G0 Canada bHorticultural Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , 430 Gouin Blvd, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, J3B 3E6 Canada Abstract Essential oils of Artemisia absinthium L. and Tanacetum vulgare L. were extracte d by three methods, a microwave assisted process (MAP), distillation in water (D W) and direct steam distillation (DSD), and tested for their relative toxicity a s contact acaricides to the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Al l three extracts of A. absinthium and of T. vulgare were lethal to the spider mi te but to variable degrees. The LC50 obtained from the DSD oil of A. absinthium was significantly lower (0.04 mg/cm2) than that of the MAP (0.13 mg/cm2) and DW (0.13 mg/cm2) oil of this plant species. DSD and DW extracts of T. vulgare were more toxic (75.6 and 60.4% mite mortality, respectively, at 4% concentration) to the spider mite than the MAP extract (16.7% mite mortality at 4% concentration) . Chromatographic analysis indicated differences in composition between the more toxic DSD oil of A. absinthium and the other two extracts of this plant, indica ting that a sesquiterpene (C15H24) compound present in the DSD oil and absent in the other two may enhance the toxicity of the DSD oil. Chemical analysis of the T. vulgare extracts indicated that -thujone is by far the major compound of the oil (>87.6%) and probably contributes significantly to the acaricidal activity o f the oil. Received: May 24, 2000; Accepted: September 27, 2000Acaricidal Properties of Art emisia absinthium and Tanacetum vulgare (Asteraceae) Essential Oils Obtained by Three Methods of Extraction no access HLne Chiassona, Andr Blangerb, Noubar Bostanianb, Charles Vincentb, and Andr Poliquin a

aUrgel Delisle et Associs, 426 chemin des Patriotes, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, QC, J0H 2G0 Canada bHorticultural Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , 430 Gouin Blvd, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, J3B 3E6 Canada Abstract Essential oils of Artemisia absinthium L. and Tanacetum vulgare L. were extracte d by three methods, a microwave assisted process (MAP), distillation in water (D W) and direct steam distillation (DSD), and tested for their relative toxicity a s contact acaricides to the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Al l three extracts of A. absinthium and of T. vulgare were lethal to the spider mi te but to variable degrees. The LC50 obtained from the DSD oil of A. absinthium was significantly lower (0.04 mg/cm2) than that of the MAP (0.13 mg/cm2) and DW (0.13 mg/cm2) oil of this plant species. DSD and DW extracts of T. vulgare were more toxic (75.6 and 60.4% mite mortality, respectively, at 4% concentration) to the spider mite than the MAP extract (16.7% mite mortality at 4% concentration) . Chromatographic analysis indicated differences in composition between the more toxic DSD oil of A. absinthium and the other two extracts of this plant, indica ting that a sesquiterpene (C15H24) compound present in the DSD oil and absent in the other two may enhance the toxicity of the DSD oil. Chemical analysis of the T. vulgare extracts indicated that -thujone is by far the major compound of the oil (>87.6%) and probably contributes significantly to the acaricidal activity o f the oil. Received: May 24, 2000; Accepted: September 27, 2000Composition and acaricidal a ctivity of Lippia sidoides essential oil against two-spotted spider mite (Tetran ychus urticae Koch) S.C.H. Cavalcantia, E. dos S. Niculaub, A.F. Blankc, C.A.G. Cmarad, I.N. Arajod, P.B. Alvesb, Corresponding author contact informationBioactivity of the esse ntial oil extracted from Evodia rutaecarpa Hook f. et Thomas against the grain s torage insects, Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) Z.L. Liu, S.H. HoCorresponding author contact information, E-mail the corresponding au thor Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore, 119260, Republic of Singapore http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-474X(99)00015-6, How to Cite or Link Using D OI Permissions & Reprints View full text Purchase $31.50 Abstract The toxic, repellent and feeding deterrent activities of the essential oil extra cted from Evodia rutaecarpa Hook f. et Thomas, were evaluated against Sitophilus zeamais adults and Tribolium castaneum larvae and adults. Contact toxicity assa yed by topical application showed that S. zeamais adults were significantly more susceptible (LD50=0.043 g/mg body wt) to the essential oil than T. castaneum adu lts (LD50=0.118 g/mg body wt) and larvae (LD50=0.093 0.126 g/mg body wt). However, i

n the fumigation assays, S. zeamais (LC50=41 g/L air) was less susceptible to the essential oil than T. castaneum (LC50=11.7 g/L air). When compared with larvae o f various ages, T. castaneum adults were more susceptible to the fumigant toxici ty of the essential oil. Also, in the treated filter paper repellency test, the essential oil was more repellent to T. castaneum than to S. zeamais. A flour dis k bioassay demonstrated that the essential oil of E. rutaecarpa had a weaker fee ding deterrent action against T. castaneum adults than against T. castaneum larv ae and S. zeamais adults. The reduction in growth rate of T. castaneum larvae an d S. zeamais adults was mainly due to a behavioural (feeding deterrent) action r ather than to post-ingestive toxicity of the oil. KeywordsUse of essential oils for the control of Varroa jacobsoni Oud. in honey bee colonies Anton Imdorfa, Stefan Bogdanova, Rubn Ibez Ochoaa and Nicholas W. Calderoneb a Forschungsanstalt fr Milchwirtschaft, Sektion Bienen, Liebefeld, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland b Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 , USA Abstract - Essential oils and essential oil components offer an attractive alter native to synthetic acaricides for the control of Varroa jacobsoni. They are gen erally inexpensive and most pose few health risks. Terpenes (mainly monoterpenes ) are the main components of essential oils, comprising about 90 % of the total. More than 150 essential oils and components of essential oils have been evaluat ed in laboratory screening tests. Very few of them, however, have proven success ful when tested in field trials. Thymol and thymol blended with essential oils o r essential oil components offer a promising exception. Mite mortality obtained with these formulations typically exceeds 90 % and often approaches 100 %. In ad dition, residues in honey are low, even after long-term treatments. The exact co nditions under which these formulations will yield reliable and effective contro l, however, have only been determined for certain European regions. Based on the available studies, relying solely on a single treatment with an essential oil o r essential oil component is generally not sufficient to maintain mite populatio ns below the economic injury level. Therefore, efforts are necessary to optimize the use of these substances and to incorporate them, along with other measures for limiting mite populations, into an integrated pest management strategy for c ontrol of Varroa jacobsoni. Inra/DIB/AGIB/ Elsevier, ParisEffect of Commercially Available Plant-Derived Essential Oil Products on Arthropod Pests no access Raymond A. Cloyd,1 Cindy L. Galle,2 Stephen R. Keith,2 Nanette A. Kalscheur,3 an d Kenneth E. Kemp4 2 AllTech Research and Development, Sparta, IL 62286. 3 Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illi nois, Urbana, IL 61801. 4 Department of Statistics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506. 1 Corresponding author; Department of Entomology, 123 Waters Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-4004 (rcloyd@ ksu.edu). ABSTRACT Plant-derived essential oil products, in general, are considered minimum-risk pe sticides and are exempt from Environmental Protection Agency registration under section 25 (b) of the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. However , many of the plant-derived essential products available to consumers (homeowner s) have not been judiciously evaluated for both efficacy and plant safety. In fa

ct, numerous plant-derived essential oil products labeled for control of arthrop od pests have not been subject to rigorous evaluation, and there is minimal scie ntific information or supporting data associated with efficacy against arthropod pests. We conducted a series of greenhouse experiments to determine the efficac y and phytotoxicity of an array of plant-derived essential oil products availabl e to consumers on arthropod pests including the citrus mealybug, Planococcus cit ri (Risso); western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande); twospo tted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch; sweetpotato whitefly B-biotype, Bemi sia tabaci (Gennadius); and green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). Although the products Flower Pharm (cottonseed, cinnamon, and rosemary oil) and Indoor P harm (soybean, rosemary, and lavender oil) provided >90% mortality of citrus mea lybug, they were also the most phytotoxic to the coleus, Solenostemon scutellari oides (L.) Codd, plants. Both GC-Mite (cottonseed, clove, and garlic oil) and Bu gzyme (citric acid) were most effective against the twospotted spider mite (=90% 0ortality). However, SMC (canola, coriander oil, and triethanolamine), neem (cl arified hydrophobic extract of neem oil), and Bug Assassin (eugenol, sodium laur yl sulfate, peppermint, and citronella oil) provided >80% mortality. Monterey Ga rden Insect Spray, which contained 0.5% spinosad, was most effective against wes tern flower thrips with 100% mortality. All the other products evaluated failed to provide sufficient control of western flower thrips with <30% mortality. In a ddition, the products Pest Out (cottonseed, clove, and garlic oil), Bang (Pipere aceae), and Fruit & Vegetable Insect Spray (rosemary, cinnamon, clove oil, and g arlic extract) had the highest flower (transvaal daisy, Gerbera jamesonii [H. Bo lus ex Hook.f]) phytotoxicity ratings (=4.5 of 5) among all the products. None o f the plant-derived essential oil products provided sufficient control of sweetp otato whitefly B-biotype or green peach aphid 7, 14, and 21 d after application. Furthermore, the products Bug Assassin (eugenol, sodium lauryl sulfate, pepperm int, and citronella oil) and Sharpshooter (sodium lauryl sulfate and clove oil) were phytotoxic to the poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch, pla nts. This study is one of the first to quantitatively demonstrate that commercia lly available plant-derived essential oil products vary in their effectiveness a gainst certain arthropod pests stated on the label and are phytotoxic. The acaricidal effects and adult bee toxicity of Heterotheca latifolia essential oil on Varroa jacobsoni mites were evaluated. The oil was prepared as an emulsi on and applied on the varroa females and on adult bees by pulverization in Burge rjon's tower. Varroa lethality test was determined by 3%, 4% and 5% concentrations. The active ingredient was sprayed on the mites placed in groups of 10 on filter papers pla ced on a plastic dish. As controls, distilled water and water with the emulsifie r were used. After spraying, mites were placed in an incubator at 331C and 70% RH. At these concentrations (3%, 4% and 5%) the oil showed a high mite mortality, wh ile in the control group (water and water + emulsifier) the mortality was lower. Significant differences between control groups and tested groups were observed (p<0.05). At the highest concentrations (5%) H. latifolia oil did not show bee toxicity. S ignificant differences between control and tested groups were not observed (p>() .()5). These results suggested that H. latifolia oil might play an important role in th is honeybee parasitosis management. Download full textAcaricidal Activity of Pine Essential Oils and Their Main Components against Tyrophagus putrescentiae, a Stored Food Mite Abstract HTMLFull Text HTML PDFHi-Res PDF[34 KB] PDFPDF w/ Links[41 KB]

Citing Articles Your current credentials do not allow retrieval of the full text. Purchase the full-text Cart PDF/HTML, figures/images, references and tables, (where available) PDF F. Macchioni , P. L. Cioni , G. Flamini , I. Morelli , S. Perrucci , A. Franceschi , G . Macchioni ,* and L. Ceccarini Dipartimento di Chimica Biorganica e Biofarmacia, Dipartimento di Patologia Anim ale, and Dipartimento di Agronomia e Gestione dell'Agrecosistema, Universit di Pi sa, Viale delle Piagge 2, Pisa 56124, Italy J. Agric. Food Chem., 2002, 50 (16), pp 4586 4588 DOI: 10.1021/jf020270w Publication Date (Web): June 29, 2002 Copyright 2002 American Chemical Society CASSection: Agrochemical Bioregulators Abstract Some essential oils obtained from the branches of four Pinus species (P. pinea L ., P. halepensis Mill., P. pinaster Soil in Ait., and P. nigra Arnold) have been evaluated for their acaricidal activity by aerial diffusion against the stored food mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (L.). All the essential oils showed a good ef ficacy, but P. pinea oil and its two constituents 1,8-cineole and limonene were the most effective compounds, showing 100% acaricidal activity at 8 L; 1,8-cineol e showed the same activity at 6 L. Keywords: Essential oil; 1,8-cineole; limonene; acaricidal activity; Tyrophagus putrescentiae; stored food mite; Pinus pinea Abstract The efficiency of Labiatae essential oils was compared with a classical aerosol treatment, including the acaricidic substance amitraz at the 0.25 concentration. The tested concentrations of the experimental mixture were 1% of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) and 0.5% of sage (Salvia officinalis L.). These products were also injected into each colony by the aerosol way for one minute. 4 applications in a n interval of 3 or 4 days constitute the treatment. The dead mites (Varroa jacob soni Oud.) were counted everyday. The number of surviving mites was estimated by means of a fluvalinate control treatment. No difference in the global efficienc y was found for the moderately infested colonies (less than 1300 mites, a few mu tilated pupae), which contained a small brood area. A weak grade of post-therape utic residues in honey was only detected by gas chromatography just after aeroso l administration. Rsum Traitement de la varroose de l'abeille par les huiles essentielles de Labies Les essais de terrain prsents portent sur une comparaison de l'efficacit d'un mlange de deux huiles essentielles (Thymus vulgaris L. et Salvia officinalis L.) par r apport l'amitraze. Ces produits sont mis en mulsion dans l'eau la concentration d es 0.25% pour l'amitraze, de 1% pour le thym et 0.5% pour la sauge et administrs dans la ruche par arosol chaud pendant une minute, en 4 applications 3 ou 4 jours d'intervalle. Les acariens Varroa jacobsoni Oud. morts sont recueillis quotidie

nnement. Aprs le traitement exprimental, le nombre d'acariens survivants est estim par application de fluvalinate, la surface du couvain et la prsence de nymphes mu tiles sont aussi notes. L'efficacit du mlange d'huiles essentielles est gale celle de l'amitraze, si les colonies sont moyennement parasites (moins de 1300 acariens). Le niveau de rsidus post-thrapeutiques est proche de la limite de dtection. Zusammenfassung therische le aus Labiaten zur Bekmpfung der Honigbienen-Varroatosis Es wurde die Wirkung von zwei therischen len aus Labiaten im Vergleich mit einem k lassischen Bekmpfungsaerosol von 0,25% Amitraz untersucht. Die getesteten Konzent rationen der experimentellen Mischungen betrugen 1% aus Thymus vulgaris und 0,5% aus Salvia officinalis. Diese Produkte wurden ebenso wie das Aerosol 1 Minute l ang in den Bienenstock eingefhrt. Die Behandlung bestand aus 4 Applikationen in I ntervallen von 3 oder 4 Tagen. Die toten Milben von Varroa jacobsoni wurden tglic h gezhlt. Die Zahl der berlebenden Milben wurde durch eine zustzliche Kontrollbegif tung mit Fluvalinat bestimmt. Es ergab sich fr die verschieden behandelten Koloni en kein Unterschied in der Gesamtwirkung (weniger als 1300 Milben, wenige verstmm elte Puppen). Post-therapeutische Rckstnde geringen Grades im Honig wurden gaschro matografisch nur unmittelbar nach der Aerosol-Anwendung nachgewiesen.Abstract The oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the foral bottom of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. et Perry was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Eugenol was the main constitu ent in the oil (86.7%). The biological activity of the oil applied to Varroa des tructor and Apis mellifera was evaluated in two laboratory tests. Mite lethality was estimated using a complete exposure method test with the oil at different c oncentrations, and a systemic administration method of oil at different concentr ations diluted in syrup was placed in feeders for bees. The LC50 for complete ex posure method at 24 h was 0.59 L/dish. The inferior and superior limits obtained were 0.47 x 10-6 L/dish and 1.22 L/dish, respectively. LC50 estimated at 48 h show ed a slight decrease as compared to that recorded at 24 h. Ratio selection (LC50 of A. mellifera/LC50 of V. destructor) for complete exposure method was 26.46 a nd 13.35 for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Regarding the systemic administration method, mites LC50 at 24 h was 12,300 ppm. The inferior and superior limits calc ulated were 9,214 ppm and 15,178 ppm, respectively. LC50 estimated at 48 h showe d a slight decrease as compared to that recorded at 24 h. Ratio selection for sy stemic administration method was 3.05 and 2.22 for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Syzygium aromaticum oil was found to be an attractant for V. destructor at 4.8% (w/w) concentration. The results showed that oil toxicity against V. destructor differed depending upon its administration. Nevertheless, the ratio selection ca lculated by this oil is expected to enable its application under field condition s with a good safety margin. This oil could also be used in combination with oth er oils in integrated pest management strategies in bee colonies. Download full textJournal of Economic Entomology Published by: Entomological Society of America previous article : next article Slectionner une langue?? translator disclaimer Journal of Economic Entomology 93(1):43-47. 2000 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-93.1.43 Repellency and Toxicity of Oil from Artemisia annua to Certain Stored-Product Be etles no access A. K. Tripathi, Veena Prajapati, K. K. Aggarwal, S. P S. Khanuja, and Sushil Kum ar

Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow 226015, India Abstract The essential oil of Artemisia annua L. was tested for its toxic repellent and d evelopment inhibitory activities against 2 economically important stored product insects: Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Callosobruchus maculatus (L.). Adult beetles of T. castaneum were repelled significantly by oil of A. annua at 1% con centration (vol:vol) and above in filter paper arena test. Dose response relations hip of A. annua oil revealed a significant negative correlation between larval s urvival; pupal survival and adult emergence of T. castaneum (i.e., increase in d ose caused decrease in survival and adult emergence). Effective concentration (E C50) to reduce F1 progeny by 50% was calculated to be 2.6 and 4.1 l/ml solvent ag ainst both the insect species, C. maculatus and T. castaneum, respectively. The relationship between bioactivity of oil from A. annua and responses of T. castan eum and C. maculatus is discussed. We found that oil from A. annua was largely r esponsible for both repellent (behavioral) and toxic (physiological) actions on 2 species of insect tested. Efficacy and Persistence of Rosemary Oil as an Acaricide Against Twospotted Spid er Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Greenhouse Tomato no access Saber Miresmailli1 and Murray B. Isman Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4 1Corresponding author, e-mail: saber@interchange.ubc.ca. Abstract Efficacy of rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis L., essential oil was assessed agai nst twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), as well as effects on the tomato, Lycopersicum esculatum Mill., host plant and bioc ontrol agents. Laboratory bioassay results indicated that pure rosemary oil and EcoTrol (a rosemary oil-based pesticide) caused complete mortality of spider mit es at concentrations that are not phytotoxic to the host plant. The predatory mi te Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot is less susceptible to rosemary oil an d EcoTrol than twospotted spider mite both in the laboratory and the greenhouse. Rosemary oil repels spider mites and can affect oviposition behavior. Moreover, rosemary oil and rosemary oil-based pesticides are nonpersistent in the environ ment, and their lethal and sublethal effects fade within 1 or 2 d. EcoTrol is sa fe to tomato foliage, flowers, and fruit even at double the recommended label ra te. A greenhouse trial indicated that a single application of EcoTrol at its rec ommended label rate could reduce a twospotted spider mite population by 52%. At that rate, EcoTrol did not cause any mortality in P. persimilis nor did it affec t their eggs. In general, EcoTrol was found to be a suitable option for small-sc ale integrated pest management programs for controlling twospotted spider mites on greenhouse tomato plants. Acaricidal effects of herb essential oils against Dermatophagoides farinae and D . pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) and qualitative analysis of a herb Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal) In-Sook Rim and Cha-Ho Jee College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Ch ungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea. Corresponding author (Email: chjee@cbu.ac.kr ) Received February 02, 2006; Accepted April 28, 2006.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commo ns Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc /3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduct ion in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.This experiment was undertaken to screen the acaricidal effects of herb essential oils (pennyroy al, ylang ylang, citronella, lemon grass, tea tree, and rosemary) at different d oses (0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.0125, and 0.00625 l/cm2) and exposure times (5, 10, 20, 20, 30 and 60 min) on house dust mites Dermatophgoides farinae and D. pteronyss inus. The most effective acaricidal components of pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) w ere analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Of these esse ntial oils, the most effective was pennyroyal, which is composed essentially of pulegone (> 99%), at a dose of 0.025 l/cm2 which at an exposure time of 5 min kil led more than 98% of house dust mites. In the pennyroyal fumigation test, the cl osed method was more effective than the open method and maximum acaricidal effec t was 100% at 0.025 l/cm2, 60 min. The results show that herb essential oils, in particular, pennyroyal was proved to have potent acaricidal activity. Acaricidal Activities of Major Constituents of Essential Oil of Juniperus chinen sis Leaves against House Dust and Stored Food Mites Authors: Lee, Chi-Hoon1; Park, Joon-Moh2; Song, Ha-Yun1; Jeong, Eun-Young1; Lee, Hoi-Seon1 Source: Journal of Food Protection, Volume 72, Number 8, August 2009 , pp. 1686-1 691(6) Publisher: International Association for Food Protection < previous article | view table of contents | next article > Buy & download fulltext article: OR Price: $37.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract: The acaricidal activities of major constituents from the oil of Juniperus chinen sis (var. globosa) leaves were compared with those of DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluam ide) by using impregnated fabric disk bioassay against Dermatophagoides spp. and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. Toxicity varied with doses as well as chemical compos ition. The 50% lethal doses (LD50) of J. chinensis oil against Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and T. putrescentiae were 21.60, 19.89, and 38.10 g/cm2, respectively. The active constituent was purified using silica gel chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The acaricidal co mponent was identified as bornyl acetate through gas chromatography-mass spectro metry, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C-NMR, 1H-13C shift correlation sp ectrum-NMR, and distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer-NMR. The LD5 0 of bornyl acetate (2.94 g/cm2) against D. farinae was significantly lower than

those of DEET (37.13 g/cm2) and a-eudesmol (29.72 g/cm2). Similar results were obs erved when bornyl acetate and a-eudesmol were tested against D. pteronyssinus an d T. putrescentiae. The lower LD50 of bornyl acetate indicates that it may be re sponsible for the major acaricidal activity against house dust and stored food m ites, even though it constitutes only 19.5% of J. chinensis oil. Overall, these findings indicated that bornyl acetate and a-eudesmol have potential for use as control agents against house dust and stored food mites. Document Type: Research article Affiliations: 1: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Chonju 561-756, Korea 2: Jeollabuk-d o, Forest Environment Research Institute, Jeollabuk-do, KoreaCLASSIFICATION OF 9 2 STRAWBERRY GENOTYPES BASED ON THEIR LEAF ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION Authors: S. Khanizadeh, A. Blanger Keywords: Fragaria x ananassa, pest and disease resistance Abstract: A great deal of work has been done on the inherent resistance of genotypes to tw o-spotted spider mite and some specific diseases like leaf spot, leaf scorch, an d red stele. These are the most important pests and diseases of strawberry in Qu ebec. Chemical composition of leaves is among the most important factors that ma y affect plant susceptibility or resistant to pests and diseases. The purpose of our research was to compare the natural concentration of leaf essential oils (E Os) of 92 strawberry genotypes and construct a table of pest and disease suscept ibility and plant and fruit characteristics in an attempt to correlate them to t he concentration of leaf EOs. The cultivars and selections used in our study wer e chosen from a wide range of breeding lines and programs, including Belgium, Ca nada, Denmark, England, France, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, The Netherlands an d USA, and four wild species. Four major clusters were produced, based on the le af EOs composition. Two Fragaria chiloensis (accession numbers 590 and 859) and F. viridis created their own cluster and were resistant to spider mites and leaf diseases. Fragaria virginiana created its own group, being completely different from the rest. Full Text (PDF format, 217783 bytes) These oils were obtained by steam disti llation and fractionated by GLC. Both repellent and toxic components were found in these fractions. The 2 compounds most toxic to T. urticae were subjected to m ass and infrared spectral analyses which indicated that the compounds are sesqui terpenoids. Activity of an Essential Oil Derived from Chenopodium ambrosioides o n Greenhouse Insect Pests no access Raymond A. Cloyd1 and Helene Chiasson2 1Corresponding author: Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhat tan, KS 66506-4004 (e-mail: rcloyd@ksu.edu). 2Codena, Inc., Subsidiary of AgraQuest, Inc., Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebe c, Canada J0H 2G0. Abstract This study involved both greenhouse and laboratory experiments evaluating the ef fect of an essential oil product (QRD 400) derived from Chenopodium ambrosioides variety nr. Ambrosioides L. (Chenopodiaceae) on greenhouse insect pests that fe ed on different plant parts: citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso); longtai led mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti); western flower thrip s, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), and fungus gnats (Bradysia spp.). Trea tments were applied to coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides plants; transvaal da isy, Gerbera jamesonii flowers; or growing medium, depending on the insect pest.

The essential oil was most effective, based on adult emergence, on both the sec ond and third instars of the fungus gnat Bradysia sp. nr. coprophila when applie d as a drench to growing medium. In addition, there was a significant rate respo nse for QRD 400 on fungus gnats. The QRD 400 treatment had the highest percentag e of mortality on longtailed mealybug (55%) compared with the other treatments. However, the essential oil was less effective against citrus mealybug (3% mortal ity) and western flower thrips adults (18 34% mortality) compared with standard in secticides, such as acetamiprid (TriStar) and spinosad (Conserve), which are typ ically used by greenhouse producers. This lack of efficacy may be associated wit h volatility and short residual properties of the essential oil or with the esse ntial oil taking longer to kill insect pests. Other insecticides and miticides e valuated, including sesame oil, garlic, paraffinic oil, and Bacillus thuringiens is subsp. israelensis, provided minimal control of the designated insect pests. In addition, adult rove beetle Atheta coriaria Kraatz adults were not effective in controlling the larval instars of fungus gnats when applied at a rate of five adults per container. Laboratory Evaluation of Miticides to Control Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae ), a Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Parasite no access Christopher M. Lindberg, Adony P. Melathopoulos, and Mark L. Winston Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Abstract A laboratory bioassay was developed to evaluate miticides to control Varroa jaco bsoni (Oudemans), an important parasite of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. Bees and mites were exposed to applications of essential oil constituents in petri d ishes (60 by 20 mm). The registered mite control agents tau-fluvalinate (Apistan ) and formic acid also were evaluated as positive controls. Treatments that caus ed high mite mortality (>70%) at doses that produced low bee mortality (<30%) we re considered mite selective. The six most selective of the 22 treatments tested (clove oil, benzyl acetate, thymol, carvacrol, methyl salicylate, and Magic3) w ere further evaluated to estimate LD50 values and selectivity ratios (A. mellife ra LD50/V. jacobsoni LD50) at 24, 43, and 67 h after exposure. Tau-fluvalinate w as the most selective treatment, but thymol, clove oil, Magic3, and methyl salic ylate demonstrated selectivity equal to or greater than formic acid. The effect of mode of application (complete exposure versus vapor only) on bee and mite mor tality was assessed for thymol, clove oil, and Magic3 by using a 2-chambered dis h design. Estimated V. jacobsoni LD50 values were significantly lower for comple te exposure applications of thymol and Magic3, suggesting that both vapor and to pical exposure influenced mite mortality, whereas estimated values for clove oil suggested that topical exposure had little or no influence on mite mortality. T hese results indicate that essential oil constituents alone may not be selective enough to control Varroa under all conditions, but could be a useful component of an integrated pest management approach to parasitic mite management in honey bee colonies. Wintergreen Wintergreen oil should not be used in aromatherapy and if ingested, even a small amount can be fatal. Tea Tree Oil Because of demonstrated systemic toxic effects, tea tree oil should never be use d internally. Methyl salicylate (component of wintergreen oil) can be dangerous. Ingestion of relatively small amounts of methyl salicylate may cause severe pois oning and death. It has nothing to do with sense or common sense, is just poison ! Tea tree oil w

as commonly utilized by the Aborigines as a tea. They saved Sir Francis from scu rvy with it, hence the name. "Ingestion of 10ml pure oil by a child resulted in disorientation and a skin rash. Ingestion may reduce white blood cell counts" (S loan-Kettering). CNS effects noted at 10-70ml. Currently being evaluated for use against AIDS. FDA lists as "ASP", full toxicology results are being sought. Methyl salicylate at a dose of 5 ml=equivalent to 21.5 aspirin and toxicity woul d be the same as aspirin overdose. Care needs taken if it is used. Note: 1 drop =.05ml.I seem to remember reading somewhere that methyl salicylate is found as a component of birch tree sap. I wonder if this would be a safe way to administer it to bees?If we are using say 12 drops of the oil; that amounts to roughly 3ml of oil. how much volatilization of that 3ml occurs and get into the wax and honey? 25%? 50% ? for sake of argument and "worst case" lets say 100% gets into the honey. The LD50(the dosage whereby 1/2 of the test animals died) of tea tree oil is 1.9 g/kg. Taking an avg adult of 70kg, the LD50 would be 133g (~4oz). For a 10kg chi ld - about 19g or 7 of our doses. Tea tree oil has a S.G. of ~0.9g/ml, so our ex ample would come in at 2.7g. We would have to apply 49 applications of 12 drops to reach this dosage. Of course ingesting less than this would probably make one sick before getting to the LD50 value. how many times a year is one adding the oil? what is the actual volatilization r ate getting into honey/wax to be ingested by people? These numbers of course wil l drastically affect the rate at which this happens. If you feed syrup with oil tx as soon as the weather warms and there is flight y ou begin to interrupt the mite reproductive cycle as the milk glands of the nurs e bees impart oil to the larvae.If the mites feeding on the larvae get enough oi l they are unable to lay eggs and if the oil concentration is low the mites do n ot reach maturity before the bee emerges. Utilization of tracking strips during honey flows minimizes honey contamination as the bees groom off the mite killing slurry. Grease patties treated with oils should be left on all winter near the cluster to continue the battle and hopefully obtain a mite free colony as the mi tes have no brood to hide in. These techniques use both of the oils actions, ie. direct kill via contact and enzymatic attack of the mite oocyte. Even if you manage to kill all of the mites and essentially have none, you may h ave an infected colony succumb to varroa borne viruses later. My favorite Cordov an hive bit the dust this winter from DWV and they were plenty strong going in. Sad I also anticipate more losses..bummer!P.S. Myself, I do use Thymol and have used Oxalic, and would use essential oils if I thought them as beneficial in con trolling mites as well as less harmful to the bees as the other alternatives ava ilable; while also aspiring to find a management technique that minimalises hive intervention. I don't think we are a milluion miles apart from where we both se e commercial beekeeping (especially in the US) and where we would like to get to in the way of bee-freindly beekeeping. Back to top BIRCH BEER Measure 4 quarts of finely cut twigs of sweet birch into the bottom of a 5 gallo n crock. In a large kettle, stir 1 gallon of honey into 4 gallons birch sap and boil for 10 minutes, then pour over the chopped twigs. When cool, strain to remove the tw igs and return to the crock. Spread 1 cake of soft yeast on a slice of toasted rye bread and float on top of the beer. Cover with a cloth and let ferment until the cloudiness just starts to settle, about a week but it depends somewhat on the temperature.

Bottle the beer and cap tightly. Store in a dark place and serve it cold after t he weather gets hot. It should stand in the bottles for about 3 months before us ing. If opened too soon, it will foam all over and pop worse than champagne. THIS IS NOT A DRINK FOR CHILDREN: SWEET BIRCH (Betula lenta) also called Black birch, Sweet birch or Cherry birch has fragrant bark and twigs that smells of wintergreen. The sap flows about a mo nth later than maple and much faster than maple. You tap the trees the same as m aple but must gather about 3 times as often. The sap also can be boiled the same as maple but the syrup is much stronger, mor e like molasses.