Healing the Bees

Beekeepers administer many medicines to heal bees when they are sick.  There are many things that make bees sick such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and poor nutrition (Evans, 2010, p. 154).  In order to treat bees for Varroa mites, beekeepers will use coumaphos, fluvalinate, formic acid, and oxalic acid.  Some of the environment-friendly home remedy medicines include: mineral oil (food grade), vegetable oil, and vegetable shortening.  Another disease, Nosema is treated by using the chemical, fumagillin.  Another common parasite is tracheal mites, which are treated using menthol, formic acid, vegetable oil, and vegetable shortening (agf.gov.bc.ca).  When treating bees, beekeepers will use the least amount of chemicals as possible.  For example, if a hive is plagued with Varroa mites and tracheal mites, a beekeeper may use vegetable oil or vegetable shortening, as these are both used to treat the pests and vegetable oil and shortening are eco-friendly.