Thymol
I put ApiGuard treatments on all three beehives this week, to knock down varroa mites. The active ingredient, thymol, is found in thyme and indeed there’s a distinct smell of thyme in the apiary at the moment. To humans this is a pleasant smell in moderation, but the bees do not appreciate their hives reeking of it. Workers from all three colonies have congregated outside their hive entrances to get some fresh air.
