The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of Stachys candida and S. chrysantha were analysed with GC and GC/MS. Forty-two constituents were identified from the two oils and alpha-cadinol, manoyl oxide, caryophyllene oxide, epi-alpha-muurolol and (E)-caryophyllene were found to be the major components. Furthermore, the oils were tested against six Gram (+/-) bacteria and it was found that one of them exhibited significant antibacterial activity.