To actually determine the effects of formic acid on bee mortality a standard protocol has been developed and such a protocaol should be followed by anyone attempting to actually determine the effects

Evaluation of treatments for control of varroa mites in honey bee colonies

I. Standards for experimental protocols

1. General considerations

1.1 The trials should evaluate both the efficacy of the treatment and the direct tolerance by bees. The long term effect from treatment on colony development should also be evaluated.

1.2. Because details can vary for different treatments and under different situations, only general guidelines can be given here.

3. Effects on bees

3.1. Hives should be provided with dead bee traps to collect dead bees. Dead bee traps should be emptied with short intervals, if possible daily, in particular in connection with treatment. Bottom boards should also be checked for dead bees.

3.2. Bee mortality should be monitored for 7 - 14 days before the treatment, during the whole treatment, and 7 - 14 days after the treatment. Colonies with an abnormally high mortality should not be included in the trial. Colonies should not be remarkably affected by diseases other than varroosis.

3.3. A group of control colonies, with approximately the same number of colonies as one of the treated group(s), is kept at appropriate distance from the treated colonies, or when bee houses are used, placed to minimize drifting. The control group is left untreated or is treated with a standard treatment (the best treatment available), whose side effects on bees under the condition of the trial are well known and reliably constant.

3.4 . Colony strength (bees, open and capped brood) is evaluated at 3 weeks intervals during the whole trial period (Liebefeld method). Evaluation should be carried out when flight activity of bees is negligible, for example early in the morning , under the same conditions for control and treated hives.

3.5. The colonies are inspected to note the if conditions and the presence of the queen at least at the beginning and at the end of the treatment.

3.6 Long term effects should be evaluated ; in particular, under conditions where treatment effect on winter survival is important, estimates of bee strength and brood development should be recorded at least once (better three times) in both treated and control colonies during the spring following an autumn treatment.

Source: Technical guidelines for the evaluation of treatments for control of varroa mites in honey bee colonies. European working group for the co-ordination of research on integrated varroa control.

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