> >Im getting ready to try some myself here in central va and want to make sure I take all the right precautions.

I assume you have sampled for mite levels? In NY state, mite levels are typically very low in spring. We have long wanted a quick formic treatment to use in late summer, when the levels start to get out of hand. By fall, it's usually too late. 

One thing I try to hammer over and over is to sample for mites, whether you are going to treat or not. People who don't check for mite levels are like people who go out in the morning without checking the weather report. It's your funeral!

Seriously, even if you have not intention of treating for mites, it is still useful to know what the levels are, what the effect of a certain level is, and which hives can survive despite high levels.

Pete

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