Hi all bee lovers,
    I was reading an article in March issue of bee culture ( inner
cover) by Kim Flottum where he mentions about the state of Florida not
allowing bees in the state if you have more than two mites per ether
roll per colony. See below.
 
Bee culture:
There’s more. The Florida people have made a pretty good case for the
ether roll test and colony
crashes. Cutts said that when testing colonies for certification,
colonies are required to have two or
fewer mites in an ether roll test. More, and treatment is required or
the colony dies. Pure and
simple. Moreover, a colony needs to be certified as ‘treated’ if it is
to get back into Florida later in
the season. There’s not a quarantine as such, but treat, or don’t get
back in. And, your colonies
die.
 
 
I don't want too sound like a smart allic but when my bees where tested
by the state of Minnesota before transporting to California they found
only 1 mite from a sample of aproximately 300 bees taken from 10
colonies. The real kicker here is that I last treated with mineral oil
in the first week of  sept. the test was done in the last week of oct.,
in other words 1 1/2 months untreated before the test was done. There
could have been drifting from other neighboring colonies this late in
the fall, I believe my colonies were mite free in august when I was
treating every week.
 
This was my first year back as a beekeeper in a long time these bees
were purchased from a commercial beekeeper here in Minnesota his first
name is Chuck. Well I told Chuck what I was doing, treating all summer
for mites with mineral oil. I told him that my bees looked better and
better each week and the colonies where getting stronger, he wanted
proof he kept saying how do you know for sure. Well I didn't really know
for sure all summer but I knew what healthy colonies looked like in the
70's when there were no mites to fight with. Any way I tried to talk
Chuck into trying mineral oil for quite awhile but he wanted no part of
anything that there was no proof that it worked. Now here is the best
part of all this because I know everyone is thinking I never had mites
to begin with, these bees came from Chuck they where actually his bees
just transffered ownership.
Well His bees tested at the same time after having Apistan in for 1 1/2
months tested 10 mites with the same amount of bees. The only difference
here is that the sample from his lot was taken from more colonies.
 
Well it seems I could take my bees to Florida and Chucks would be banned
from going.  Any way chuck called me on the phone when he got the
results in the mail and asked exactly what I was doing and the recipe,
by the way it only takes me 20 seconds to treat a colony for mites per
week. The hardest part is driving to each apiary. Also someone said that
some apiarys just don't have a problem with mites, but don't forget
these where Chucks bees in the spring and I had my thirty colonies in 6
different locations. I am sorry to report also Chuck lost almost a third
of his bees in california due to mites, and I lost the 10 nucs that I
started in august I think they died in minnesota. They where not shipped
until the end of november, the nucs just where not strong enough to take
the below zero days we had in minnesota.
 
I am happy to report Chuck has purchased a large sprayer like mine to
treat mites with this year, he starts with 550 colonies every spring I
figure he should be able to save at least $4000 this year on the cost of
apistan alone. I wonder if he will buy me that fancy pickup after 6
years, Naw.
 
If someone wants to see the results of the ether roll tests that where
done by the state of Minnesota I can ask Chuck if he would release them.
After all it was done under his name, I really didn't want to mention
this until I got his permision first. Maybe when he sees this post I'll
get an ear full
 
Is this a scientific test? I think not, but it should make every one on
this list  take a real hard look at mineral oil, or if they just want to
donate some more money to the chemical people. Also I been able to
purchase alot of bee equipment for 10 cents on the dollar because of the
mites, it is to my disadvantage to share this with any body, I like
buying 15,000 20,000 dollar operations out for $1000.
 
So if you continue to use apistan and are having heavy losses and want
out remmember me.
 
Elroy