Hi Bill and everyone,
Here in the upper midwest ( Minnesota USA ) there have been major
varroa problems this late summer and fall.  Some beekeepers have lost
a lot of colonies and others managed to rescue them from the brink but
the common link in these cases is not a feral honey bee population but
a fluvalinate ( Apistan ) resistant varroa population.  This was
confirmed here last fall in a few beekeeping outfits but is much more
widespread this year.    Beekeepers have been able to turn this around
with the coumaphos strips but of course you need to treat in time or
the colony will die after you kill the varroa.  Many colonies died
here at much warmer temperatures than in Jerry's observations but we
are dealing with overwelming varroa populations too.  I have seen
colonies literally crawling with varroa 3 to 4 weeks after new apistan
strips were placed in them.  Have also seen bottomboards with
thousands of dead mites a few weeks after coumaphos strips were placed
in the colonies.

 A word to the wise if you treat or treated with apistan do a post
treatment varroa check to make sure it actually worked.

blane



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Blane White
MN Dept of Agriculture
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