Hi All

Blane White wrote:
When varroa mite levels are continually low enough in the
colonies one can discontinue treatment ( once mite
populations remain below the economic threshold ).  Once
treatments are stopped no additional residues are being
added to the combs but of course you still have the issue
of any residue already in the wax.

Reply:
This is good to know one can stop treatments when
populatons remain below the economic threshold for a period
of time.

Do you know of anyone that has been able to accomplish
this? I know of NO ONE here is Arizona, though plenty have
gone out of business.

Blane also wrote:
This will decrease with time but if you want to be sure you
have no residue you would have to replace the combs that
were exposed to treatment.

Reply:
This is understandable replacing the combs. A few have
tried melting down their combs and phasing in new, but they
are having trouble selling their wax now. Where would you
suggest they sell it?


Blane further wrote:
The foundation you use either will have to contain no
beeswax or contain beeswax from a source that
does not have acaricide residues.  So there, you eventually
do have to replace the combs if you want to be 100% sure
there are no acaricide residues in the combs.

Reply:
This sure is a true statement. For to contain no beeswax
the foundation would have to be PLASTIC and UNCOATED and a
high food grade plastic that doesn't deterioate easily
IMPOV. To have clean beeswax without residues, well this is
almost impossible to find without paying a high price for
the wax anymore.

Blane continued:
Most beekeepers would be very pleased to be able to simply
stop treatments and be confident that no additional
residues were being added and therefore any residues
present would decrease somewhat over time.  How fast to
they decrease?  That depends on the chemical.  For most of
us just getting off the chemical treatment treadmill is
accomplishment enough I guess.

Reply:
Yes, Blane, this is going to be the problem. Decreasing the
residues. I know you cannot photodegradate apistan residues
in a solarwax melter, and few have Kelly wax rendering
setups for underwater. I also know in the warm, damp
environment of a beehive too, that residue breakdown for a
lot of substances is not very fast, and in fact slower then
in soil and sunlight! Just how is the industry going to
deal with this problem? What do you envision?

I myself know of NO ONE being able to do it, without
complete changeout of combs being used, and shakingdown
their bees and starting over.

Sincerely,

Dee A. Lusby







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