Bob wrote:
>SCREENED BOTTOM BOARDS AND TOP ENTRANCES CAUSE FORMIC ACID TREATMENTS IN
>CANADA TO BE FAR LESS EFFECTIVE. See www.mitegone.com

With the formic acid gel possibly being released this fall I see the above
as valuable information to those considering gel use.

Peter said:
I was in touch with MiteGone and apparently he is encouraging US beekeepers
to make their own formic acid pads, which as far as I know, is illegal.

Mitegone lawyers have told Mitegone what they are  doing is not illegal.

What the EPA had to say from the www.mitegone.com: website:

"It has been determined at the EPA that your product {Mitegone} is an
application method of applying a pesticide. As such, it is neither a
pesticide nor a device regulated by this agency. Thus,you are free to market
it in this country {the U.S.A.} as long as you do not sell formic acid with
it .

For the sake of discussion:

Is formic acid  use in bee hives illegal or homeopathic?

Are Canada and New Zealand losing their minds registering  the use of formic
acid in bee hives?

Is the American Beekeeping Federation and other beekeepers out of their
minds pushing for formic acid registration?

After 20 years of formic acid use overseas contamination of wax or honey has
never been a problem as the food industry using tons of the stuff.

 *Organic* beekeepers are saying formic acid is the better alternative than
Apistan & Coumaphos.

We have already set tolerance levels for Fluvalinate and Coumaphos in honey
in the U.S. . Will we raise those levels as contamination increases?

If so how many PPB will we go before honey is considered unsaleable?

Is coumaphos really a safer choice for the U.S. (going to have to see a
doctor about this endless twitching!) ?. I HAVE SEEN MANY beekeepers pick up
Checkmite strips with barehanded.
NOT Bob!

IMPORTANT!
I am not advocating the use of any illegal pesticide or formic acid but only
putting out on BEE-L pros and cons of the situation as it exists today. In
many parts of the U.S. today there is no registered treatment which works
for varroa control in the U.S.. Ten of thousands of U.S. hives could crash
this September if a solution is not found.

Bob

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