I have been unable to find the word 'photodegregate' in any
dictionary. Did you make it up and, if so, what do you
intend it to mean?
Reply:
Photodegradation of fluvalinate, like with other pesticides
is not new, it is light breaking down, therefore
decomposition of the product, but unfortunately light can
only penetrate so deep. In natural sunlight, the half-life
of fluvalinate is typically 1 day (or less). But we are
talking thin films here! Beeswax in a solar wax melter most
often is too thick in wax to have any real breakdown of
toxic effects.Inside a beehive it is worse and residues can
last for years. This is bad because fluvalinate is a class
2 synthethic phrethroid and as temperature gets colder it
gets stronger in it's killing action, and by the time the
temperature has dropped to 12C (in the teens for "F")
fluvalinate makes bees not cluster, and feeding is reduded
significanty.This can be hard on beekeeping because of
synergistic activity with other chemicals, so that small
clusters coming out of winter that hit a cold spell can
crash with inclement fluxional changes in weather, and this
has been written about.
Peter continues:
Could you also provide references of any studies to back up
your assertion that solar melters are ineffective against
certain contaminents due to 'lack of penetration
ofsunlight'?
Reply:
I know of no real studies done, but I did intensively talk
with both families (Root and Dadant) about decontaminating
procedures back in the late 1980s, and also just prior to
writing the "Way Back to Biological Beekeeping" in the
late 1990s, that is posted for free download at
beesource.com where you can download chapters on
decontaminating beeswax and also pull up archives on
coumaphos and fluvalinate. For the inverse toxicity
concerning fluvalinate see the Chaney thesis in the listing
of supporting documentation.
For pulling the reading up go to this site and read thru
index of material presented:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/
But as to why I think solar wax melters are ineffective,
this POV was rationalized in sifting thru data written in
the publication: Photodegradation of fluvalinate, by Gary
B. Quistad, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1984
32 (5) Sep-Oct starting pg: 1134 in the US Depart of AGrtic
National Agric Library, in Beltsville, Maryland to which
you are free to go and get a copy.
Respectfully submitted,
Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrganicBeekeepers/
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