Hello Walter & All,
I think what we should consider now is Apistan is not being used today in
most honey & queen rearing operations. Neither is checkmite.

Both give almost no protection to varroa in many areas of the U.S..

They are kept alive by being offered for sale by the bee supply houses.

Apistan (fluvalinate) quit working in Missouri years ago.Checkmite
(Coumaphos) quit working several years ago.

A Georgia speaker  came to Kansas (Kansas Fun Day 2004) and told beekeepers
you could go back to Apistan use. Those that did lost most their hives. One
beekeeper lost around 600 hives.

My phone rang off the wall about what ( the Georgia speaker ) said. I said I
did not know if it had been long enough but suggested testing along with
treatment. I was not ready to ever cycle back to chemical strips but others
were due to ease of chemical strip treatment.

Two weeks into Apistan treatment those going back to Apistan saw Apistan did
not provide control.  The ones which pulled the strips and went to Api Life
Var in most cases saved the hives. The beekeepers which pulled the strips
and put checkmite in lost all their hives.

 I am sure there are areas in which both Apistan & Checkmite still work to a
degree but even bee supply houses warn users to always check to make sure
the products are working.

Most beekeepers today are using other methods and treatments.

Bob

Ps. I quit using chemical strips years ago and changed all my brood comb out
over a four year period. I doubt I would have ever used either product if I
had known about the wax contamination issues and as Walter points out the
drone & queen issues.

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