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Mon, 4 Dec 2006 10:07:43 -0500 |
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Hello Randy & All,
I have had many discussions with beekeepers in Germany about vaporization
of OA. Use of OA in Germany goes back almost two decades.
I was told you needed no protection but try to keep from breathing the
fumes.
Around two years ago beekeepers from Germany started reporting beekeepers
using OA had contracted a rare from of cancer. All the same type of cancer.
The last report I had heard was 6 had died. The update was on another list
but could be found.
As with many things precaution is tossed to the wind until a problem comes
up.
Those planning on using the vapor method need to wear a mask.
Also there are many tests which have been done on dribbling in summer. The
effiacy is LOW! Most tests show 40-60% after three treatments with some
brood and egg kill.
Night & day difference between a once a year winter dose and three summer
doses.
Oxalic acid use around the world is not new news. Perhaps to many on this
list. Formic acid use is not new news. Thymol is not new news. We have got
a member of BEE-L which has used thymol for over a decade I believe.
All are soft treatments and temperature and timed treatment dependent.
Controlling varroa is a never ending problem with the above soft
treatments. You knock varroa back and hope varroa will not raise to a level
at which no treatment will save the hive before you knock varroa back again.
Hedging your bet with varroa tolerant stock certainly helps with soft
treatments.
I have got varroa tolerant bees which survive varroa without treatment
which I would love if a hobby beekeeper but are not of as much value to me
to use in pollination and honey production. Placing varroa tolerance at the
top of the queen selection list can hurt the commercial beekeeper in my
opinion.
Despite claims wax contaimination is always a chance when any chemical is
used in a bee hive. Reports of formic acid eating up the nails in bee
equipment are already being heard out of Canada.
Off topic:
Several beekeepers have questioned my sanity in running a small cell
experiment this season. Certainly not the first time! The main reason I try
now when I did not before (other than a very small project) is that
evidence has been mounting that I can place my prolific line of bees on
small cell and see the same results. If you search the archives you will
see the forty niners always said you needed a three part plan which
included a certain bee and no artificial feeds.
Dennis Murriel & others have told me this has been disproven. A very large
commercial beekeeper which has quietly converted all his hives to small
cell has said the same thing. So the test will go on! Back to putting
together frames and installing small cell foundation. I am running into
problems with wiring as the foundation seems thin.
If I was to order another 25 pounds I would have Dadant run a thicker
foundation or buy from a small beekeeper making and selling a thicker small
cell foundation on the net.
My first project years ago involved foundation sent me from South Africa
and was used by those keeping AHB.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
"What we don't know is so vast it makes what we do know seem absurd"
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---
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