>If we stick to the facts, our discussions will be much more useful.

Amen, here are the facts as I see them.... Is that the definition of an opinion?

Since the appearance of varroa on our shores in the late eighties it quickly emerged as the #1 threat to keeping colonys healthy. The initial approval of fluvalinate (Apistan) was quick and very effective. A general sigh of relief. The relief was short lived as the mites developed resistance in only a few years. Coumaphos (Check-Mite) was next to be quickly approved and not only did the mites quickly develop resistance but it proved to be a general disaster via comb contamination and accusations of colony health problems specifically to drones and queens. Amatraz (Apivar) gained approval in some European countries and many beekeepers campaigned for approval here but it was very slow to come. Not willing to wait (and no doubt for financial considerations) beekeepers moved in a big way to off label Taktic. I do not know if Check-Mites label has been rescinded or not but I no longer see it in the catalogs and that is a good thing. Apistan and Apivar are still available. Apistan is getting some new attention after a decade or more of rest and Apivar's long run is finally failing. 

Many progressive beeks and university researchers saw the writing on the wall and advocated for getting "off the chemical bandwagon". A lot of management techniques and "soft" chemicals were tried. Some naive, powdered sugar, screened bottoms, drone removal, live and let die. I did try them all. Some organic chemicals and essential oils did prove effective. I tried them all too. Working from memory we now have approval for Apiguard and Api Life Var (thymol). Formic in a couple of forms but the registered products (in the US) came only after long off label use.  And Hopguard. All of these while effective under some conditions had either climatic or timing considerations that did not meet the need for full season mite control.

Oxalic acid seemed to have distinct advantage. A common chemical in the environment and human diet. Highly tolerated by the bees. Highly lethal to exposed mites. Left no harmful residues in honey or comb. Cheap and easy to apply. Maybe too cheap and easy, leaving little incentive for beeks to pay the premium for the only approved product, Api-Bioxal. As labeled Api-Bioxal has proven to be ineffective. A lot of independence experimentation took place over several years to improve application methods. Increased dose and frequency are generally used and the authorities have turned a blind eye. Now we have what is almost (knock on wood and be still my beating heart) in the form of an extended release application of oxalic acid mixed with glycerin applied on a cellulose matrix a "silver bullet". I did say almost. Still to be used cautiously and alternated with other controls for resistance delay but an amazingly effective control during the honey producing season. Also still too cheap and easy to make for any large corporation to take the risk of registration for fear of beeks making their own. 

The commendable effort of some beekeepers to gain a label and make this product available to all should be enthusiastically supported. The EPA should judge the application on it's merits. If they do I am confident that we will have, at long last, a safe and effective and economic mite control that will make a profound positive effect on the beekeeping industry. 

Paul      

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