Last night I was at the Tampa  Bay Beekeepers association and heard some
concerns about Apistant strips.  No one could understand what was happening
so I said I'd ask the beeline and see if anyone else had similar problems.
 
Problem: Beekeepers are putting in Apistan strips and finding that they are
not working.  After three weeks in the hive, ether rolls are stil indicating
high mite infestations.
 
Observations:  The strips that are being put in seem different, stiffer, a
darker color, less flexible.
 
Trial solution:  Take a hacksaw blade, draw it across the surface of the
strips and reinsert them in the hive.
 
This solution seemed to do the trick for, when ether rolls were done after
reinsertion of these "rasped" strips the mite count was way down quite
quickly.
 
Word is that people don't want to question the efficacy of the strips lest
the EPA get word that someting is amiss.   The thinking is that people "don't
want to talk about" this problem.  something like we might lose the only
treatment we have for the mites if it is discovered to be ineffective. This
sounds a tad paranoid but I pass it along as one more piece of the puzzle.
 
Anyone else had similar problems.  I'm presently bee-less in Fla. since I
commute to Virginia to take care of my bees there (a true "migratory"
beekeeper!).  I am also discovering what an amazine difference Florida
beekeeping is from the way we Yankees do it.  How about a year round honey
flow?  How about needing to extract four or five times a year?  How about
honey with flavors from palm trees, mangroves, punk trees, Brazilian pepper
(sound hot and spicy to me).  Citrus, of course, is the big honey flow here
and that I've heard of, but cabbage palm?  Sounds like it would either make a
good salad or be good on one.
 
Thanks for your input on the Apistan strip question.  I promised I'd pass all
thoughts along to the membership.
 
Faith Andrews Bedford, Beekeeper, Tampa FL and Ivy VA