If you're more or less certain you have no or minimal infestation why
     bother treating? Medicines are there for treatment of maladies - you
     don't need them all the time.
 
     Use varroa boards to check your mite drop but from what you've said it
     sounds like this particular colony of yours is one of the few
     fortunate ones to be lacking serious infestation. Treat only when
     (and` unfortunately, I don't mean if) you find an infestation and not
     before.
 
 
 
     Best regards,
 
 
 
     Max
 
 
 
     Vita (Europe) Limited
 
 
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Apistan Treatment necessary?
Author:  [log in to unmask] at INTERNET1
Date:    8/28/97 2:24 PM
 
 
Both the county bee inspector and my own personal testing for varroa
(visually inspecting drone larvae) showed no evidence of varroa in my
first year hive.
 
I am somewhat chemical averse, or at least prefer not to use any when
no absolutely necessary.  Is it customary to not treat a hive with
Apistan
if fairly confident the hive is not infested?