I have recently talked to commercial beekeepers who think they can leave
supers of honey on the hives while stripping the mites, then put that super
on the bottom of the hive, let the bees clean it out, then later use that
same super for honey storage and extract the honey.  They think that because
they didn’t put a strip right in that box, it’s okay to use for honey
production.  If this is so, then I suppose it’s okay to treat at any time,
as long as no strips are put in the honey supers.
 Sorry, but that’s not what it says on the label:  "Remove honey supers
before application of APISTAN strips, and do not replace until the end of
the control period."  Pesticides should be used according to the label to
avoid pollution of was in honey supers, and contamination of honey.
 I use only deep boxes for brood, and smaller ones for surplus honey, and
remove all of the shallows and mediums prior to mite treatments.  Any
equipment you use during the Apistan treatment should be marked so you know
never to extract honey from it.  Consider it contaminated!  Don’t eat honey
from treated equipment while working your bees!  It’s a fact that Apistan
accumulates in beeswax.
Charles F. Andros
NH/VT Apiary Inspector '78-’89
Linden Apiaries
1 McLean Road
POB 165
Walpole, NH 03608-0165 USA/EUA
603-756-9056 phone/fax if notified by phone
email: [log in to unmask]
Residence: Latitude: 43° 05’ North, Longitude: 72° 21’ 15” West, Elevation
362 meters.
Keeper of 41 two-queen colonies for honey, pollen, propolis, pollination,
nuclei, beeswax, apitherapy, and education.