I was going to make my recent post to the list in reply to Tom Barrett's
question more terse, something like:  Don't ask these questions of
beekeepers on the list because you'll get many illegal and hazardous answers
and recommendations.  Instead I made it more diplomatic.  Then I get my
messages and see Ken Hoare's answer which is contrary to the label and
therefore illegal, and potentially hazardous to honey consumers and the
national and international marketing of honey.

Ken says that the strips "apparently kill or deter wax moths."  Who says
they do?  Is this another beekeeper tall tale?  Where is the research?

Ken says that he "thought long and hard if the following (his recommendation
to hang strips in honey supers) is irresponsible but cannot see that it is."
By what stretch of the imagination can hard and long thought help him see,
without reading the product label?

The label says to remove supers before treating a hive with Apistan because
research shows that you can get contamination of combs by bees who walk or
move honey from the brood nest to the supers.  The manufacturer says (I
quoted them in a recent post to the list) that treated brood combs should
never be moved up into honey supers, and bees should never be allowed to
store honey in combs that have been treated with Apistan.  In other words
you must keep brood nest combs separated from honey combs at all times.

Sorry folks, it is appalling to me that beekeepers, and so-called beekeeping
gurus:
a)  often misuse chemicals, and
b)  cause food contamination and health hazards by contaminating honey,
c)  invent novel ways to use labeled products contrary to the label,
d)  advise and recommend that others do the same,
e)  do not read and follow label directions, and
f)  do not pay any attention to industry warnings, advertising,
manufacturers, and researchers who caution about the misuse of bee
medications and chemicals.

Then they complain when pesticide applicators who do the same thing and
damage or kill their bee colonies with a misuse of a chemical!

James C. Bach
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