Ted Fischer wrote:
>
> Nick Shilliff wrote:
>
> > Last fall the mites dropped into the tray in the bottom of the hives and
> > were not dead,after inserting Apistan as the lable directed.We observed
> > for 10 days and no change-NO dead mites.We then inserted coumophos strips
> > and the mite fall was large and they were all dead.

In my opinion you did exactly the right thing. Textbook!

>
> Last year I also experienced apistan resistant mites, and used coumophos
> strips rather than apistan in the fall  I know that
> coumophos is unpopular with many, but it cleaned out my varroa to a
> surprising degree.

> Hello Ted,

The truth Is hard for those not selling the choumaphos strips to take.

 Any chemical not applied correctly can be dangerous. I have got a
bottle of 74% cloradane bought at Skaggs Drug store when they were in
operation. On the label it says " toxic when absorbed thru the skin".
Toxic is dead right!
I asked the lady at the store. "can anyone buy this?". She said sure!
Been years ago but walmart still sells chemicals more dangerous than
choumaphos. Pass all the laws you want and if labels are not followed
problems are bound to happen. I am old enough to REMEMBER when there
were people around which couldn't read. What good are labels to those
people. The "mom & pops" used to give advice with chemicals they sold.
Not the large discount chains!

The worst abuse i ever saw was a beekeeper in Florida putting Apistan in
with bare hands and using Skoal. He said he put the strips in with one
hand and put his skoal In with another. He did heed my advice and put on
gloves.

I personally know of no problems with people using the coumaphos strips
and those people and myself are all are reporting zero varroa mites.
None  are producing comb honey over those hives till the bee inspectors
say all clear. Coumaphos has been a blessing to many beekeepers! Thanks
Bayer!

Bob Harrison U.S.A.