The question I have for anyone on the list, is where does amitraz end up in the hive?  The miticidal activity of amitraz is due to a metabolic derivative, DPMF, according to the literature I've found.  So it's the DPMF that is the toxic agent not the amitraz....as far as I can determine from the literature.

"Nevertheless, wax remains the ultimate sink for these varroacides reaching 46, 94 and 204 ppm, respectively, of amitraz, coumaphos and fluvalinate (vanEngelsdorp et al., 2009b; Mullin et al., 2010), 135 ppm of bromopropylate (Bogdanov et al., 1998),and 7.6 and 0.6 ppm, respectively, of the miticides chlorfenvinophos and acrinathrin
(Jimenez et al., 2005).".....from Johnson et al, Apidologie 41; 2010, pp 212-331

"Bees are also exposed to the bioactivated breakdown product of amitraz, DPMF, at concentrations as high as 43 ppm in wax" (Mullin CA, Frazier M, Frazier JL, Ashcraft S, Simonds R, et al. (2010) High levels of miticides and agrochemicals in North American apiaries: implications for honey bee health. PLoS ONE 5: e9754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009754.)

So....although amitraz/DPMF are said to have a short hive-life, it also seems that they enter the wax.  I am puzzled by Randy's comment to Allen that amitraz doesn't penetrate wax cappings.  Can anyone explain this?

Thanks,

Christina

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