Hello All,

As a beekeeper which has worked with a number of hives year after year I
might add a few comments from the viewpoint of myself and others like me.
Realizing most hobby and sideline might feel very different.

Those running a small number of hives and either Russian or varroa tolerant
bees can disregard.

With varroa you need to knock back varroa loads at *least* once a year if a
large number of hives are kept in a yard. After almost 20 years with varroa
we have learned selective treating using varroa threshold as provided by our
experts has not worked.( for reasons Jim said)

 I am now knocking back varroa loads twice a year with soft treatments. Quit
using chemical strips on hives years ago and have replaced all comb which
had apistan or checkmite used ( yes I used checkmite for several years with
excellent results but at a wax contamination heavy price).

Peter said:
I have been certified to apply pesticides in New York state, so I know a
little bit about this.

A member of BEE-L was in pest control for 18 years before becoming a
commercial/sideline master beekeeper ( maybe he will comment) and his words
about pest control at a bee meeting hit home. He said that if he was called
to a home to control the cockroach he would have to use four different
chemicals as none would provide control by itself. Pests can become very
resistant to chemicals over time.

If I was to bet on the survivor between a tough eight legged blood sucker
similar to a tick and a easy to kill honeybee I would have to bet on the
varroa mite.

In the west I have been told from very reliable sources many beekeepers are
hitting hives with large chemical doses and several times a year with
chemicals to control varroa. *All* chemicals which the varroa mite has shown
the ability to become resistant to. Super mites are being created.

Will the future for those beekeepers be perhaps using Apistan & checkmite at
the same time unless they make a better choice?( are some already?) How
about Apistan,checkmite and hivastan at the same time in 10 years?

P.B. said:
>I love bees and I wouldn't sit back and let them
die off, any more than I would keep my kids from going to see a doctor.

My current mode of operation is to depopulate hives which are susceptible to
pests and headed by queens which are non productive. Others have adopted
similar policies. Dequeening and combining happens if time to do so is
available at seasons end.
I feel I am removing less desirable drones from the gene pool and by acting
early I will not return on the next visit to find the hive dead and full of
wax moths.

bob


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