Robin said:

>and a monthly check is sufficient to show up the colonies getting infected
from outside

Can't agree with this.  After a month there can be a considerable amount of
debris making it very difficult to estimate the number of varroa.  I have
tried this in the past and then taken the debris home for a thorough count.
The estimate was always wrong.  There is also the matter of waxmoths - in
this area your tray would be alive after a month!

>Isn't Varooa one of the most serious problems we have?

I am not sure that it is!  In my view we lose far more bees (and therefore
production) to chalk brood than to varroa, which is easily, cheaply and well
controlled by my treatment regime.  EFB has been a major problem in this
area and that means loss of brood, comb and frames - which does not happen
with varroa. Another real concern is the possibility of SHB arriving.

>Are we taking any steps against the day when Apistan is no longer effective
against invasion by resitant mites

As someone who has never used Apistan (or Bayvarol) - Yes!

Peter Edwards
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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