Dee Lusby said:

> ...it says to me there is no alternating of treatments between
> apistan and coumaphos... you can only go... harder and harsher.

Is it any surprise that the products sold by large chemical companies
create the same dependence created by addictive drugs, prompting
one to buy more?

Is this "better living through chemistry"?

So, what to do?  Until a better practical solution comes along, one
must use whatever is lying about as best one can.  One needs:

        The Dr. Strangelove / Jackie Chan Tag-Team Approach!
        -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Alternate using miticides from Dr. Strangelove with non-toxic,
        lower tech, "Jackie Chan judo" that exploit basic mite
        physiology, rather than trying to poison their metabolisms.
            (FGMO fogging and powdered sugar dusting being two good
        examples)

        Realize that mites surviving a chemical attack will reproduce,
        and can breed mites "resistant" to that chemical.  If the
        chemical is nasty enough, the only survivors are the
        "Arnold Schwarzeneggers" of mites, perhaps resistant to
        multiple forms of chemical attack, simply because they
        are metabolically "tougher".

        Realize that mites that survive a purely physiological attack
        will not parent future generations that are in any way
        resistant to the same physiological attack.

        Realize that mite physiology will remain essentially
        unchanged no matter what we might do, and even
        the "Arnold Schwarzenegger" mites still have the
        same basic physiology as all others.

What physiological weaknesses to varroa have?

a)   They hang onto bees with tarsal pads that can be clogged
      with 10-15 micron particles (FGMO and/or Sugar-dusting).
      Clog them, and you have a fallen mite.  Add a screened bottom,
      and fallen mites are dead mites.  Photomicrographic proof
      of this is available in ABJ Summer 2000.

b)   They have much smaller trachea than bees, and it is claimed
      that FGMO fogging can clog mite trachea without harming
      bees in the least.  (I have seen no photos to prove this, and
      am not even sure how such a photo would be created, but
      the premise sounds reasonable.)

c)   They are claimed to be dislodged when bees "groom" themselves,
      but varroa seem to instinctively "know" where to position themselves
      where grooming is difficult.  (Has anyone ever photographed or
      witnessed a bee who dislodged a varroa mite in this manner?)

The situation is similar to trying to eradicate cats while leaving
humans unscathed.  Two similar creatures, living in close proximity,
both with very similar metabolisms.

Is it any wonder that a high dose of (metabolic) miticide can kill bees?

Being selective is difficult, but it should be clear that a physiological
approach is less difficult to "target" than a metabolic approach, and
creates less chance of breeding "resistant offspring".

        jim