REGARDING           RE>Re-If you read my last post
 
"Does anyone know the restrictions on formic acid in the U.S.A.?
Is it leagal for treating bees here?  If so is it legal in california?"
 
Concerning this question, the answer is that at present formic acid is not
approved in the USA.  There certainly is a lot of interesting information
coming out on formic acid, and the device proposed by the Popodi's seems
interesting.  But to be legal about it US beekeepers should just wait a bit
until it is approved here.
 
As to the earlier question by Mr. Tooker:
"What controls the Vmites when the strips are not in?"
 
Unfortunately, the answer is "Nothing".  Apistan is said to kill 99.8% of the
mites.  This leaves 0.02% alive, and over the course of a summer they will
build up again until it is necessary to retreat in late summer/early fall.
You can see what this implies, too:  The remaining mites will be the ones most
resistant to the miticide, so resistance is bound to build up over the years.
What we are actually seeing now in parts of Europe is resistance to this
chemical.  This is what makes the search for alternatives, such as formic
acid, so important.