Re: organics.  Although I am awaiting National Standards for actual
certification (should I live so long at this rate), we have managed our
farm using Rodale-type organic principals for ten years (3 with bees).
I plan to use formic in some hives, tho I don't know if it will become
"approved". If this drought keeps up.... In selecting bees I plan to use
AFB hygienic test (freezing larvae), but it seems to me we need a test
related to grooming behavior for varroa.   Maybe test the time to clean
off powdered sugar or something.  Any thoughts from the list?
     IPM discussions on this list include many 'organic' strategies such
as drone removal, brood cycle breaks, etc.   I have mentioned my mineral
oil/beeswax glop before (still doing well tho I lost a few hives during
bad winter stretch, all hives that I should have re-glopped or combined
but I THOUGHT I'd have formic last fall).  I keep every molecule of
uncontaminated wax my bees make to use for "glop" and in future for
foundation, I expect.  Haven't bought foundation (except drone) since
Coumaphos introduced.
     Be nice to have more organic discussions  tho the risk of flaming
and ranting about one extreme or the other seems unfortunate.  There are
many reasons to attempt pure or partial "organic" management.  Mine
include 1) residence in several areas of highly complex natural
ecosystems easily disrupted by pesticides, some of which I was
attempting to study scientifically, and others, like fish, that I raise
commercially; 2)  a very fried liver from too many toxic spill jobs when
I worked as a biologist and thus became intolerant to most chemicals;
3) a conviction that the processes evolved in nature are the first place
to look for efficient, time-tested management methods and 4) being
small, we concentrate on local and niche markets, and the
natural/organic consumer is usually an easy sell if you are genuine and
knowledgeable.
     I'd love to see more on organics.  The lessons learned are helpful
for all beekeepers.

Carolyn Ehle, Wood Widgeon Farm, Piedmont South Carolina, USA