Speaking of articles like the 25 million-year-old bacteria (also appearing
in Science News recently), I saw an article in "Hewlett Packard Peak", No.
2, 1995 concerning acaricide analysis in honey.  They noted the use of
fluvalinate as a treatment against varroa mites.
 
They analyzed  honey by a variety of sophisticated analytical techniques
(including supercritical fluid extraction, GC/MS and GC/AED for the
initiated).  In spiked honey (honey to which they intentionally added the
material), the fluvalinate decreased tenfold in twenty days (if I read this
right from 1.05 ppm to less than 0.1 ppm).  The major residue found was
phenoxybenzaldehyde along with at least three other verified compounds.
 
Eighteen honey samples obtained from treated hives showed little or no
fluvalinate but found high levels of the 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde (how much is
not mentioned).  None of the other residues were seen.
 
Conclusion: Fluvalinate degrades rapidly (not so with the residues
apparently).
 
 
FYI
 
 
John Moote
 
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