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Hi all -
 
   I thought I'd post an update from the bulletin board that I frequent.
This is from the same gentleman that posted the earlier messages I
distributed to the list.  Please note my questions and comments.  I'd
appreciate any comments or corrections you may have.  Thank you to those who
responded earlier.
 
   I did ask this gentleman if he lived in an area without mites, how many
colonies he lost, and a few other related items.  He has yet to answer those
questions.
Laura Downey
([log in to unmask])
 
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Let me make this short and to the point:
1. Mites will build and develop a resistance to Apistan within a very short
period of time.
 
MY QUESTION:
1.  Isn't this a common problem with all pesticides over time?
 
2. Increased resistance will require stronger miticides.
 
3. Stronger miticides will cause greater possiblity of contanmination of
honey.
MY QUESTION:
Isn't that false since the Apistan strips are placed in the hive AFTER the
supers are removed?
 
4. Use of miticides short circuits the honeybees ability to deveolp their own
resistance.
MY QUESTION:
Is this possible?
 
5. Honeybees have the capcity to do this since mites and bees have
co-exsisted for eons.
MY COMMENT:
He's increased his "guestimate" from centuries to EONS.  <g>
 
6. Misuse of Apistan strips is a real problem now!
MY COMMENT:
I suppose so, but WE are trying to get the word out.
 
7. Brother Adam and others have developed strains that show some resistance
and more to the point, can co-exsist with the mite and not have the colony
destroyed by infection.
 
8. Good management skills by beekeepers can go a long way to keep resistance
up and maintain colonies even when infected!
MY QUESTION:
If the colonies are infected, isn't is too late?
 
9. Not allowing colonies badly infected to continue. Maintain colonies and
queens from those colonies for breeding and developing resistant strains.
MY QUESTION:
If the colonies are badly infected, how can you maintain the colonies or queens?
When I lost one hive to mites two years ago, I would consider that badly
infected.  How am I supposed to maintain a dead colony?
 
10. Stop buying into the chemical industries short fixes for insect control.
They have only caused serious pollution of the enviornment and developed
resistance strains.
MY COMMENT:
We don't have any choice.
 
 
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