Lloyd Spear did a good job of pointing out why a 1% formulation may not
control mites and may lead to resistance.  Others clearly indicated that
the use of CO-RAL in beehives is illegal.

However, the statement that CO-RAL is safer than using mite strips is not
true.  Coumaphos is a general use pesticide that in some formulations is
classified as a restricted use pesticide, because it poses a hazard of
acute poisoning by inhalation or ingestion.  It is also moderately toxic
through the skin.

I doubt that anyone is going to inhale a mite strip, and hopefully everyone
handling this product in any form will wear gloves and wash their hands
before eating.  But a powder form of this chemical poses an entirely
diffent risk than that of the chemical contained in a contact dispersing
strip.

EPA is being very cautious about the use of this chemical in a beehive.
Why?  Because it is an organophosphate pesticide.  Organophosphates are
neurotoxins.  They interfer with the proper working of the nervous systems
of humans and insects.  These insecticides owe their existence to the
discovery by the Germans during WWII that organophosphates were suitable
for chemial warfare.  Organophosphates are the chemical basis of the often
referred to "nerve gases" like sarin, tabun, and soman.  They are an
example of the sword being turned into a plowshare - but its still lethal -
to humans, to insects, and to bees.

I found a good description of coumaphos, one that is not overly difficult
to understand, at
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/coumaphos
-ext.html

EPA is carefully monitoring whether coumaphos can end up in honey as well
as the risk to the applicator.  The agency is being cautious - they don't
normally let someone put a highly toxic poison in close proximity to
anything likely to be consumed by humans - in this case honey.  Properly
used, the strips are supposed to reduce or eliminate this risk.  But, the
powder could easily end up in the honey.  If that ever happens and is
discovered, the Alar/Apple scare may seem trivial by comparison.

Finally, my guess is that the powder could easily be toxic to brood.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to be an alarmist, and I haven't
calculated the dose/response numbers for a 1% formulation of coumaphos.  I
suspect you'd have to inhale or ingest a fair amount of this stuff before
you were aware of any effects (which may take 1-4 weeks to appear) - but
keep in mind that the organophosphates are by and large rather nasty
pesticides in terms of potential for harm to human and to bee health.

Bottom line - even if you don't worry about your own health or that of your
bees, you are putting the beekeeping industry at risk if you start
experimenting with this chemical in your hives.  Do any of you want to be
known as the beekeeper who dealt the death blow to U.S. honey sales AND
caused EPA to revoke the permit to use coumaphos to control the small hive
beetle?

End of the soap box.







Jerry J. Bromenshenk
[log in to unmask]
http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees