At 00:33 22/11/95 -0500, you wrote:
>> From: Hugo Veerkamp <[log in to unmask]>
>> it is better policy to implement a mite control scheme based on
>> one of these pyrethroids alternating with a totally different
>> chemical treatment, such as formic- or lactic acid. Alternating
>> two chemicals from the same group would merely enhance general
>> resistance to the group as a whole.
>
>        The only forms of lactic acid I know of are in dairy products and my
>muscles after a good workout. What is the form you're refering to and what does
>it do?
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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>Dave D. Cawley            |     The information on the Internet is only
>University Of Scranton    |     interesting to people who are interested
>Scranton, Pennsylvania    |     in it.
>[log in to unmask]         |             -Scranton Tomorrow Spokeswoman
>[log in to unmask]      |     refusing invitation to Internet Cafe's opening
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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>
>Dear Dave,  Lactic acid is available in powder form, not expensive, and is
applied to the bees during routine inspections. It is shaken on from a home
made pepper pot, a honey jar with small holes in the lid. The theory is that
it caused the mites to lose their grip and fall to the floor.  They are not
killed so must be trapped by a sticky paper insert.  I tape the paper to a
stiff backing sheet to avoid buckling and coat the paper with a thin film of
cooking oil, cheap and non-toxic.  When dusting hold the combs at around
forty five degrees, not horizontal,  to avoid the dust falling into open
brood.  This treatment only affects the mites on the adult bees but it is
non-toxic so can be applied when Apistan is not allowed.
Used in conjunction with drone cell traps it helps keep down mite numbers
during the active season.  It is time consuming so not practical on a
commercial basis,  However, for the amateur with few stocks and time to
spare it is an additional aid.        S H P
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