Well, this has been quite entertaining.  Bill has been shouting (ALL CAPITALS) and empasizing the safety of formic and saying there are no accidents, the combination of those two things has raised some hackles.  Pete has dredged up some extreme reported examples of formic damage to individuals, and here we are.

As one who has used and advocated formic, but always cautioned about the risks, I find it interesting that little mention has been made of the effect on the bees.  After all, far more bees have been injured by formic than beekeepers.  a lot of damage is done to bees by uncomprehending, unobservant beekeepers.  As with any treatment the correct dosage is vital.  Too little and we have no benefit, too uch and we damage our bees or reduce the crop.

From the beekeeper perspective, IMO, using formic is probably less risky than getting inside a metal and plastic contraption and motoring down the freeway at relative speeds up to 150 MPH, mere feet from oncoming dope addicts, myopic geriatric grampas, drunks, mothers with PMS and a van full of screaming kids, psychopaths, speeding cop cars, and the rest of us busy texting while we drink coffee and hold the wheel with one hand or our knee.  Sure there are some incidents with formic, but careful thinking and a good imagination can preclude most of them.  Some cannot be avoided.  That is just life.  Even careful people die in bed, sleeping.

There are some formic dos and don'ts and Bill covered many of them.  One thing that many don't think about is to never keep such things in anything except sound, clearly marked containers, and never in a beverage bottle, even for a moment, because if it is put down and forgotten, something bad will happen eventually.

Always carry clean fresh water in copious quantities when carring the acid or pads, and some baking soda is a good idea, too.  Baking soda is safe to rub on yourself (people eat it in food), and I notice the scary reports seemed to indicate that the acid was not neutralized quickly or sufficiently enough to prevent harm.  Baking soda kills acid quickly and makes a satisfying hiss while it does.

Now, what about the bees?  

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