Vast snippage>
> Surely the technology exists to put a bio-degradeable dye into the =
> active ingredient in these products to increase awareness of how & where =
> these chemicals are used.
> Ed Parker
> Serenity Gardens
>
Yes, some dyes will fade with time, but the most common mechanism for this
fading is sunlight- This works great for outdoor application, but the inside
of a hive is so dark that the dye would be well protected.
    There are dyes that are sensitive to chemicals in the air, etc., but one
has to be aware that dyes are foreign chemicals too, and many of them may
have toxic effects at some concentration.  As they break down, other
chemicals are created in the break down.  (The peroxide action in honey
might be able to trigger this break down- but I don't know how this would
affect the honey.)
    A dye would have to be found that was non-toxic, visible, broke down at
the same rate as the pesticide, and didn't leave any objectionable residues
in the hive- That is one heck of a tall order!
    I'm not saying it cannot be done- just that it would be a challenge, and
therefore expensive.  I am also concerned about adding still another foreign
substance to the hive.

    My experience with dyes comes from fabric and textile testing.  Someone
familiar with food colorings would know far more than I on this subject.

Ellen Anglin