Bob & Liz wrote:

> So far Dr. Carlderone, Dr. Caron (OMF 10% control at the lecture I =
> attended two months ago) and Dr. Delaplane have all given the OMF low =
> marks in the U.S..  In Europe the researchers seem to rate the OMF as an =
> IPM tool much higher.    Why?
> I have not tested OMF yet. Maybe I should.


All I have seen in my search for information on OMF (which includes
Europe and which I did before I tried them last year) is they have
little effect on varroa but are wonderful for ventilation. They were
first used for ventilation by commercial pollinators when moving hives.
I earliest use I could find was in Denmark. The research done there
shows it is an excellent tool for successful over wintering.

Some beekeepers say they have good control of varroa using OMF. But
generally those beekeepers have only recently encountered Varroa or have
gone through the first wave. Their comments mirror those I heard locally
when Varroa first showed up and I was told about all the home remedies
that were working. Most of those beekeepers are no longer keeping bees.
Same thing will happen to those pushing OMF as an independent varroa
control.

I am using OMF all year and my bees over wintered fine. I am still using
Apistan and will use Oxalic acid next year for a break in treatment. It
has been used successfully in Maine. Do not like Cumophose.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME