I have heard conflicting reports as to how long to leave strips in the
     hives.  Some say 30-45 days, some say 60 (and no more).  I think that
     the label states 59(?) days [I don't have a label in front of me so
     DON'T take that as any direction.]
 
     If the mites life cycle is approximately the same as worker brood (21
     days).  [I think I read that somewhere], then leaving strips in the
     hive for 30-45 days would kill 1-2 generations of female mites leaving
     the cells, 60 days would kill 3 generations.  This does not consider
     those freeranging mites that are coming into the hive from outdoors.
 
        I have heard of different Apistran strategies:
     Some state place apistran in the spring for 60 days prior to supering
     and again for 60 days after harvest.
     Some state place apistran only once, on July 1, then remove on 1 Aug
     and place supers for fall flow [Approximately 30 days].
     Some state place apistran once, for 60 days beginning the middle of
     August.
 
        Ok, folks.  What is the story here?  What strategies have worked
     for you.
 
        My own experience in Dayton, OH has been that if I wait until
     September to treat, its too late -- the bees are goners unless
     something else happens.  Last year I placed strips into my two hives
     on Aug 6 and left them for 60 days last fall and then again on Feb 6
     and removed them 49 days later.  So far both hives came through
     strong, healthy and ready to go.  This is the first time I have
     successfully overwintered my hives after 4 years of trying.  Pulled
     drone brood revealed no mites to date.
 
        So I am trying to scope out my plan for this year.  I don't like
     putting strips in at all, but must.  Howeer I would like to minimize
     their use as much as possible.  Would a stragegy of placing strips
     from between nectar flows for a period of 30 days provide enough
     coverage to protect the bees?
 
     Mark Egloff
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