Hello All, > not sure what the benefit will be if beeks keep dumping harsh treatments into their hives and remain ignorant concerning varroa mite treatments. The varroa mite has been in the U.S. now right at two decades. In the early years the above would have been true. In fact at a national meeting L. Cutts (head of the Florida Apiary dept for 18 years) said he checked the number of chemical strips sold against the number of hives and he figured enough strips were sold to only treat 5% of the U.S. hives so what were the other beekeepers using? The statement was made years ago. Over the last few years bee supply houses have had trouble keeping ,Api Life Var, Apigard and Mite Away two in stock. In our area these are the three main treatments in use for varroa. The larger outfits are mostly using liquid formic in methods learned from the Canadians and many also use oxalic acid on the winter cluster. I only post the above to clear up the constant jabber by some beekeepers about the use of illegal harsh chemicals by some *unknown* group of beekeepers. Both national organizations are pushing for use of formic and oxalic acid similar to the way its used in Canada. Not some new unknown chemical treatment. I do hear rumors of ignorant beekeepers using higher and higher doses of the old favorites but those telling me never seem to know of the beekeepers and it seems only a rumor. Certainly not happening in the circles I travel in. >likewise stressful migratory practices will likely continue $$. If you do not want China to supply all your food instead of only "little Fluffy's" pet food ( how is Little Fluffy doing? Maybe he/she did not die but what are the long term effects of the China dog food?)then you better hope migratory beekeeping does not end. Out of State beekeepers supply over half the California almond pollination. if they stopped coming then Mexican beekeepers would be quick to fill the void. Several commercial beekeepers are openly firming ties south of the border. Others are quietly making trips south. The same people which are bringing you the mandarin issue will be the people to open the doors to Mexican hives. Commercial beekeepers with ties to Mexican beekeeping operations are not going to speak against the border opening. A few are rubbing their hands together thinking of all the easy money to be made brokering those hives! If California beekeepers can not even stop getting pushed back from the mandarins and lose yards they have used every year for decades how can they expect to keep Mexican hives out? As long as U.S. beekeepers can keep the almond growers taken care of then the border will stay closed. Beekeepers did a good job this year and despite the high cost of pollination the growers I have spoke with are pleased! The first year beekeepers fail to provide almond pollination the next year the border will open which is the prediction I make on BEE_L. Each year the numbers of hives needed for almond pollination goes up and the number of commercial beekeepers goes in the other direction. bob -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. ****************************************************** * Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm * ******************************************************