>I used various experimental formic applications, when working at the bee lab. As a private citizen, I stick to what is commercially available, and I suggest others do so. I know plenty of beekeepers who buy bulk formic acid, oxalic acid, phenol, you name it. That's their business, not mine. Commercial beekeepers ( me personally over a decade ago!) in the U.S. pushed for registration for both formic & oxalic like our fellow beekeepers in Canada have available. Resolutions to get us what we asked for over a decade ago in meetings of both the ABF & AHPA were made but no follow up. Dr. Marion Ellis was told oxalic acid would be treated in the U.S. as in Canada. Now when you ask Marion he simply shrugs his shoulders and can not believe has not yet happened. Sadly both groups dropped the ball (as always?) so the story is still the same. The only products registered are registered to make money off beekeepers . Commercial beekeeping is a very vary small industry. I have been involved for over fifty years and we have always had trouble getting products to treat our bees. Its interesting that the varroa mite is linked to most problems we face but despite CCD we see little effort to get us *registered* products to use! "Trickle down economics" from our politicians has not yet reached the people fighting today's bee problems. Quote from the California Apiary Commission ( Frank Pendell President CA State Beekeepers) "The government has been good on promises of money to research CCD, VARROA, Nosema, tracheal mites ,and others. HOWEVER most of the money promised just never seems to arrive" (source May Bee Culture page 9) Much of the money supposed to be helping beekeepers with their problems has been spent on projects which seem a waste of money to many of us! my two cents worth Peter! bob \ *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at: http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm