> I keep, observe and treat 20+ colonies now and as a researcher...
> ...treating with oxalic acid in broodless time windows...is in my
> opinion enough to get the mite population down. I fail to see the
> need of more compex compounds in beehives. Why does one need
> compounds like coumaphos?
Well, coumaphos is not the best example. Many of us have never used it
and would never use it in beehives, but still see reasons to use Amitraz
and fluvalinate -- carefully and when needed.
Keeping 20 hives as a researcher is not anything like running the
thousands of colonies that are required to meet the demand for
pollination or to make a viable honey operation, so maybe that
experience does not transfer. For one thing, researchers have a
different view of time and don't need to make a living off the hives.
Additionally, 20 hives is getting near the upper bound of where
intensive colony-by-colony management is practical. I know as I was
doing fine while I was under that number, but as I got up near 100
colonies, the intensive mite management became impossible.
Moreover, when running bees for pollination or honey production, the
timing and management for mite control can interfere with the primary
tasks. Mite management is not a profit centre, but rather an expense.
In migratory operations, the colonies may be in many differing climates
and as result the logistics and timing of complex tasks can quickly
become unmanageable.
> ...you can devise a managment style that includes broodless periods
> in the tropics.
You can, but can you also run an efficient, profitable operation on any
large scale while running such a scheme?
> What ARE the advantages of the complex compounds, apart from easyness
> of application?
Reliability, predictability, simplicity. Moreover, they can be applied
at any time of day, in any location, and any weather by unskilled
labour -- without intensive work inside the hives.
Granted, such chemicals are not the ideal solution and I am sure most
commercial beekeepers are looking for better solutions and trying
resistant stocks, etc. with a view to minimizing chemical use, but such
chemicals are the fallback.
In my case, when I did not have adequate control after five oxalic
applications, I fell back on Apivar and my bees are looking great in
spite of the worst winter and spring I can recall in decades.
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