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Subject:
From:
Bill Truesdell <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Mon, 28 Apr 1997 14:21:02 -0700
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If you are looking for "natural" treatments for mite control, anything
you put into a hive that the bees would not normally put in there is
"unnatural". And if you get into the "organic" vrs "man-made" argument,
standby. Your mailbox will overflow but it makes for fun reading.
I think the best technique for disease and mite control is the Doctor's
pledge to "Do no harm". Which means that the treatment should have been
demonstrated to be effective for the problem and as benign as possible
to the bees. The ones you spoke of, Fumidil, TM, and Apistan as well as
grease patties, fit that definition when used properly. A lot of the
other "natural" techniques are still in the prove-it stage. They may
work, but do you want to put your few hives at risk on hope.
I stay with the tried and true and all my hives made it through this
winter and only lost one hive the prior winter when many in Maine lost
most of their hives.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME

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