Hello CSL and All,
We on Bee-L admire you for coming forward on the number one beekeeping
discussion list with your views. Those of us which have already been through
the problem you are now facing want to help. You give excellent advice but
you need to consider a couple points .

> > 1. My laboratory is dealing with the resistance case in the UK. The most
> > likely cause is through local misuse of Apistan and not natural spread
> > of resistant mites. The Channel provides a natural barrier to mite
> > migration either from natural or human movement of bees and makes this
> > route much less likely.
The English Channel in my opinion is not barrier. An ocean is a barrier.
Fact is you have got resistance faster than anyplace in the world if you
have gotten resistance in 6-7 years. Faster than even areas of misuse in the
U.S. All evidense points to YOUR varroa already somewhat resistant to
Apistan.

> > 2. We have been using pyrethroids in the UK since 1992. Mites may become
resistant to any chemical used routinely against them.

True!  But you are STILL not providing your U.K. beekeepers with two
different methods of control so they can be alternated.  In Canada the
Canadians use formic acid in the spring and  Apistan in the fall or
viseversa. . You need in my opinion to register at least another control
treatment to slow down the resistance or all bees in your country will be
gone before the time YOU predicted resistance would hit. 10-11 years.

 Of course, misuse of active  ingredients of treatments or the treatment
themselves rapidly  accelerates resistance onset.

The bigger problem in the U.S. was in not getting a second control to
alternate with than misuse ever was. You need to focus Medwin on what I am
saying. The alternate control will knock those resistant mites down right
away. You need to look to the future. You suggest testing which is correct
BUT you provide no plan of action for those in your country finding
Fluvalinate resistant mites.
What would you suggest they do?
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa,  Missouri
 ___________________________________________________________________________