Roger said:
I didn't say that it was pesticide poisoning!  It affects the developing
queens and causes ICS.

Call it what you want but we are talking about a slight poisoning by
coumaphos of the queen.

Fluvalinate has been linked to drone sterilization.

We were told about the problem you describe (ICS) by the California queen
breeders in talks a couple years ago.

The problem was solved when coumaphos strips were not placed in hives while
queens were being raised.

The problem was coming from the strips and NOT a high level of coumaphos in
the nest comb as the comb was tested we were told then.
.
After reading again "Miticides residues in Honey and wax in North America"
(Pg.322 April 2003 ABJ) by M.E.Nasr. their findings go along with what our
USDA people have told us  except the high coumaphos levels have ONLY been
found in hives which have used the illegal dip coumaphos.

38ppm. in brood comb  wax coming from those hives we were told in Savannah
(2002).

The article does not make clear  if they were testing those New Jersey hives
which had coumaphos resistant varroa and had been treated illegally
(miticide dip) or random testing of hives which had been treated with
checkmite strips as per label.

Jeff P. (Savannah 2002 & K.C.2003)told us the contamination level in hives
which were correctly treated (checkmite strips) was higher than expected but
still within the range the USDA had expected when Checkmite was registered.

The problem with the huge amount of hives going queenless in commercial
operations is in my opinion caused by long term   *direct* contact with
checkmite strips and bees with coumaphos by *queens*.

In cases  where the illegal dip as been used I suspect brood nest wax
contamination is the problem as pointed out by Nasr and others.

Jim makes some excellent points as what could happen to foundation wax and
brood nests if the contamination continues.

Nasr in the article gives the accumulated rate for fluvalinate as 0.5
PPM/year.

I wonder if we have got a figure yet for the accumulated rate for coumaphos
per year.

Comments?

Bob

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