If you have not heard of the sheep dip treatment, it means you haven't
talked to enough migratory beekeepers.  (Or, and equally likely, they
are not willing to tell you what they are doing because they don't
want it reported on a list such as this.)

There are a number of products out there that are approved for
treatment of mites.  AFAIK, most or all of them are organophosphates
as all mites quickly develop resistance to the tamer stuff.  The
migratory guys experiment with it.  Does it kill hives?  Does it kill
mites?

I have heard of stuff all the way from products approved for apples to
products approved for cattle and sheep.  Mostly ordinary garden
sprayers are used, sometimes on the bees on top bars and sometimes on
the landing board.  I know of one 'method' that involves making ones
own 'strips'.

Hives with just about total resistance to fluvalinate and coumaphous
are being kept alive with these methods.  At least one very large
packer is testing every load for the products they know about.  This
packer has told his largest customers that the honey will be returned
if it 'tests positive'.  I have not heard of any returns.

Does this mean the alternative treatments are being used responsibly?
Or is that a oxymoron?  Perhaps more to the point, why aren't our
national organizations and/or the USDA funding crash programs to get
beekeepers treatments that are effective?

--
Lloyd Spear
Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacture of equipment for round comb honey sections,
Sundance Pollen Traps, and producer of Sundance custom labels.
Contact your dealer or www.RossRounds.com

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