Bill Morong wrote:
> It is saddening to lose a good colony and alarming to hear of a possible
> case of Coumaphos resistance in the USA.

Based on the original post I think it's far too early to be sending up flags
of coumaphos resistence.  Although the withdrawal of a product that should
never be put in a hive in the first place (my very opinionated opinion)
would bring me great joy, it is alarmist to be crying coumaphos resistence
based on what Walter Weller wrote:

> We presume that varroa is the culprit, based on the large number of bees
with malformed wings.
> Around here (central Louisiana), varroa crashes usually happen in
September, so we pull supers
> in July and put strips in.  We treat again in Jan.-Feb., just before the
nectar flow in March.
> This is the first year we've used Coumaphos.  We've always treated with
Apistan, twice a year.
> Lost 40 percent of our colonies last fall, don't know why.  TM, maybe.
But we switched
> miticides, and used Coumaphos this year, spring and summer.
>
> If this recent crash is varroa-induced, it is disturbing....

First, it's an PRESUMPTION that this was a varroa crash.  And second, if the
presumprtion is correct and this IS a varroa crash, no tests have been done
to establish that varroa is resistent to coumaphos.  It is possible that
coumaphos killed all the mites when it was used and will continue to do so.
Nothing has been done to verify that varroa was the cause of the crash or
that coumaphose resistence is being exhibited.  Don't jump to conclusions,
establish facts.

Having said that, I'm compelled to highlight "used Coumaphos this year,
spring and summer".  My recollection of the recommendations for coumaphos
use is two treatments per year for small hive beetle and one treatment per
year for varroa mites IF Apistan resistence has been verified.  I have never
read the product label and I'm sure I will be corrected if I'm in error, but
a sure fire way to hasten the arrival of coumaphos resistence is to misuse
the product.

Aaron Morris - Thinking hives should not have kitchen sinks!