This is my fist input on the List although I fallow it more than a year. I understand that these discussion group is mostly American oriented but I think that also more European input would be very interesting for everyone. Recently one company from Bulgarija (that is my neighboring country, because I live in Macedonia) has launch on their market one new product (name: "Biopapir") The main ingredient, or so called active substance is some Russian made/discovered antibiotic called: Rifampicin. Have anyone ever heard of these antibiotic (in human or livestosk contex)? Any reference? Residue problems? I only heard that these antibiotic is used in other livestock (veterinarian) and human remedies. This should be first time for this Rifampicin to be used for bees officially. The product ("Biopapir") i licensed and registered in Bulgaria for treating or "curing" bacterial diseases in honeybees such is: American foulbrood, European foulbrood, septicemia, etc. It is also very interesting and new (at least for me) how this product works. These are narrow strips of paper, resembling Apistan, which are impregnated with active substance. With biting bees actually try to remove the paper from the hive and that way they disperse this Rifampicin. Producer suggest using it 3 or 4 times, in intervals of 7 - 8 days. One strip for preventive treatment and 2 - 3 strips for treatment of clinically diseased hive. I personally have never used any antibiotic for treating my bees, but in my country there isn't any law which forbidden it (as in Germany, for instance) and I am concern and suppose that these product will be used by someone in the future. ===== Aleksandar Mihajlovski, editor of Macedonian beekeeping journal: "Melitagora" Address of "Melitagora": Ul. Helsinki 41 a, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia Tel./Fax(modem): ++ 389 2 363-424