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IPM Chemical Control Methods
Available Products
Currently, there are three products with Section 3 (General Use)
registration available for controlling V. destructor. These are
Apistan® (fluvalinate), Mite-Away II™ (formic acid) and
Sucrocide™ (sucrose octonaote esters). In addition, CheckMite+®
(coumaphos) and Api-Life VAR® (thymol, menthol and eucalyptus
oil) have been granted Emergency Exemptions from registration (Section
18) by the US-EPA. These latter two products are only available
in those states that have applied for and received Emergency Exemptions,
which must be renewed each year.
Pesticide Resistance
Resistance to the two major pesticides, Apistan® and CheckMite+®,
is widespread. This is problematic because the resistance status
of the mite population must be determined before treating a colony,
rather than after. Presently, such a determination is difficult
to obtain. See http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/
or to http://www.ba.ars.usda.gov/beelab/
for information on making this determination. There is no known
resistance to formic acid (Mite-Away II™) at this time.
Established pesticide tolerances
Honey may contain 0.05 ppm fluvalinate and 0.1 ppm coumaphos. Beeswax
may contain 100 ppm coumaphos. Remember! These are limits, not goals.
Always think of pesticides as a means of last resort. Formic acid
and sucrose octanoate esters are exempt from tolerance when used
in accordance with label instructions. Menthol, thymol and eucalyptus
oil (the active ingredients in Api-Life VAR®) are also exempt
from tolerance, but their exempt status is subject to periodic renewal.
How to minimize pesticide residues
in hive products
The use of pesticides inevitably results in residues in wax and
honey. To minimize this problem, and to ensure that residues do
not exceed established tolerances, use pesticides only when necessary
and only in accordance with label instructions. Use separate hive
bodies and combs for your brood chambers and honey supers and keep
them separate. Never move combs from the brood nest into the honey
supers. An easy way to keep these combs separate is to use deep
hive bodies for brood chambers and mediums or shallows for honey
supers. Apply pesticides in the brood chambers, never in the honey
supers. These practices will greatly reduce the level of pesticide
residues in the honey and the wax cappings.
General recommendations for the use of pesticides
DO:
1. Read and follow the product label.
2. Follow all safety instructions, and wear all indicated personal
protection equipment.
3. Apply the proper amount of pesticide in the manner specified
on the label.
4. Remove the pesticide at the end of the specified treatment period.
5. Dispose of used pesticides in the manner specified on the label.
6. Follow any required withholding period. This is the minimum time
that must elapse between removing a pesticide or antibiotic from
a colony at the end of a legal treatment period and the addition
of supers for honey production.
7. Place pesticide strips in such a manner that they will remain
in contact with the bees when the cluster contracts. This is particularly
important in the fall.
DON’T:
1. Leave pesticides in your colonies over the winter. It is illegal.
It also increases the amount of time your combs are in contact with
a pesticide, thereby increasing the risk of residues in hive products.
It may also increase the chance of the mite population developing
resistance to the pesticide.
2. Reuse products.
3. Use any chemical, pesticide or formulation of a chemical or pesticide
to control V. destructor unless it is legal to do so in
your state.
4. Use any pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its label.
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