checkmite

[xen]

I don't have the package from the checkmite and want to know how long it is kept in the hive. Is it the same as Apistan around 40-45 days?

[Todd Zeiner]

To control varroa mite, use one strip for each five combs of bees in each
brood chamber (Langstroth deep frames or equivalent in other sizes). Hang the
strips within two combs of the edge of the bee cluster. If two deep supers
are used for the brood nest, hang CheckMite+ Strips in alternate corners of
the cluster, in the top and bottom super. Remove honey supers before
application of CheckMite+ Strips and do not replace until the end of the
control period. Treat all infested colonies within the yard. The treatment
is most effective when brood rearing is lowest. Effective control may be
achieved by treating hives in the spring before the first honey flow and in
the fall after the last honey flow. Leave the strips in the hive for at least
42 days (six weeks). Do not leave strips in hive for more than 45 days. Do
not treat more than twice a year for varroa mites.

Source
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/regulation/nysdec-lib/section18/coumaphos-s18-3-99.html

[Knoefler]

Check mites : the mites have become resistant to them they No longer work

[Michael Bush]

I've never used Check mite, but around here it's the Apistan that no longer works and the Check mite is still reported to be working... so far.

[buckbee]

It seems that organo-phosphates are particularly persistent in beeswax. Is there not a danger that it will accumulate over time and potentially reach levels toxic to people handling the wax, or burning it in candles? And could it not find its way into honey via the wax being recycled as foundation?

[Jim Fischer]

> It seems that organo-phosphates are particularly
> persistent in beeswax.

Yes. Also persistent in the human who handles
the organophosphates, but at least the "proper
gloves" issue has been well-promoted to
protect the beekeeper.

> Is there not a danger that it will accumulate
> over time and potentially reach levels toxic to
> people handling the wax,

It does not need to accumulate in wax to become
toxic to humans. Even exposure to tiny "trace
level" amounts will bio-accumulate over time in
the human body, and the cumulative effects are
nasty - your neurological wiring harness goes
haywire. This is why organophosphates are
being phased out of all segments of agriculture
(except, apparently, beekeeping) - the risk to
the pesticide applicator is unacceptable to the
US EPA.

The question of how to handle combs that have
been treated with Check-Mite (versus how to
handle the Check-Mite strips themselves) has
not been addressed in light of the realization
that the pesticide accumulates in wax. My view
is that this is a problem that will result in
egg development problems for the bees serious
enough to force one to scrap the combs long before
it results in a detectable problem for the
beekeeper, but on the other hand, there are some
who simply don't recycle their brood comb, and
could end up with combs exposed to 10 years of
Check-Mite treatments.

> or burning it in candles?

The actual amount of beeswax in most of the
candles sold by the big companies is zero.
Even the fancy hand-decorated candles used for
religious purposes need only contain 51% beeswax.
I'm not sure what the combustion products from
burning beeswax contaminated with coumophos would
be - it is a messy little chemistry problem.
That said, your point is very well-taken.

> And could it not find its way into honey via
> the wax being recycled as foundation?

Nope, not unless the folks making the foundation
are absolute idiots. Clearly, they don't want
any contaminated wax, and this means that they
are buying wax from places where pesticides are
not used to use in making foundation, and selling
the wax "traded in" by beekeepers out the back
door for non-foundation applications.