Latest e mail from manufacturer of this substance to test for varroa.
HI Peter
I don’t know which beekeeping forum you are referring to.
I am registered with one I think. As you assume I haven’t said anything yet on it (Beesource).
I will send you some in the post soon.
If the regularly followed regime of treatment was satisfactory there would be no problem, the NBU would not consider 10% losses acceptable, nor would the statistics from places like Wales be so bad – average about 20% losses of colonies inspected – i.e. they were found to be dead on inspection.
People like Selwyn Wilkins of the NBU and Tim Lovett (immediate past president of BBKA) both are unable to say why colonies keep dying.
The colony that I originally treated – I still have. I deeply regret not treating the four swarms that I acquired this year – the most active developed DWV and succumbed to Nosema in the winter. The others lost large numbers of bees through the winter. This has reinforced my belief in my program. I am absolutely certain that my approach is correct and currently I believe there to be no better way. As you know I have had no funding, nor has anyone taken an interest in my work. That does not worry me. I am not reliant on sales of my product to progress. Rather I feel obliged to allow people the chance to do as I am doing and benefit accordingly.
The most likely question is what does it contain – well I’ve announced that the chemicals are assigned E numbers and that they are on the American EAFUS and GRAS lists. That doesn’t make them organic. Since I am not going to disclose the chemicals publicly I leave it to discussion as to which chemicals potential users would wish to avoid from those lists.
Similarly the objection, which I am sure many have made, is to the frequency of application. I would ask whether you consider your bees worth such attention. If you are happy with the existing treatment you are giving your bees, why change? Surely not for monetary saving. I have been advised that I am charging too little for the product. Perhaps pricing will make no difference – it certainly can’t decrease sales much. If your hives are too remote and your time too precious you may consider getting a schoolboy or girl to do the errand for a small weekly consideration. But you don’t need me to advise you here. Likewise on the possibility of some automated delivery system of the dose. Here some care needs to be taken as it is desirable that the previous dose evaporate before the following dose be applied. This is not too critical as I have dosed my bees with considerably higher quantities and strengths without ill effect. I believe that a very good payback will be achieved on the purchase price for users otherwise I would not offer it. If I say that at the beginning of 2009 March – when my two-year-old queen was superseded, the bees scarcely covered a frame and at the beginning of this year when the photographs were taken 13 March 2010 – I estimate that I will be able to split the colony into four at the beginning of May. The bees are gentle, holding well on the comb and were certified without disease of any kind at 17 September 2009 by two NBU bee inspectors. I believe that the condition of my colony is exceptional. I hardly tested during 2009 and never found more than about 5 varroa. The same is presently true, but not of the 2009 swarms which will continue to be attended until they become fairly clear of varroa.
I have had a glowing endorsement from a beekeeper who had lost colonies following thymol and pyrethroid treatments.
I am confident that the four colonies that I presently have will be with me through the winter and into 2011 and beyond.
I informed the VMD that I was advertising on Ebay and provided them the link to see what I had done to market it. They have been aware of my product for a while but I have only brought it to market. They have not endorsed it in any way.
I am happy if you post this on your beekeeping forum.
.
is way to advanced for you, his answer is way above your response....
