Subject: Validity of "new" Varroa mite control?

From: Jon Camp <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 21:03:53 GMT

I was recently sent a letter by a beekeeper friend describing a 
"new" combination of four otc chemicals applied by soaking a 
sponge in this mixture and placing it on the top bars for ten 
days, and repeating the procedure four times.  I was also 
informed that this procedure was being tested by the USDA and was 
sanctioned by the same agency as experimental.  Without openly 
revealing the ingredients, has anyone else heard of this 
procedure, or has anyone working for any state or Federal Ag. 
agency heard of this procedure and it's legitimacy?  I have heard 
rumors of formic acid, thymol, and various other relatively 
available ingedients being used and/or tested for use for the 
control of Varroa in colonies, but no legitimate means of using 
them without penalty or risk of contamination of honey.  I 
wouldn't mind forgoing a saleable honey crop on several colonies
if there were a legal way to register for experimental control.
Anybody run across anybody involved in such a program(s) either
public or private?  Or the results of the much touted use of 
Formic acid and why we haven't heard about legitimate use of it?

                          Jon Camp