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EPA REGISTERS NEW REDUCED-RISK MITICIDE TO CONTROL MITES IN HONEYBEE HIVES
Release Date: 02/26/99
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FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1999
EPA REGISTERS NEW REDUCED-RISK MITICIDE TO CONTROL
MITES IN HONEYBEE HIVESThe EPA has registered a new reduced-risk miticide that can effectively control tracheal mites in honey bee hives. The new miticide also aids in the suppression of verroa mites. Both the mites are parasites that infect honeybees and decrease honey production. Controlling mites in cultivated hives has been a major problem for professional beekeepers in recent years. Honeybees play an important role in the pollination of everything from farm orchards to home gardens, and their population has been significantly impacted by mite infestations in several areas throughout the country. The active ingredient of the newly-registered miticide is formic acid, a naturally occurring substance that is produced by ants to repel mites. The new product is available in a gel-pak formulation that is vented and placed inside a hive during specified time frames. The packaging of the product makes it safer for pesticide applicators to handle than older liquid formulations, and the EPA’s review of data submitted on formic acid shows that it does not pose any dietary risks when the product is used as directed. Information on this new product is available on the EPA website at: www.epa.gov/pesticides.
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