Fluvalinate treatment of queen and worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L) and effects on subsequent mortality, queen acceptance and supersedure

Three experiments were conducted on queen and worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L) to assess effects of treatment with fluvalinate impregnated (Apistan super())) strips. A 5-d treatment of worker bees (weighing 1.4 kg per group) in screen packages with a fluvalinate strip (2.5% a i, 2.5 x 13 cm) did not increase mortality. Overwintered laying queens (n = 30), and newly mated queens (n = 60) were treated in Benton mailing cages for 5 d with fluvalinate (Apistan Queen Tabs, 1% a i, 2.5 x 1.3 cm). All queen mortality occurred on d 4 and 5 of the treatment period, which is beyond the recommended 3-d-treatment. Neither group of treated queens exhibited a significant increase in mortality. However, attendant worker bees in the second trial exhibited a significant increase in mortality during treatment. No differences were observed in colony acceptance of queens, brood viability, or supersedure rates at 2 and 6 months post-exposure.