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Index of Subjects Some volatile organic acids are used to control parasite infestation. Formic acid was and still is used as a very efficient acaricide to fight varroa mite infestations in honey bee colonies. Liquid formic acid is placed in a bee hive to evaporate (e.g. covered container with a cardboard wick) and to built and maintain a certain formic acid concentration in the hive air for several days. Uptake of formic acid vapor by mites and bees is via the respiratory system. The trick is to tune in a formic acid titer in the air that a) will not harm the bees, b) will not disturb colony life, and c) is high enough to kill the mites. If done correctly it works very well to control the varroa mites, and as a side effect other arthropod bee parasites (tracheal mites) and unwanted hive guests (some moths and their larval stages) are eliminated as well. So far the mites have been unable to develop resistance against formic acid, a problem that made some other systemic treatments useless. Since its biodegradable formic acid leaves no residue in honey and wax, another problem with most other medication. The only drawback is that application is more labour intense for the bee keeper and some monitoring is required to adjust the evaporation rate. I have seen this behavior in a number of song bird species and woodpeckers, looks like birds found out about the benefits of a formic acid shower long before human beekeepers got the idea. Ulli
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