U.S. EPA approves insecticide Hopguard® for bee parasite

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has approved his request for a Section 18 emergency exemption for Hopguard®, enabling North Dakota beekeepers to continue using the pesticide to control varroa mites.

“The exemption gives North Dakota beekeepers another tool for protecting their hives and reducing their losses”, Goehring said.“Left uncontrolled, varroa mites cause deep and widespread losses in bee colonies. They are the most serious pest problem facing beekeepers.”

The exemption allows application of Hopguard strips at a rate of one strip per five deep combs. The use directions specify that the strips must be placed only in brood chambers. A maximum of three applications per year is allowed.

Applicators must wear protective gloves when handling treated strips and must have a copy of the use directions with them during application.

Users must follow all applicable directions, restrictions, and precautions on the container label, as well as the Section 18 use directions.

Honey and wax can only be harvested from the honey supers; no honey or wax can be harvested from the brood chamber.

Manufactured by BetaTec Hop Products, Hopguard is a natural product extracted from hop plants.

North Dakota produced more than 33.1 million pounds of honey in 2013. The state has led the nation in honey production for a decade.

A Section 18 exemption under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizes EPA to allow an unregistered use of a pesticide for a limited time if EPA determines that an emergency condition exists.