Honey Bees & Parasitic Mites...6/30/2014 2 Tracheal Mites n Old pest - Isle of Wight (Identified...
Transcript of Honey Bees & Parasitic Mites...6/30/2014 2 Tracheal Mites n Old pest - Isle of Wight (Identified...
6/30/2014
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Honey Bees &
Parasitic Mites A Historical Review with Some
Current Control Suggestions
Dr. James E. Tew Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Auburn University
You had to have been
there - Before the mites
Midwestern Apiary - 1944
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Tracheal Mites
n Old pest - Isle of Wight (Identified 1921)
n Lives in breathing tubes (trachea)
n Restriction of all honey bee imports - 1922
n South America - possibly by African Bees 1970’s
n Early 1980s was in Mexico
n Texas, 1984
n Devastating losses at first, not so much now
n Possibly due to Varroa control procedures
Too small to see
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Tracheal mite life cycle
Photo credit: Sammataro and
Yoder
Not much
concern now Varroa mites made tracheal
mites look tame. Maybe we
have become too relaxed.
USDA Photos
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For tracheal mite
control: 1. Menthol crystals
2. Chemical acaricides
3. Oil or grease patties
Early treatment for both mites
Apistan and a grease patty
1 lb. vegetable shortening (such as
Crisco®)
2 lbs. granulated sugar
or
1 lb. vegetable oil
3 lbs. granulated (or powdered) sugar From: https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/TRACHEAL.PDF
Varroa destructor To this point, simply the biggest thing that has
ever happened to beekeeping
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n As with tracheal mites, effects were different in different countries.
n Different species involved (V. jacobsoni vs. V. destructor)
n No specific control procedures were available
n It was a bleak time
n A national US map showed new finds as they occurred
1987- Confusion (and disbelief) at first....
Keep in mind, Killer Bees were all the
rage at this same time
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During the early days n October 20, 1987, APHIS approved (Sec 18) plywood strips
soaked in Mavrik or Spur for DETECTION of Varroa
n On December 30, 1987, Sec 18 special exemption approved plywood strips soaked in Mavrik or Spur as TREATMENT
n March 21, 1988, use of Mavrik and Spur was WITHDRAWN and was replaced by Apistan, available still today.
n This was the dawn of our chemical frenzy to find a control agent for V. destructor.
n Use of these materials today is off-label and illegal. If needed, far better control materials exist now.
Varroa Lifecycle
Photo credit: Sammataro and
Yoder
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But the biggest issue?
Pathogenic RNA Viruses (Probably)
n Mite feeding causes mechanical damage
n Reduced lifespan
n Learning ability reduced
n Vectored RNA viruses the real issue
n 18 viruses have been identified
n Much blame for CCD by viruses
Hope for bee virus
control n RNAi Silencing
Technology
n Old defense
mechanism
n No effects on bees
n Safe & natural
n Bio-degradable no
residues
Beeologics, LLC
11800 SW 77th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33156
Phone: +1 305 233 6564
Fax: +1 305 233 7749
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.beeologics.com/default.asp
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Monitoring Varroa Mite
Populations
n Watch for symptoms of Varroa
n Deformed wings
n Crawling bees
n Pupae at hive front
n Mites on workers or drones
USDA Photo
Sampling Techniques n Ether roll
n Sugar shake
n Colony/brood
examination
n Sticky board
n Debris examination
n Screen bottom
Sugar shake jar
V. mites on stick board
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Treatment Thresholds (In the Mid-West)
n Average-sized colony
n Treat at 3000-4000 mites/colony
n 15-40 mites/ether roll
n 50+ on sticky sheet/24 hrs with no treatment
Current Chemical Controls
Some sources I used
n http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests/varroa
/control-of-varroa-guide.pdf
n Sammataro and Yoder. 2012. Honey Bee
Colony Health. CRC Press
n Thymovar® [email protected] (Canada)
n Managing Varroa. fera. The Food and
Environmental Research Agency. UK.
www.defra.gov.ul/fera
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You should... n Respect pesticides -
regardless of synthetic or
organic
n Read/follow labels -
exactly
n Use only registered &
tested materials
n Dispose chemical residue
properly USDA ARS photo
Product Trade Name ® Active Ingredient Chemical Class
Some Chemical Controls
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Chemical Resistance
n Common procedure - even in humans
n Select at least two chemicals and rotate use
n Do not increase beyond label instructions
n May kill or sicken bees
n Wax & honey contamination
n > Resistance could develop faster
Effects on Drones
n Varroa prefers drones
n Fewer flights
n Shorter duration
n Reduced sperm counts
n Reduced fertility
n > Queen replacement
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Drone trapping seems to work
(If done regularly)
n Drone brood (approximately) 10x more
attractive than worker brood
n Natural nest is ≈ 17% drone comb
n At 5% drone, 50-60 ♂drone cells = 1000 ♀cells
http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/pdf/dronecomb_exchang
e.pdf http://scientificbeekeeping.com/fighting-varroa-biotechnical-
tactics-ii/
Our conundrum... Drones for queens?
or
Drones for Varroa?
USDA ARS photo
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Producing
Sacrificial Drones
Trap-Cropping in the Bee Colony
Drone
Foundation
Worker
Foundation
Drones and mites
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The Mite Zapper®
Some comments about the
Zapper Frame n Requires some minor bee
box modification
n Non-invasive procedure
n Should either be used or removed
n No chemical resistance issues
n Just under $100 to begin, about $50 from then on
n Used every 21-25 days during drone-rearing season
www.cyberbee.net/gallery
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The Oliver Trap
Frame http://scientificbeekeeping.com/fighting-varroa-biotechnical-tactics-
ii/
Suggested Annual Integrated Control
for UK beekeepers
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Artificial swarm procedure for
swarm and mite control
(and possibly...queen replacement)
Many beekeepers are doing
nothing to control Varroa n Only general managerial procedures are used
n Bee colonies are kept healthy and populous
n Queens are frequently replaced
n Screened bottom boards may/may not be
used
n Regardlessly, a percentage will fail
n This is a desirable, but uncertain procedure
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So chemically - what to
do? n Restrict drone brood (if not producing queens)
n Select control materials or procedures with which
you are comfortable
n If possible, use “softer” chemicals whenever
possible
n For instance - Apilife VAR or HopGuard (not intended to be
a selective recommendation)
n Occasionally, traditional chemical use may be
necessary - such as Apistan or Check-Mite+ (not
intended to be a selective recommendation)
Some take-home
recommendations and
suggestions n Spotty brood, twisted-wings, declining population - August - too late to help
n Maybe keeping colonies somewhat crowded will help with grooming and
mite fall
n All mites need not be killed for treatment to be effective (generally about
50%)
n Virus infection is causing the damage more than Varroa feeding
(apparently)
n Varroa causes many bee problems - but not all of them (don’t fixate)
n Queen quality issues (genetics and/or mating success)
n Nutritional issues (mono-cropping and herbicidal sprays)
n Other bee diseases and pests (AFB, Chalkbrood, Small Hive Beetle)
n Pesticides
n Management errors
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So, what do you “feel”
? n Uncertain
n Somewhat
uninformed
n Overloaded
n Responsible
n Resigned Photo: J. Hurst
Thank You