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Pathogens, Parasites, Pests, Pesticides

The Terrible P’s

Ron Bolton

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Colony Collapse Disorder

• Adult bees absent, with little or no dead bees• Food stores left behind – both honey and pollen• Stores are not immediately robbed• Wax moth and hive beetle damage slow to

develop• Some capped brood is found• Queen is evident, but all the workers are same

young age

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Nosema

• Caused by a microsporidia• Two types: Nosema apis & Nosema ceranae• Both are spore-forming microorganisms that

invade the midgut of the bee• Spread by other bees coming in contact with

fecal matter on combs, frames, and bottom boards

• N ceranae most serious, can kill bees in a week

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Nosema Symptoms

• Bees unable to fly or only fly short distances• Bees seen trembling and quivering• Feces on combs, top bars, bottom boards and

outside walls of hive (yellow stains)• Bees crawling aimlessly on bottom board or

near entrance or on ground• Wings at various angles from body• Abdomen swollen, not eating when feed syrup

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One symptom of Nosema

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Nosema treatment

• Fresh, clean water – use a Boardman feeder• Provide a new young queen• Sunny site with good ventilation, protection

from cold winter winds• Remove soiled combs and frames, sterilize or

dispose• Feed medicated syrup – fumagillin – always

follow instructions carefully

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Dysentery

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Dysentery can be caused by fermented stores (or feeding thin syrup too late in the fall.)Too much moisture in the hive.

Make sure they have a winter upper exit (not buried in snow)Feed thick syrup in fall (2:1) if they need more stores going into winterMedicate as for nosemaClean dirty combs and hive bodies by power washing, rotate combs every 3 to 5 years

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American Foulbrood

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AFB

• Irregular brood patterns• Larvae light brown to dark brown• Cappings concave, some punctured• Long-dead larvae become sticky in cell• Dried remains or scales adhere to cell• Unpleasant odor if colony died over winter• “Rope test” – insert match stick, stir and

slowly draw out

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AFB

• Treat only if you have an outbreak• Other than antibiotic treatment, burning is

only other option.

“Rope test”

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European Foulbrood

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EFB Control

• Requeen to break brood cycle• Treat with Terramycin• Feed clean syrup and pollen supplement• Remove and destroy heavily infected frames• Restrict drifting/robbing between colonies• Never exchange equipment between colonies• Deal with contaminated equipment as with

AFB

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Chalkbrood• White, mummified

larvae. First in cells, then on bottom board.

• There are no chemical treatments

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Viruses

• Deformed wing virus• Black Queen Cell virus• Israel Acute Paralysis virus• Acute Bee Paralysis virus• Sacbrood Virus• Kashmir Bee Virus• Chronic Bee Paralysis virus

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Tracheal Mites

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The trouble with varroa

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Varroa destructor

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Integrated Pest Management for Varroa destructor

• Monitoring and thresholds – sugar/alcohol shake test/ sticky board

• Chemical controls – Api Life VAR, Apistan, Apivar, Hopguard II, Check-mite, Mite Away Quick Strips, Oxalic acid

• Non-chemical – Drone brood removal, powdered sugar dusting, brood cycle interruption

• Physical – screen bottom boards, small cell foundation• Genetic – Mite resistant stock: Russians, Minnesota

Hygienic, others?• Management – colony separation to prevent bees

carrying mites from drifting between hives; re-queening with local survivor queens

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Screened bottom board with sticky board (coat with very thin film of vaseline)Mite count > 15 in 24 hour period, colony at risk.

Sugar roll test for mites1/2 cup = approx. 300 beesMite count > 2 per 100 bees in jar, colony at risk. A count > 5 per 100 may require more drastic and frequent use of controls to prevent colony loss.

1/8 inch thick, white, corrugated plastic

8x8 Screen

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Small Hive Beetle

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Small hive beetle larvae, slime, fermenting honey

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Vegetable oil in trap Bees and Oil don’t mix!

Entrance trap

Between frame trap

Screened Bottom board trap

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Do not use scented or anti-bacterial wipes!

Best SHB trap yet?Reusable kitchen wipes

Suggest replace every 5 days, definitely no more than 7 days in hive.

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Wax Moth

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CocoonsFrame damage

Lots of places for beetles to lay eggs!Don’t reuse!

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Other Pests• Mice• Hornets• Skunks & Raccoons• Bears

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Pesticides

• Orchards, tree farms, nurseries, parks, crops, other homeowners’ yards and gardens

• Area spraying for mosquitoes• Insecticides in use today:– Nicotinoids– Organophosphates– Chlorinated hydrocarbons– Carbamates– Dinitrophenyl

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Pesticides - symptoms

• Excessive # of dying/dead bees within 24 hrs in front of hive, on bottom board or top bars

• Sudden reduction in numbers in middle of summer season (What else can cause this?)

• Dying larvae crawling out of cells• Abnormal break in brood cycle• Stores not being consumed• Inappropriate queen supersedure

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Pesticide kill

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Misuse of either external and/or

internal pesticides =

Mite and beetle treatments, and wax moth crystals ARE pesticides.

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Questions?

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Thank you!