From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Re: Mite strategy: splits To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L Status: O Allen Dick asked for clarification of the advice to reduce tracheal mites, by making splits, and removing them after a few days flight. The idea is to make splits from tracheal mite infested colonies, leave the splits near the parent colonies for a few days, then remove the splits to a new location. In field trials of this method, the splits ended up with only about 10 % of the infestation (% of bees with mites) as the parent hives (both groups had new queens). That's as good as a chemical treatment. Possibly it results from the older (infested) bees returning to the parent hives, while a cohort of relatively less infested bees ended up in the splits, and continued to out-reproduce the mites. The parent hives could be treated, or used as "dead-end" units, used for honey production then killed. Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Mite strategy To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L In-Reply-To: <01HT0SF8KP2EQPFQJI@gems.gov.bc.ca> Status: O On Tue, 18 Jul 1995, Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299 wrote: > General Advice: non-chemical strategies against tracheal mites: consider > mite resistant stock, installation of vegetable oil patties (March > through June), increased requeening and hive splitting with removal of > splits after a few days flight. Good post Kerry. Hope to hear lots of discussion. Please clarify (for me) 'removal of splits after a few days flight'. TIA Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK Rural Route One Swalwell Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Email: dicka@cuug.ab.ca or allend@internode.net Futures, Art & Honey:http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Mite strategy To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L Status: RO I'd like us to consider a concise, broadly applicable strategy to live with parasitic mites of honey bees. There is a lot of information available, and we're a lot better equipped now than a few years ago, but still there appears to be a lack of consensus about basic things such as treatment or damage thresholds, or spring cf. fall treatment. Although there are glimmers of hope for a symbiotic relationship between bees and varroa, they seem uncomfortably far in the future, considering the likely loss of relatively good chemical controls, and the risk of honey contamination from other, relatively bad chemical controls. It would be good to have a model for sustainable management (one with a low likelihood of failing within a few years). Below is an attempt that I offer for discussion. It's based on some experimental results, some basic principles of pest management, and some choices (for lack of anything better). It has not been demonstrated to work. The control products are those available for commercial operations in Canada and in some European countries (Bayvarol can be substituted for Apistan as far as the strategy goes, I think). I've omitted drone brood removal, heat treatment and lactic acid as too labour intensive, dusts or fragrant oils as unsubstantiated ? and other chemicals such as amitraz as undesirable for various reasons, although I'd like to hear from anyone who feels another product is justifiable for general use. An equivalent "high labour" version of a strategy would be easier, since more options are available. I'd appreciate hearing from those of you with varroa experience, with comments on how you think specific parts of the strategy compare to what is the current practice in your area (including the probability of development of resistant varroa). Options, new ideas, criticism welcome. Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA FOR DISCUSSION Strategy for sustainable, integrated management of bee mites Assumptions: varroa and tracheal mites are established in an area. tolerable tracheal mite infestation: 15 % of bees in an apiary sample in fall. tolerable varroa infestation: 100/colony spring (=15/d1Api) (15 varroa on a sticky board on day 1 of Apistan exposure) 1000/colony fall (= 150/d1Api) varroa will increase as modeled in Fries '94. colonies must be treated to survive. adequate treatment: 90 % reduction, (once per year when reinfestation is minor, twice per year when reinfestation is major) commercial beekeeping (cost, labour minimized) General Advice: non-chemical strategies against tracheal mites: consider mite resistant stock, installation of vegetable oil patties (March through June), increased requeening and hive splitting with removal of splits after a few days flight. Check varroa drop (5 to 10 hives/ apiary) on first day of each treatment (as below). When tolerable mite populations are exceeded, continue treatments. Coordinate regionally: mite checks, treatment material and timing. Monitor efficacy. Short-treatment option (reduces treatment to fit lower varroa levels): Based on mite fall on first day of treatment, reduce treatment A or B: Less than 100 v mites: Apistan, leave only 2 weeks. Formic, apply 120 ml/ 3 doses. 100 to 500 v: Apistan, leave 4 weeks. Formic, apply 160 ml/ 4 doses. Over 500 v mites: Apistan, leave 6 weeks. Formic, apply 200 ml/ 5 doses. 1. Short winter region: (bees forage early March through October) For 1 treatment/year, alternate years, one of A, one of B. For 2 treatments/year, use one A and one B per year. Spring A: 2 Apistan hive strips, installed Feb. 1 through March 10, Fall A: 2 Apistan hive strips, installed Sept 1 through Oct 10 Spring B: 200 ml formic acid, dispensed continuously or in 5 doses, over 3 weeks in March, Fall B: 200 ml formic acid, dispensed continuously or in 5 doses, over 3 weeks in September, 2. Long winter region: (bees forage mid April through August) For 1 treatment/year, alternate years, one of A, one of B. For 2 treatments/year, use one A and one B per year. Spring A: 2 Apistan hive strips, installed April 1 through May 10, Fall A: 2 Apistan hive strips, installed Sept 1 through Oct 10 Spring B: 200 ml formic acid, dispensed continuously or in 5 doses, over 3 weeks in May, Fall B: 200 ml formic acid, dispensed continuously or in 5 doses, over 3 weeks in September. Thanks KC Date: Thu, 20 Jul 1995 08:51:00 -0700 Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Re Mite strategy: U.S. formic W.G. Miller pointed out that formic acid is not registered for varroa control in the U.S., suggested collecting feral bees for varroa resistance, and wondered what other North American insects are hosts for varroa. Other hosts? My understanding is that although adult varroa may rarely be found on beehive-visiting insects (wasps, bumblebees) and even rodents (or beekeepers), reproduction only occurs in honey bee brood. So there is no reservoir of varroa outside of honey bee colonies, but there's a small possibility of varroa transfer by things other than honey bees (insignificant in areas where varroa is established). Yes, formic acid is not registered for bee use in the U.S. Why? As a generic product, it is less attractive than a proprietary product like Apistan, to a company who wishes to market it. The costs of registration might be borne by such a company, registration obtained, but then beekeepers might simply use the industrial product. Where's the profit? (This is just an observation, certainly not a suggestion that unregistered products should be used if someone personally justifies it.) The U.S. Office of IR4 (a program to register pesticides for minor uses or industries) has been working for at least 6 months, on the registration of formic acid for bee use. I have been dissappointed to see apparently uninformed or misleading comments in the advice column of ABJ regarding formic acid. That it is unregistered and therefore should not at the moment be used in the U.S. is clear. Trying to reinforce the situation with alarmist rhetoric is ... dissappointing. The twice a year Apistan option? The problem with constantly using (even at recommended rates) a single active ingredient against a pest (or even similar products with near- identical mode of action eg? Apistan/Bayvarol), is that it sets the stage for the pest to develop resistance. Rotation of control products with different modes of action is a strategy to prolong the (years of) effectiveness of each of the products. None of the products I consider effective against bee mites is absolutely safe or fool proof. Some ingredients and formulations have advantages over others, especially in certain situations. I hope and trust that a process that includes thoughtful planning and evidence-based, rational consideration of the options, will give us the best chance to deal with varroa in the long term. Are feral bees more likely to be varroa resistant? There's an ABRC abstract in Dec '94 ABJ, where "tracheal mite survivor" feral bee stock was compared to others and found no more resistant than unselected stock. Varroa resistance is even less likely to be found, than tracheal mite resistance, so I wouldn't expect much from this strategy. I'd guess most swarms or feral colonies in varroa areas, are recent escapes from managed, treated colonies. Eventually, yes, a symbiotic relationship between bees and varroa is a good objective. Select the bees? select the mites? natural selection? Thanks for the comments Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA Date: Thu, 20 Jul 1995 11:41:08 PDT Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Adrian Wenner Subject: Re: Re Mite strategy: U.S. formic p.s., Kerry, Here's a personal comment on the E.P.A activity. The U.S. policy is so stringent that really dangerous chemicals can be used (having been approved by the E.P.A), while the use of relatively harmless substances (oftentimes more effective) is illegal. For instance, to kill yellow jacket wasps, one can legally use RAID, which includes insecticides and (though not stated on the label) methyl chloroform. As far as I can tell, the famous "knock-down" power of RAID stems from the inclusion of methyl chloroform as a "carrier" (hence not subject to regulation), which anaethetizes the wasps or bee and causes them to plummet to the ground. However, one cannot legally use soapy water (a tablespoon of kitchen detergent in a spray bottle full of water), because that substance has not been approved by the E.P.A. Thus, we have a backwards law; one cannot use any substance unless it has gone through a testing procedure. But, no company is going to "test" (at great expense) a relatively inexpensive and readily available product. Perhaps you can appreciate why I now sometimes privately refer to the E.P.A. as the M.P.A. (monopoly protection agency). Fortunately, the E.P.A. does not have the resources to police all that happens on the individual level and does not even bother to object when one recommends an unapproved technique. Hilary Dole Klein and I published a book (TINY GAME HUNTING, Bantam) a few years ago with all sorts of environmentally safe remedies for controlling pests in house and garden. Despite the so-called illegality of most recipes, no one from the E.P.A. came knocking at our door. The Australian/New Zealand edition of that book is now out, but the U.S. version is out of print. Will you be going to Georgia in September for the ABRC meetings? Adrian *************************************************************** * Adrian Wenner E-Mail wenner@lifesci.lscf.ucsb.edu * * Department of Biology Office Phone (805) 893-2838 * * University of California Lab Phone (805) 893-2838 * * Santa Barbara, CA 93106 FAX (805) 893-4724 * *************************************************************** From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Re[2]: Re Mite strategy: U.S. formic To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L In-Reply-To: > > It'd be nice if you could get the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for this > material. You might be able to get one quickly from a laboratory chemicals > supplier like Sigma-Aldrich (unfortunately I don't have their address handy). There is a fact sheet available for formic. RTFFAQ. Come to think of it where is the FAQ? I don't think it's been posted in a (long) while. You can find this stuff (and more) though by going to my home page listed below and following the pointers to the beekeeping home page and (other interesting spots). If you don't have web access and can't find the FAQ, email me and I'll see what I can do. Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK Rural Route One Swalwell Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Email: dicka@cuug.ab.ca or allend@internode.net Futures, Art & Honey:http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka From: Michael Stoops Subject: Re: Mite strategy In the control of mites, as a former biology major, it would seem to me that a microscopic investigation into the mites themselves might provide the biologiacl controls that are needed to either control, or eliminate, the mite problem. This type of researce would cost money and take time. Ergo, this might be a project for some honey council(s) to fund. I t weems to me that a biological control would be a lot more effective combatant than any chemical control. Those ites ore in the brachiaii of the bees. Hard area for chaemicals to get to.