Subject: Re: Varroa resistant bees

From: [email-masked] (Don Gross)
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 1994 21:13:01 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, Adam wrote:
> In article <[email-masked]>,
> randy nessler <[email-masked]> wrote:
> >...some European
> >bees that are resistant to varroa mites.  I think that they were from
> >Czechoslovakia, and were soon to be imported.  Once the breeders had
> >raised enough broods, they were to be offered for sale.  My questions are;
> >has anyone else heard this, and are they commercially available yet.
> 
> USDA has the "Yugo" bee, from Yugoslavia, via Thomas Rinderer at Baton
> Rouge bee lab. This stock is now commercially available, it is fairly
> tolerant to tracheal mites, and shows _some_ tolerance to Varroa mites,
> but these bees still need to be treated.

>  I use some of Miksa's stock, I have Varroa and I'll be treating this
> fall with Apistan, but I'm observing which colonies have the lowest
> _apparent_ levels of the mite. These I'll watch next year and maybe
> incorporate them into my breeding program.
>  Adam 
> -- 
I've been following this topic (tracheal and Varroa mites) for awhile
now, and have a question or two. My interest in honey bees is secondary;
I have fruit trees and a garden that needs to be pollenized. I belong
to an organization called the Home Orchard Society (sort of a local
NAFEX, if you are familiar with them), and a fellow member has really
"gotten into" pollenizers - primarily mason bees, but including bumble
bees, flies, and even honey bees. He says that the "medication" (which
I assume is Apistan) is simply an (non-organic) insecticide, and is
contaminating all the honey on the market. He doesn't plan on consuming
any more honey until alternatives are identified used.

So, what is the "truth" about the mite treatment, and contaminants in
the U.S.'s (other countries'?) honey?

BTW, because of the unreliable nature of honeybee pollenation, both due
to the mite crisis here in the Pacific Northwest and also the fact that
the fruit trees are in bloom in the spring before the honeybees become
active, a great deal of interest has arisen in our organization about
orchard (mason) bees. In fact, its become quite a good fund-raiser to
make and sell starter bee houses to the home and commercial orchardists.
I would be interested in getting a thread going on orchard bees. I'm
posting this to sci.agriculture.beekeeping as well as rec.gardens. If
there is a more apporpriate news group, please let me know.

*************************************************************************
 Don Gross                      Member, Home Orchard Society
 Integrated Measurement Systems PO Box 230192
 Beaverton, Oregon              Tigard, OR  97218 - 0192
				Membership open to all
				Annual dues only $10.00

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 1994 13:53:07 -0500

> the U.S.'s (other countries'?) honey?

Don,
Actually, I believe that fluvalinate (the active ingredient in Apistan)
is pyrethran (spelling?) based - in other words it is an organic based
acaracide (mite killer). Your friend is accurate in stating that the
"medication" (assuming he is talking about Apistan) is "simply an
insecticide", however when this product is used properly, i.e., following
the directions on the label, contamination of honey is _NOT_ a problem.
Apistan sometimes is refered to as a "medication" because it is often
discussed in the same breath as treatments for Foulbrood and Nosema,
treatments which really are properly characterised as "medication".
Calling Apistan a "medication" is, in my opinion, a bit misleading,
but, in careless moments, I have been known to mis-speak similarly.

Please read the following comment carefully - I don't want to be misunderstood -
Honey contamination is (should be) a widespread _concern_ among beekeepers and
honey packers, but IT IS NOT A WIDESPREAD _PROBLEM_. The differentiation that
I am making is that we are dealing with a food product, and constant vigilance
is required at all steps in the process to assure the purity of the final
product. I believe that the beekeeping & honey packing industries are successful
accomplishing this. This issue is a fact of life in _ALL_ areas of the food
service industry, and is not unique to bees, honey, and beekeeping. The vast
majority of beekeepers are extremely careful with all the treatments that they
apply to their hives. I, for one, do not apply _ANY_ treatment,
medication, acaracide, etc. to my hives while the supers are on. In
other words, when the bees are collecting any nectar that ends up in honey
destined for human consumption, _NO_ external products are applied to my
colonies. This is a widespread practice throughout the beekeeping community.

Also, the large honey packers have extensive testing programs, in which honey
samples are constantly being tested for residues of undersired substances.
I have every confidence that the honey offered for sale in the USA is quite
safe, and I do not believe that your friend's fears are founded in fact.

I do not have any specific information about the quality of honey being
imported to the USA, but I would be willing to bet that the vast majority
of it is of top quality. There have been some stories which have
tarnished the reputation of imported honey. I cannot vouch for the accuracy
of those stories, but even if they were true, they were only isolated
cases.

I hope that the above information adequately addresses your concerns.

Sincerely,
Rick Hough, a beekeeper from NE of Boston.

****************************************************
* Rick Hough             * email: [email-masked] *
* TASC                   * Phone: (617) 942-2000   *
* 55 Walkers Brook Drive * FAX:   (617) 942-7100   *
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****************************************************
SET DISCLAIMER ON
The above is my opinion, and not my employer's or anyone else's.

---

From: [email-masked] (Adam Finkelstein)
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 19:05:24 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, Don Gross <[email-masked]> wrote:
(and others wrote too...)
>now, and have a question or two. 
 ...>I assume is Apistan) is simply an (non-organic) insecticide, and is
>the U.S.'s (other countries'?) honey?

 Good questions.
As with any labeled agricultural chemical, if the label is followed then
there shouldn't be any contamination.
 This does not mean that everyone follows the label.
As for honey from other countries, where there is no EPA, your guess is as
good as mine. Perhaps some residue testing is done? I don't know.
 I'd get honey from someone I trusted. I'd ask them how specifically, they
treated their bees. If they were unsure, or were unable to tell you, maybe
their honey would be suspect? You may get the label from any package of
Apistan, ask a beekeeper, or your State Apiarist.
 By reading the label, you will know the proper procedure. Then you may
compare this to what the honey producer says.
When in doubt,  ask.
>there is a more apporpriate news group, please let me know.

 I'd check out the bumble bee list, it's in the FAQ. Also, USDA is doing
some "pollen bee" research. This is described in Apis magazine.
Apis is archived on the net.
Read the FAQ.
good luck!
Adam

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 Adam Finkelstein   [email-masked]     [email-masked]     
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