ExtensionResearch Apiculturist Department Biochemistry Molecular Biology Entomology amp Plant Pathology Mississippi State University MS 39762 Jeff Harris Mississippi Agricultural amp Forestry Experiment Station ID: 211380
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Slide1
Chemical Free Beekeeping?
Extension/Research ApiculturistDepartment Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology & Plant PathologyMississippi State University, MS 39762
Jeff Harris
Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment StationSlide2
Varroa destructor
Anderson & TruemanSlide3
2
1
8
3
4
5
6
7
9Slide4
Damage to Bees: Viruses!!!Slide5
Parasitic Mite Syndrome
(the end is near)Slide6
Regimented Chemical Use
(apply chemicals routinely in spring and late summer)Slide7
Advantages
No thinking just doing (assembly line)Can be effective early in a pest control programSaves labor costs often associated with non-chemical meansSlide8
Chemicals in bee colonies
may lead to: contaminated wax and honey mites that are resistant to chemicals harmful effects to beesSlide9
Chemical Control of Varroa
1st legal varroacide; 1987 from Mavrik®1990 as Apistan®; 0.7 g active ingredient per strip10% moves into hive components over 8 weekspyrethroids poison Na+ channels of nerves
tau-fluvalinateSlide10
tau-fluvalinate
Varroa mites resistant to chemical by 1995Health effects on honey beesSmaller queensLow survival of dronesLow body weight of dronesReduced sperm counts from drones5 year half-life for residues in hivesSlide11Slide12Slide13
The darling of our industrySlide14
Whatcha
gonna do?Slide15
Insecticide TreadmillSlide16
Never Use Chemicals
(let my bees survive without the use of drugs)Slide17
Cultural & Physical Methods
Increase distance between colonies in apiaryIncrease distance between apiariesPlace colonies in irregular groups and not rowsPaint hives different colorsDon’t put sick and dying colonies onto stronger onesDrone TrappingUse Varroa-resistant bee stockSlide18
Advantages
My honey and wax are more likely to be free of harmful chemicalsMy bees will not suffer from toxic effects of insecticidesSlide19
Disadvantages
Bee colonies will die from varroa mitesMost small scale beekeepers cannot control breeding of their beesIf a small scale beekeeper is isolated, the risks of inbreeding are highSlide20
Have you got your Plan B all worked out?Slide21
Any change is “impossible”…
until you start doing it.Slide22Slide23
Sugar Shake
300 worker bees from brood-nest
1 fluid oz. = 100 bees2 Tablespoons of powdered sugarCoat the bees, wait 3-5 minutes, shake out sugar and mitesSlide24
Alcohol Wash (70% ethanol)
(alternative : 15-30 drops liquid dish detergent per pint of water)Slide25
5% threshold for late summer means:
that you found 5 mites for every 100 adult bees sampledSlide26
Colonies should be spread throughout apiary
Use average mite load to decide if whole apiary is treatedSlide27Slide28Slide29
Position of Drone Frames
Brood Nest
(view from top)
W
H
H
W
H
H
W
D
W
DSlide30Slide31
ARS Russian Honey Bees
from far-eastern Russiabelieved to have longest exposure to Varroa mitesselectively bred at Baton Rouge labgood varroa resistancegood tracheal mite resistancegood overwinteringSlide32
Varroa Sensitive HygieneSlide33
Minnesota Hygienic BeesSlide34
sample (1%
)
JanFebMarAprilMay
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
sample (5-10%)
Apistan, Apivar, etc.
Thymol, Formic Acid, etc.
Honey Production
Winter Bee Production
Did treatment work?Slide35
Varroa IPM Summary
Sample in February and again in August/SeptemberTreat with chemicals only when mite populations exceed thresholdsUse a resistant stockUse drone comb as trapsUse screen floorsSlide36
Gilles San Martin