Chemical Free Beekeeping?

Extension/Research ApiculturistDepartment Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology & Plant Pathology

Mississippi State University, MS 39762

Jeff Harris

Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station

Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman

2

1

8

3

4

5

6

7

9

Damage to Bees: Viruses!!!

Parasitic Mite Syndrome(the end is near)

Regimented Chemical Use

(apply chemicals routinely in spring and late summer)

Advantages

• No thinking just doing (assembly line)

• Can be effective early in a pest control program

• Saves labor costs often associated with non-chemical means

Chemicals in bee coloniesmay lead to:

contaminated wax and honey

mites that are resistant to chemicals

harmful effects to bees

Chemical Control of Varroa

• 1st legal varroacide; 1987 from Mavrik®

• 1990 as Apistan®; 0.7 g active ingredient per strip

• 10% moves into hive components over 8 weeks

• pyrethroids poison Na+ channels of nerves tau-fluvalinate

tau-fluvalinate

• Varroa mites resistant to chemical by 1995

• Health effects on honey bees– Smaller queens– Low survival of drones– Low body weight of drones– Reduced sperm counts from drones

• 5 year half-life for residues in hives

Table 3 – Commonly Used Legal Formulations to Control Varroa Mites

Product Active

Ingredient Mode of Action Formulation

Health Effects on Bees

Residue Time in Combs

Apistan tau-fluvalinate poisons voltage-gated sodium ion channels in nerves

impregnated strips

yes years

CheckMite+ coumaphos poisons the enzyme acetyl-cholinesterase in nerves

impregnated strips

yes years

Apivar amitraz binds to octopamine receptors in nerves

impregnated strips

yes short

ApiLife Var thymol binds octopamine and GABA receptors in nerves

solid wafer yes short

Mite Away II formic acid a strong acid that disrupts electron transport in mitochondria of cells

soaked onto pads that

release fumes

yes short

The darling of our indust

ry

Whatcha

gonna do?

Insecticide Treadmill

Never Use Chemicals

(let my bees survive without the use of drugs)

Cultural & Physical Methods• Increase distance between colonies in apiary

• Increase distance between apiaries

• Place colonies in irregular groups and not rows

• Paint hives different colors

• Don’t put sick and dying colonies onto stronger ones

• Drone Trapping

• Use Varroa-resistant bee stock

Advantages

• My honey and wax are more likely to be free of harmful chemicals

• My bees will not suffer from toxic effects of insecticides

Disadvantages

• Bee colonies will die from varroa mites

• Most small scale beekeepers cannot control breeding of their bees

• If a small scale beekeeper is isolated, the risks of inbreeding are high

Have you got your

Plan B all

worked out?

Any change is “impossible”…

until you start doing it.

Sugar Shake

• 300 worker bees from brood-nest

• 1 fluid oz. = 100 bees

• 2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar

• Coat the bees, wait 3-5 minutes, shake out sugar and mites

Alcohol Wash (70% ethanol)(alternative : 15-30 drops liquid dish detergent per pint of water)

5% threshold for late summer means:

that you found 5 mites for every 100 adult bees sampled

Table 2 – Number of Colonies to Sample for Apiary-Level Treatment Decisions

No. Colonies

in Apiary

No.

Sampled

>20 8

20 6

10 5

4 3

• Colonies should be spread throughout apiary

• Use average mite load to decide if whole apiary is treated

Position of Drone Frames

Brood Nest

(view from top)

W H HWH H W D W D

ARS Russian Honey Bees

• from far-eastern Russia• believed to have longest exposure to Varroa mites• selectively bred at Baton Rouge lab• good varroa resistance• good tracheal mite resistance• good overwintering

Varroa Sensitive Hygiene

Minnesota Hygienic Bees

sample (1%)

Jan Feb Mar April May 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?

Varroa IPM Summary

• Sample in February and again in August/September

• Treat with chemicals only when mite populations exceed thresholds

• Use a resistant stock

• Use drone comb as traps

• Use screen floors

Gilles San Martin