Enemies of the Hive

• First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith S. Delaplane• Chapter 8

Honey Bee Disorders, Parasites, Predators and Nest Invaders

Honey Bee DisordersDiseasesParasites

Nest InvadersPredatorsPesticides

Incompetent Beekeeper

Integrated Pest Management

• The use of a variety of pest treatments such as genetic host resistance, cultural practices, beneficial organisms, and a minimum of toxic chemicals. As long as pest

levels stay below the treatment or economic threshold, it is not necessary to use toxic pesticides.

Treatment Threshold

• For a given pest or crop system, the treatment threshold is the specific number, - a pest number, density or level of damage – that is acceptable p 106

Diseases of Brood

American FoulbroodEuropean FoulbroodChalkbroodSacbrood

Adult Diseases

Nosema apisNosema ceranaeViruses

Parasitic Mites

Varroa destructor

Tracheal Acarapis woodi

Scavengers

• Wax Moth• Small Hive Beetle

• (Know how to distinguish between larva)

Predators

• Bears• Skunks• Ants• Hornets• Birds• Mice

American Foulbrood

• Spore forming Bacterium Paenibacillus

• Highly infectious• Highly destructive• AFB spores almost indestructible• No economic threshold• Zero tolerance

American FoulbroodTreatment

• Burning the hive and bees is most common remedy

• NC has fumigation chamber• See your area bee inspector• Treatment – Terramycin• Only suppresses growth of spores, • no cure - There is no cure

American Foulbrood

Best way to distinguish AFB from EFB - ropy dead larva

American Foulbrood

Irregular brood pattern

European Foulbrood

• Bacterium Melissococcus plutonius• Symptoms similar to AFB• Less virulent

Chalkbrood• Pathogenic fungus Asocophaera

apis

• Dead white, chalky “Mummies”• No treatment except IPM• Keep hive dry and well ventilated• Prevented through good management• Hygenic Queens

Sacbrood

• Relatively minor and rare disease• Caused by virus• No remedial medication• Dead larvae are flaccid, watery• Look like a Chinese slipper

Adult Diseases• Nosema apis – most serious• Single celled protozoan Nosema apis• Rarely kills but triggers morbities• Reduced lifespan• Reduce productivity• Increased queen supercedure• Low population• Sluggish Spring buildup

Nosema apis

• Treatment - antibotic Fumagilin B

• Nosema ceranae• More of a recent problem in Europe

Viruses

• Kasmir bee virus• Deformed wing virus• Symptoms - bees lose body hair, • Movement is disorganized• Trembling• No known treatment• Cull damaged brood comb• Requeen• Control varroa will reduce potential infection

Parasitic Mites

• Varroa destructor

Tracheal Acarapis woodi

Varroa Mites

• Most damaging pest of US honey bee• Introduced in US in 1987– First found in NC in 1990

• Visible to human eye• Cycle begins with female mite in open

brood cell, preferably drone• She lays eggs – one male, several

daughters• They mate, emerge

Varroa Mites

• Effected bees suffer physical injury• Reduced blood volume• Reduced longevity• Reduced productivity• Typical infection occurs in late season (Fall)Hive weakened by varroa succumbs to

other pests

Detection of Varroa Mites

• Sticky Sheet

• Powdered Sugar Shake

Treatment of Varroa Mite

• Apistan (fluvinate) –• Check Mite (coumoflous)• Api-life var (thymol)• Formic Acid • Integrated Pest Management Screened bottom boards Hygenic Queen

Tracheal Mite Acarapis woodi

• Long history of troubling the honey bee

• Has been around for more than a century

• First detected in NC in 1980• Honey bee Act of 1922, a response closed importation for 83 years

Characteristics of Tracheal Mite

• Lives and reproduces in breathing tube

• Young bees are preferred• Microscopic• Infestation occurs in late winter• Or early spring• 25% infestation is very damaging

Symptoms of Tracheal Mites

• Bees will crawl in grass near hive entrance

• Cannot form an effective winter cluster

• Most common symptom is an empty hive

• K-wing syndrome

Treatment of Tracheal Mite

• Menthol crystals• Mite – Away II, an absorbent pad with

formic acid - • Extender patty - vegetable oil and

powders sugar – disrupts mite and is harmless to environment, or bee keeper

Nest Scavengers

Wax Moth

Small Hive Beetle

Wax Moth Galleria mellonella

• An old foe• And strangely, a friend, too• Cleans out abandoned nests, spores

rendering them clean for future use• Problem occurs when wax moths take over weak hive and destroy it

Damage by Wax Moth

Wax Moth

• Female enters hive, usually at night• Lays eggs• Larvae emerge, eat protein litter• Seeks a protected spot• Chews cavity in wood• Spins silken cocoon and pupates

Characteristics of Wax Moth

• Moth activity in living colonies• Moth activity in stored equipment• Moths are secondary problem, not a

primary problem• Moth Problem usually traced to

queenless colony or varroa mites

Treatment for Moths

• Paradichlorobenzene in stored equip.• Stack stored hives cross ways to

allow light and ventilation (see p 128)

• Requeen• Control Varroa mites• Use 9 frames in supers rather than

10

Wax Moth LarvaCompared with SHB Larva

Wax Moth Larva

SHB Larva

Small Hive Beetle

• Most recent pest• Scavenger• Not a major threat to strong colony• Can quickly wipe out a weak colony• Has become a major problem in SE

US• First found in NC in 1998

Small Hive Beetle

• Adult female lays• eggs in cavity• Larvae emerge to eat• honey, brood, protein litter and grow

• Larval is most damaging stage

• Frames become slimy• Larvae exits hive to pupate in soil

Small Hive Beetle

• Treatment threshold is 300 beetles according to Delaplane

• Personally, I think it is much less!

Treatment of Small Hive Beetle

• Integrated Pest Management• Hygenic Bees• SHB traps• Hive tool smash

Predators• Bear• Skunk• Ants• Hornets• Birds• Pesticides• Mice

Non-infectious Disorders

• Queenlessness• Robbing• Agricultural Pesticides• Incompetent Beekeeper

Good, Disease Free Brood Pattern

Thought of an old beekeeper

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” Benjamin Franklin