1. 1. Parasitic Mites and the Honey Bee
2. 2. First detected in North Carolina in 1984. Scars the lining of the trachea and the bee usually ends up malnourished or starves to death. This parasite is also in the mite family. This mite is too small to be seen with the human eye. Tracheal Mites
3. 3. Tracheal Mite Symptoms Loss of colony in late winter/early spring when hive has plenty of food. Slow buildup in spring. Sudden colony death when you can eliminate most other causes. A colony may be infected for years with no symptoms. Requires a microscopic dissection of the bee to make an accurate diagnosis.
4. 4. Tracheal Mites IPM Tracheal Mite Resistant Bees Some bees have a natural resistance Grease patties: A mix of vegetable shortening and sugar (2:1). Shown to have a moderate effect.
5. 5. Menthol Crystals A common element in candy, shaving cream, and other commercial product. Dont use during a honey flow. Will not get rid of mites but will drop the levels down.
6. 6. Chemical Treatments Apiguard, Api Life VAR, and Mite Away II These are also varroa treatments.
7. 7. Tracheal Mite Treatments No real need for miticide treatments. Current thinking is bees have built up a resistance. If treatment needed, use grease patties. Next step would be menthol.
8. 8. Varroa Mites Member of the tick family Invaded the US in the mid 1980s Most of the world's honey bee population is infected (except for a few remote islands). Biggest economic impact of all bee parasites.Varroa Destructor
9. 9. Varroa Mites The female mite will attach itself to an adult bee. Prefers drones cells. Sucks the hemolymph fluid (blood) from the bee. Leads to other diseases by transferring RNA viruses such as the deformed wing virus.
10. 10. Deformed Wing Virus is spread by varroa
11. 11. Varroa Lifecycle
12. 12. Checking Varroa Infestation Levels Visual observation of the hive - Do you see deformed bees/wings? - Do you see a lot of dead bees? - Do you see varroa mites on any bees?
13. 13. Sticky board method Need a screened bottom board. Requires you buy/make a sticky pad to do count. Gets you an easy estimate. The general goal is to keep under 10 mite/drop per day. Checking Varroa Infestation Levels
14. 14. Checking Varroa Infestation Levels Sugar Shake Method Requires you to make a shake container You start with a set amount of bees (about 300 is a good number)- avoid including the queen Better accuracy in varroa count
15. 15. 1qt wide mouth canning jar with a #8 screen in the lid band, 10X sugar, 1/2 cup measuring cup, spray bottle, white paper plate and pen. All the components fit in a Rubbermaid tub that is perfect for shaking the sample into. Sugar Shake Method
16. 16. Checking Varroa Infestation Levels Take a 1/2 cup of nurse bees from a frame in the center of the brood nest. The frame should contain capped and uncapped brood. Be careful not to take the queen.
17. 17. Add sample to a 1qt wide mouth Ball jar containing 2Tbsp powdered sugar. The lid band has a circle of #8 hardware cloth pressed in it.
18. 18. Shake, shake, shake. Spray plate with water to dissolve sugar and reveal mites. Count mites.
19. 19. The sample bees are returned to their hive, a little dusty but none the worse for wear. Their sisters will clean them up good as new.
20. 20. Understanding Mite Count: Sugar Shake Method Before supering April/May Treat when levels are 2-3 mites/sample Mid flow (optional) June/July Remove crop and treat when 10 or more mites/sample Post honey flow before final fall brood rearing Aug/Sept Treat when levels are 10-12 mites/sample These thresholds assume normal size colonies with brood
21. 21. Checking Varroa Infestation Levels Alcohol Wash - Uses the same technique as the sugar shake but it kills the bees - It is essential that the queen not be included in the sample - It requires that a shaker vessel be made - It is easier to count the mites
22. 22. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Youll hear this term a lot This is your program to control pests and diseases IPM can be either chemical or non-chemical Calendar sensitive Encompasses queen traits
23. 23. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
24. 24. Treatment of Varroa Mites Aim is to have the minimum Varroa population by winter Screened Bottom Boards - Easy to use. - May be left on year-round. - Does not effect the honey in the hive. - Combats other pests, not just varroa. - NOT effective against varroa by itselfmostly for monitoring level of varroa infestation.
25. 25. Treatment of Varroa Mites Sugar Shake or Dusting - Pouring powdered sugar through the hive. - Mites will release and fall off bees. - Moderate effectiveness; use with a screened bottom. - Use in the spring every 5-7 days for at least a month - More time intensive. - Shouldnt be used during a honey flow? - Less effective when bees are clustered
26. 26. Powdered Sugar Dusting
27. 27. Chemical Treatments Checkmite + (*) Apiguard Apistan strips (*) Api Life VAR Mite Away II And many others * No longer effective against varroa mites
28. 28. Chemical Treatments Apiguard Api Life VAR Mite Away II Over time mites grow resistant to Chemical treatments
29. 29. Chemical Treatments Things to Consider Come up with a plan. Research the product. Dont use during a honey flow. Most treatments are temperature sensitive. Check to see if mites have become tolerant!!!! Checkout the treatment cycle. Most are time and season dependent.
30. 30. Naturally occurring chemicals -Essential oils, especially lemon, mint, and thyme oil -Oxalic acid applied as a vapor or trickling method -Formic acid as vapor or pads
31. 31. Oxalic Acid - Sold in hardware stores as a wood bleach - Oxalic acid applied as a vapor or trickling method
32. 32. Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS) Uses formic acid which naturally occurs in honey. Can be used with honey supers on. Kills 95% of mites that are capped. Only one treatment required.
33. 33. HopGuard This is generally recognized as a safe food additive. Hopguard is an extract from the Hop plant. Cardboard strips impregnated with the extract are hung between frames using two strips per 10 frames. Up to three applications can be applied per year..
34. 34. Controlling mites using vaporized mineral oil:
35. 35. Local Survivor Stock Local bees from: Swarms Bees raised by local beekeepers
36. 36. Behavioral Methods Bee race selection - Minnesota Hygienic--Varroa resistant Italians - Russians are 1/3 to less susceptible to mite reproduction. VSHVarroa Sensitive Hygienic behavior
37. 37. IMPORTANT! Never put chemical treatments on a hive when there are honey supers on-- (unless the packaging specifically says it is safe to do so).
38. 38. http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/AGRS116.pdf