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Honey Bees &

Parasitic Mites A Historical Review with Some

Current Control Suggestions

Dr. James E. Tew Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Auburn University

You had to have been

there - Before the mites

Midwestern Apiary - 1944

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Tracheal Mites

n Old pest - Isle of Wight (Identified 1921)

n Lives in breathing tubes (trachea)

n Restriction of all honey bee imports - 1922

n South America - possibly by African Bees 1970’s

n Early 1980s was in Mexico

n Texas, 1984

n Devastating losses at first, not so much now

n Possibly due to Varroa control procedures

Too small to see

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Tracheal mite life cycle

Photo credit: Sammataro and

Yoder

Not much

concern now Varroa mites made tracheal

mites look tame. Maybe we

have become too relaxed.

USDA Photos

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For tracheal mite

control: 1. Menthol crystals

2. Chemical acaricides

3. Oil or grease patties

Early treatment for both mites

Apistan and a grease patty

1 lb. vegetable shortening (such as

Crisco®)

2 lbs. granulated sugar

or

1 lb. vegetable oil

3 lbs. granulated (or powdered) sugar From: https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/TRACHEAL.PDF

Varroa destructor To this point, simply the biggest thing that has

ever happened to beekeeping

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n As with tracheal mites, effects were different in different countries.

n Different species involved (V. jacobsoni vs. V. destructor)

n No specific control procedures were available

n It was a bleak time

n A national US map showed new finds as they occurred

1987- Confusion (and disbelief) at first....

Keep in mind, Killer Bees were all the

rage at this same time

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During the early days n October 20, 1987, APHIS approved (Sec 18) plywood strips

soaked in Mavrik or Spur for DETECTION of Varroa

n On December 30, 1987, Sec 18 special exemption approved plywood strips soaked in Mavrik or Spur as TREATMENT

n March 21, 1988, use of Mavrik and Spur was WITHDRAWN and was replaced by Apistan, available still today.

n This was the dawn of our chemical frenzy to find a control agent for V. destructor.

n Use of these materials today is off-label and illegal. If needed, far better control materials exist now.

Varroa Lifecycle

Photo credit: Sammataro and

Yoder

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But the biggest issue?

Pathogenic RNA Viruses (Probably)

n Mite feeding causes mechanical damage

n Reduced lifespan

n Learning ability reduced

n Vectored RNA viruses the real issue

n 18 viruses have been identified

n Much blame for CCD by viruses

Hope for bee virus

control n RNAi Silencing

Technology

n Old defense

mechanism

n No effects on bees

n Safe & natural

n Bio-degradable no

residues

Beeologics, LLC

11800 SW 77th Avenue

Miami, Florida 33156

Phone: +1 305 233 6564

Fax: +1 305 233 7749

E-mail: info@beeologics.com

http://www.beeologics.com/default.asp

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Monitoring Varroa Mite

Populations

n Watch for symptoms of Varroa

n Deformed wings

n Crawling bees

n Pupae at hive front

n Mites on workers or drones

USDA Photo

Sampling Techniques n Ether roll

n Sugar shake

n Colony/brood

examination

n Sticky board

n Debris examination

n Screen bottom

Sugar shake jar

V. mites on stick board

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Treatment Thresholds (In the Mid-West)

n Average-sized colony

n Treat at 3000-4000 mites/colony

n 15-40 mites/ether roll

n 50+ on sticky sheet/24 hrs with no treatment

Current Chemical Controls

Some sources I used

n http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests/varroa

/control-of-varroa-guide.pdf

n Sammataro and Yoder. 2012. Honey Bee

Colony Health. CRC Press

n Thymovar® info@Propolis-Etc.ca (Canada)

n Managing Varroa. fera. The Food and

Environmental Research Agency. UK.

www.defra.gov.ul/fera

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You should... n Respect pesticides -

regardless of synthetic or

organic

n Read/follow labels -

exactly

n Use only registered &

tested materials

n Dispose chemical residue

properly USDA ARS photo

Product Trade Name ® Active Ingredient Chemical Class

Some Chemical Controls

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Chemical Resistance

n Common procedure - even in humans

n Select at least two chemicals and rotate use

n Do not increase beyond label instructions

n May kill or sicken bees

n Wax & honey contamination

n > Resistance could develop faster

Effects on Drones

n Varroa prefers drones

n Fewer flights

n Shorter duration

n Reduced sperm counts

n Reduced fertility

n > Queen replacement

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Drone trapping seems to work

(If done regularly)

n Drone brood (approximately) 10x more

attractive than worker brood

n Natural nest is ≈ 17% drone comb

n At 5% drone, 50-60 ♂drone cells = 1000 ♀cells

http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/pdf/dronecomb_exchang

e.pdf http://scientificbeekeeping.com/fighting-varroa-biotechnical-

tactics-ii/

Our conundrum... Drones for queens?

or

Drones for Varroa?

USDA ARS photo

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Producing

Sacrificial Drones

Trap-Cropping in the Bee Colony

Drone

Foundation

Worker

Foundation

Drones and mites

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The Mite Zapper®

Some comments about the

Zapper Frame n Requires some minor bee

box modification

n Non-invasive procedure

n Should either be used or removed

n No chemical resistance issues

n Just under $100 to begin, about $50 from then on

n Used every 21-25 days during drone-rearing season

www.cyberbee.net/gallery

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The Oliver Trap

Frame http://scientificbeekeeping.com/fighting-varroa-biotechnical-tactics-

ii/

Suggested Annual Integrated Control

for UK beekeepers

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Artificial swarm procedure for

swarm and mite control

(and possibly...queen replacement)

Many beekeepers are doing

nothing to control Varroa n Only general managerial procedures are used

n Bee colonies are kept healthy and populous

n Queens are frequently replaced

n Screened bottom boards may/may not be

used

n Regardlessly, a percentage will fail

n This is a desirable, but uncertain procedure

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So chemically - what to

do? n Restrict drone brood (if not producing queens)

n Select control materials or procedures with which

you are comfortable

n If possible, use “softer” chemicals whenever

possible

n For instance - Apilife VAR or HopGuard (not intended to be

a selective recommendation)

n Occasionally, traditional chemical use may be

necessary - such as Apistan or Check-Mite+ (not

intended to be a selective recommendation)

Some take-home

recommendations and

suggestions n Spotty brood, twisted-wings, declining population - August - too late to help

n Maybe keeping colonies somewhat crowded will help with grooming and

mite fall

n All mites need not be killed for treatment to be effective (generally about

50%)

n Virus infection is causing the damage more than Varroa feeding

(apparently)

n Varroa causes many bee problems - but not all of them (don’t fixate)

n Queen quality issues (genetics and/or mating success)

n Nutritional issues (mono-cropping and herbicidal sprays)

n Other bee diseases and pests (AFB, Chalkbrood, Small Hive Beetle)

n Pesticides

n Management errors

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So, what do you “feel”

? n Uncertain

n Somewhat

uninformed

n Overloaded

n Responsible

n Resigned Photo: J. Hurst

Thank You