For Poly Hive et al.

[Hivemaker.]

Thought it might be useful for anyone thinking of using,or going back to using apistan,bayvarol,ect to do a varroa mite resistance test before doing so,at least then they will have a good idea of the efficiency of these treatments.
Being as we had the first varroa mites in the uk down in the south west i suppose its no surprise we also had the first resistant mites back in 2002.
The bee inspectors at the time would test,or show any beekeeper how to carry out this simple test......thought by now just about all beekeepers would of heard about,and know how to do this simple test,but obviously not.
So in answer to Polys .........Beltsville test? Elucidate please? (****ing explain)

Here it is in the links below........

http://www.fifebeekeepers.co.uk/FAQ 8 Beltsville Test.pdf

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/apistan_resistance_test.html

 

[Poly Hive]

Thanks.

PH

 

[RoofTops]

What is described in the first link is effectively the Beltsville test. The only variation is how the bees are killed at the end. The Cushman link also calls it Beltsville. The name comes from a bee lab in the US, part of the US Department of Agriculture which offered a diagnostic test using this method.

Can I also say in defence of the South West that though varroa were first discovered down here they were very quickly discovered in other parts of the country. There is no evidence the "infection" spread out from the South West, it was already present in several parts of the country before the first discoveries down here were made. However, I would agree varroa resistance seems to have started down here but again it was quickly discovered in places far removed.