National Varroa Week ?

[Skyhook]

Well ... whilst reinfection within colony is obviously the major source of infestation not so long ago Finman posted this piece of research:

"Untreated feral hives, what they can do

Journal of Apicultural Research
April 2011

Invasion of Varroa destructor mites into mite-free honey bee colonies under the controlled conditions of a military training area


Eva Frey, Hanna Schnell and Peter Rosenkranz

Abstract

The honey bee mite Varroa destructor can be spread between colonies by vertical transmission, particularly when heavily infested colonies are robbed by foraging bees from neighbouring hives. We quantified the invasion of V. destructor into mite free colonies on a military training area not accessible to other beekeepers. Ten "mite receiver colonies" continuously treated against V. destructor were placed at distances of one to 1.5 km from four heavily infested "mite donor colonies". Over a two month period from August to October, the population of bees, brood, and V. destructor in the donor colonies were estimated at three week intervals and the invasion of V. destructor into the receiver colonies was recorded every 7-12 days. During the experimental period, between 85 and 444 mites per colony were introduced into the receiver colonies. There were no significant differences in the invasion rates in relation to the distance between donor and receiver colonies. In total, 2,029 mites were found in the 10 receiver colonies, but these only correspond to 2.5% of the total mite population in the donor colonies at the start of the experiment. This means that the major part of the initial V. destructor population died together with the collapsed host colonies. Under natural conditions, a more benign behaviour should therefore be an adaptive strategy for V. destructor. From a practical perspective we could show that highly infested honey bee colonies present a substantial risk to already treated colonies up to distances of 1.5 km away."

So ... there may be a benefit if the majority of beekeepers within a geographic region made a concerted effort within a specific time frame to reduce the levels of Varroa within their hives ?

So over 2 months the clean hives each gained around 200 mites. Realistically, had the colonies been treated in August, using my baseline of 100 surviving mites which I believe to be realistic, they would have added another 300 to the population.

I see that cleaning a whole area would give the figures a nudge in the right direction, but it is still secondary and therefore hard to justify the logistical effort. Either way the mite poulation will build up again, and the only course of action is to monitor, and intervene again as required.


PS What ever happened to Guildenstern?
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[Hivemaker.]

How would you get the mites to use them?.

I will leave it up to your imagination.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I see that cleaning a whole area would give the figures a nudge in the right direction, but ...

.. but, less than 100 yards from my apiary (I've never measured the distance) there are two feral colonies in chimneys. The chimneys have been occupied for many, many, years and those colonies are never going to get treated for either varroa or any other disease or virus, no matter how nicely I ask.

 

[Little John]

For as long as I can remember there has been a compulsory nationwide sheep-dipping regime. Theory said that full eradication was likely to occur. But year after year after year, it never did.

Millions of pounds spent on highly toxic organophosphorus applications; millions of gallons of water contaminated with sheep-dip flushed back into the water table.

But it has never worked - just keeps the little buggers in check, as with varroa.

LJ

 

[MuswellMetro]

.. but, less than 100 yards from my apiary (I've never measured the distance) there are two feral colonies in chimneys. The chimneys have been occupied for many, many, years and those colonies are never going to get treated for either varroa or any other disease or virus, no matter how nicely I ask.

i have three feral near an out apiary....they are a pain and swarm three time a year (only once last year)

 

[pargyle]

I hate to tell you but the BBKA has no remit north of the border. Not sure about Wales.

I was aware of the SBA ... and perhaps it was remiss of me not to give them a mention ... actually, from what I have read, they appear to be quite a pro-active organisation. (Although the advice on their website on Varroa Control talks about Bayvarol strips which I thought were not really much in favour these days because of resistance built up by the mites ... perhaps this is not a problem North of the border ?)

Forgive me if I, inadvertently, either included or excluded (whichever way you look at it !) our Scottish, Welsh and Irish cousins from my suggestion ...

As I said to HM ... it was just an idea and appears to be getting a firm thumbs down at the moment on here ... or perhaps there is a silent majority that WOULD take part if given the opportunity ?

 

[Finman]

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You should think something beautyfull to varroa week that you get the issue over news threshold.

Miss Varroa Competition

Miss Varroa Look

 

[pargyle]

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You should think something beautyfull to varroa week that you get the issue over news threshold.

Miss Varroa Competition

Miss Varroa Look

Like it Finman .... if the idea gets taken up you should be put in charge of marketing and advertising .... it's a winner !