Predator mites against varroa?

[Sutty]

Having seen that there are predator mites available to help control of redmite in chicken coops I wondered if there could be anything similar against varroa.
A quick search found this

https://www.biobestrijding.nl/product/predatory-mites-against-varroa-mite/

 

[blackcloud]

I buy mine in powdered form

 

[Wilco]

Reading through I was slightly alarmed that the article itself refers to the predatory mites, once they run out of varroa, moving into the soil and surviving on other organisms although it does look like they're native to the Northern hemisphere so hopefully fairly safe. Seems they're used by reptile keepers too so there are probably UK suppliers.

Regarding red mite I've used sulphur powder quite successfully this year in the housing and dusting the hens.

 

[Hachi]

Bit of a mixed bag, one creature/virus etc to defeat another, history is dotted with the body counts.

 

[pargyle]

Phil Chandler was talking about these critters on the Biobees forum 10 years ago .. I think they were the reason he developed his 'deep litter' floor. I suspect that they are unlikely to survive to any great extent inside the hive as they are principally soil dwellers. I would not bank on them as a serious varroa treatment ...

 

[Robinredcar]

Sounds a terrible idea, similar to crayfish or grey squirrels. They'll likley just become another problem down the line.

 

[pargyle]

Sounds a terrible idea, similar to crayfish or grey squirrels. They'll likley just become another problem down the line.

They are not imported .... they are already present in our soil.

 

[Robinredcar]

They are not imported .... they are already present in our soil.

Fair point, but still if you increase the predators in an area not normally there or there in great numbers I'm sure it will have a detrimental effect on the local eco system.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I order all sorts of creepy crawlies to help keep my polytunnel pests down

 

[Robinredcar]

I order all sorts of creepy crawlies to help keep my polytunnel pests down

I generally don't, I find for slugs traps work great and you get the target species. I've bought ladybugs before but don't think I would now (they where useless anyway ).
Had a real problem with fleabeatle this year but in fairness I covered some brassicas and they've been fine so next season I'll cover them all. Problem solved.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My point was that nothing seems to have escaped to wreak havoc

 

[Sutty]

It would be interesting to try them, I imagine the problem would be keeping them in contact with the nest. I suspect they may not crawl upwards far enough if installed in soil at the bottom of the hive, and you'd have to keep that moist. Could work as a one off treatment though.
They do seem to have been available for about a decade & doesn't seem to have had major uptake!

 

[Ian123]

They do seem to have been available for about a decade & doesn't seem to have had major uptake!

Rather like other wonder cures, resistant bees and wonderful new eco types. Stick around you’ll see many more

 

[Hachi]

Look at the indirect consequences of introducing mixy to the UK you'll be amazed what it did to OUR Eco system....

 

[Sutty]

As I understand it these are endemic soil mites

 

[Dodge]

Sounds a terrible idea, similar to crayfish or grey squirrels. They'll likley just become another problem down the line.

I was thinking about Cane Toads.

 

[Karol]

As I understand it these are endemic soil mites

Which begs the question why varroa should be such a problem. Is it just that the mites are soil dwellers so there's no contact with varroa? Got to thinking/musing that these soil mites might be inhibited by pesticides and that the varroa pandemic might coincide with industrial scale pesticide use?

Found this which is interesting:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...sQFnoECA4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2LAsWQHMw3dUaAOEhiXDHc
I haven't looked further to see who funded the study but it seems constructed to defend pesticides because it only looks at acute effects on scimitus.

This is also interesting:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...sQFnoECCYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0-9jXaoIyFkVMYquCd9l0_
Not sure using mite drop alone is a good indicator in this instance. A 'consumed' varroa mite isn't going to drop. Interestingly the control hives were pretreated with miticides which would undermine applications of scimitus and interestingly survival was the same in scimitus treated hives compared to miticide treatments in the test hives.

Much more research needed me thinks. For now though it would be a brave (and wealthy) person to rely on scimitus rather than the currently recommended miticides.

 

[BBC]

I’m liking this thread. I too have used many an imported natural bug killer. Nematodes, lady birds, lace wings, etc. The idea that these mites are part of our soil make up is encouraging. Test results to follow, I assume, before we add another mite to the mite problem crawling all over our precious’s…