Predatory mites to combat varroa !

[coffin dodger]

Hi All,

Has anyone else spotted this http://www.****************.co.uk/b...in-biological-forms-of-varroa-control-253.htm

Is it feasible or just snake oil ?

Regards
CD

 

[greengumbo]

I've heard about this - I thought there was some local beekeeping group in the south east helping out with the research ?

 

[theeggman]

There is 'T h e B e e Vet' working for a large practice in Exeter that has been trialling mites for a while, in fact I think they are about to go to market with them.
I think the mites in question have been used with some success on poultry redmite.

Tim

 

[DanBee]

Yes, they are near me and I/we have spoken to them on a number of occasions. They currently cannot answer the following questions:

1) What do the predatory mites eat when they've eaten all the varroa?

2) What literature is available showing the effects of introducing the predatory mites into hives in a controlled environment?

It appears that the approach is "This worked for something else, let's try it on bees/varroa". Not against experimentation in principle, but it would appear all the trials are being conducted in the field. What if something goes wrong?

 

[For want of a better word]

Yes, they are near me and I/we have spoken to them on a number of occasions. They currently cannot answer the following questions:

1) What do the predatory mites eat when they've eaten all the varroa?

2) What literature is available showing the effects of introducing the predatory mites into hives in a controlled environment?

It appears that the approach is "This worked for something else, let's try it on bees/varroa". Not against experimentation in principle, but it would appear all the trials are being conducted in the field. What if something goes wrong?

Hear tell that the Apiary at Buckfast Abbey is running a trial.......

These ? Psuedo - scorpions are natural preditors.... but then so were cane toads...

OH NO NOT another Frankenmonster from Buckfast!​

what happened to the nematode varroa eaters that were going to save the honeybee from varroa?

 

[DanBee]

Pretty sure these aren't pseudo-scorpions; they were part of the hive floor fauna that existed prior to open mesh floors. Many species of scavengers happy living out their lives amongst floorboard debris...

 

[m100]

Can someone give me a clue to the missing characters?

 

[BeeJayBee]

Pretty sure these aren't pseudo-scorpions; they were part of the hive floor fauna that existed prior to open mesh floors. Many species of scavengers happy living out their lives amongst floorboard debris...

These mites used to be called Hypoaspis miles, but have been renamed Stratiolaelaps scimitus.

I had a couple of emails from the Bee Vet (in Devon) about them, but they wanted the first treatment to be sent in March, which was too early for my bees. I don't know anybody who's trying them.

 

[Beauhawk]

Can someone give me a clue to the missing characters?

And me please. Can't find the correct pages...

 

[BeeJayBee]

And me please. Can't find the correct pages...

Got it!

Try >> beekeeping online co uk (close the gaps) and then the rest of the link.

There's something in the Feb 2013 Devon BKA magazine too. Page 32 (I think) of this pdf http://tinyurl.com/c2zde7d

 

[DanBee]

Ah, that reminds me: they claim that it is "a native predatory mite" but when questioned it was assumed native since "it has been used on chickens for at least 20 years"...

Google for "stratiolaelaps scimitus honey bee" and see how many research papers it brings up...

 

[Hivemaker.]

Buy them in bulk from Syngenta....http://www.syngenta.com/global/Bioline/en/products/allproducts/Pages/Hypoline-m.aspx