SHB temp ban on imported bees from Italy

[itma]

The BBKA, mandated by the membership at its 2015 Annual Delegate Meeting to demand a ban on imports from the affected area, remains ...

Errr, no.
Resolution 2015/16 has no such restriction.
It instructs the BBKA to seek a total ban on importing (honey) bees and unprocessed hive products.

 

[B+.]

Nematodes, who do they think they're kidding?... ffs

The next time you need antibiotics, will you doubt that medicine can be produced from a simple mould?

 

[mbc]

The next time you need antibiotics, will you doubt that medicine can be produced from a simple mould?

No, neither do I doubt that nematodes may feast on shb larvae in soil, what I'm doubting is the practicality of spreading enough nematodes in soil around hives to have any noticeable effect on their populations.

 

[mbc]

There is a post today on the Scottish forum from a German beekeeper saying there is a suspected case of shb in Switzerland
This is the other side of the alps to calabria, it's moved pdq

Seems it was a false alarm after all, good to see our European neighbours are being super vigilant though.
http://www.vdrb.ch/aktuelles/news/news/artikel/entwarnung-im-kanton-uri

 

[Thymallus]

No, neither do I doubt that nematodes may feast on shb larvae in soil, what I'm doubting is the practicality of spreading enough nematodes in soil around hives to have any noticeable effect on their populations.

Not sure about nematodes and SHB, but those nemaslug nematodes really do the job on slugs. Only lasts for a few months though as slugs subsequently move in from untreated areas and the killer nematode concentrations naturally drop in the soil.
Problem being they cost more than the non slug eaten vegetables grown.....

 

[B+.]

Not sure about nematodes and SHB

Perhaps the delivery mechanism is a problem area but the results were very positive.....and no chemical resistance with namatodes

 

[Chris B]

Nematodes in soil is just targeting beetle reproduction. Much better to target the adult beetles as soon as they arrive in the hive, stopping both colony damage and beetle reproduction.

 

[madasafish]

Not sure about nematodes and SHB, but those nemaslug nematodes really do the job on slugs. Only lasts for a few months though as slugs subsequently move in from untreated areas and the killer nematode concentrations naturally drop in the soil.
Problem being they cost more than the non slug eaten vegetables grown.....

Grow your own nematodes: free.. http://tinyurl.com/9tvyaxl

 

[itma]

No, neither do I doubt that nematodes may feast on shb larvae in soil, what I'm doubting is the practicality of spreading enough nematodes in soil around hives to have any noticeable effect on their populations.

Nematodes may be a means of control, but not eradication - as with slugs.

BTW, are these the identical nematodes that do for slugs, or something itself more exotic, like the SHB target?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

More imortantly will these be indigenous pure British nematurds or imported hybrids?

 

[Thymallus]

Nematodes may be a means of control, but not eradication - as with slugs.

With slugs, the new ones are drawn from untreated areas into a slugless area (the bit treated), i.e slugs are endemic and it is impossible to spray nematodes over inch of ground.
Now initially at least, SHB larvae will only be found around beehives. This is a treatable area. May not be the perfect answer, but only an absence of SHB is the perfect one.

 

[Thymallus]

Grow your own nematodes: free.. http://tinyurl.com/9tvyaxl

Thanks for that. Not sure if it's simpler and less messier just to put up with the slugs.

 

[Hivemaker.]

This talk of nematodes reminds me of something i seem to be getting involved in, the breeding of a beetle called Rhizophagus grandis, these are released as a biological control of the spruce bark beetle.

 

[Stiffy]

More imortantly will these be indigenous pure British nematurds or imported hybrids?

I hear that only black ones will be do the job and the only way to check is to check the bodies to see if they have a slight variation.
There should soon be a new group of elite specialist who will keep all the black ones to themselves but preach that everyone should have them. Then when anyone is found to have anything similar they will be boiled in oil as heretics.
Maybe they could be called The British Nematodes Protective or BNP for short?


Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!

 

[madasafish]

I hear that only black ones will be do the job and the only way to check is to check the bodies to see if they have a slight variation.
There should soon be a new group of elite specialist who will keep all the black ones to themselves but preach that everyone should have them. Then when anyone is found to have anything similar they will be boiled in oil as heretics.
Maybe they could be called The British Nematodes Protective or BNP for short?


Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!

I do like your postscript...