Varroa infertility

[TooBee...]

Came across this interesting research paper, BUT it was published in 1994, sooo....
I'm wondering if anyone knows of any knew-er Research along this same line??

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/file/index/docid/891172/filename/hal-00891172.pdf

I'm not going to summarize it much as you really need to read it all to get it in context, but basically the level of Varroa infertility seems to be a major factor in colonies being able to deal with Varroa, the Paper was not able to nail down the reasons or causes of it, hence the reason why I am wondering / hoping that follow up Research has been done?

 

[domino]

I didn't know V. jacobsoni had jumped. I wonder if the ban on bee imports will slow the spread?

 

[foghornleghorn]

Came across this interesting research paper, BUT it was published in 1994, sooo....
I'm wondering if anyone knows of any knew-er Research along this same line??

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/file/index/docid/891172/filename/hal-00891172.pdf

I'm not going to summarize it much as you really need to read it all to get it in context, but basically the level of Varroa infertility seems to be a major factor in colonies being able to deal with Varroa, the Paper was not able to nail down the reasons or causes of it, hence the reason why I am wondering / hoping that follow up Research has been done?

Don't have anything to back it up but it would be interesting if bees could act as a vector for viruses that affect mites

 

[For want of a better word]

I didn't know V. jacobsoni had jumped. I wonder if the ban on bee imports will slow the spread?

30 odd year old paper..... lots since on so called hygienic bees.. my personal thoughts is that the so called hygienic bees are probably infected with a virus... more money need throwing at this!

I did not know of any ban on bee importation from the EU into the UK... or is that reference to bans on importation to the UK [or USA] from other places on the planet?

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

my personal thoughts is that the so called hygienic bees are probably infected with a virus... more money need throwing at this!

Would you care to explain your reasoning behind this assertion?

 

[domino]

... or is that reference to bans on importation to the UK [or USA] from other places on the planet?
Yeghes da

As I understand it bee imports from outside the EU are very limited.

As for hygienic bees, I'm not sure why people get bent out of shape on the topic. They seem more trouble they are worth for me, but others have a great time breading and working them.

Each to their own.

 

[For want of a better word]

Originally Posted by Cheers View Post
my personal thoughts is that the so called hygienic bees are probably infected with a virus... more money need throwing at this

!
B+ said Would you care to explain your reasoning behind this assertion?

Yes.. due to a conversation last year with Dr Declan Schroder at the MBA, who was carrying out some research into the viral load in honeybees.
The inference was that not enough research was being undertaken, and that there was a probability that some behavioral hygienic traits may be driven by a viral infection... this is of course conjecture.
Have your VSH or any claimed VSH bees been thoroughly investigated for any viruses?
The only ones I know of were the Swinbees.

I expect someone will be able to correct me

 

[B+.]

Originally Posted by Cheers View Post
my personal thoughts is that the so called hygienic bees are probably infected with a virus... more money need throwing at this

!
B+ said Would you care to explain your reasoning behind this assertion?

Yes.. due to a conversation last year with Dr Declan Schroder at the MBA, who was carrying out some research into the viral load in honeybees.
The inference was that not enough research was being undertaken, and that there was a probability that some behavioral hygienic traits may be driven by a viral infection... this is of course conjecture.
Have your VSH or any claimed VSH bees been thoroughly investigated for any viruses?
The only ones I know of were the Swinbees.

I expect someone will be able to correct me

No.
I am always suspicious when someone who works in an area highlights a "need" for more work though (feathering his own nest, perhaps?)

 

[TooBee...]

The inference was ... a probability that some behavioral hygienic traits may be driven by a viral infection... this is of course conjecture.

I expect someone will be able to correct me

Conjecture would seem to be the right word here, are you suggesting via Schroder, that the hygienic trait of some bees is a result of them having a virus, or what? At first hearing that doesn't even sound like a theory.

100% varroa resistance, through creating a hygienic bee (Buckfast from memory) in Germany with Single Drone Insemination has been achieved, and this has been able to be repeated, this would seem to make a viral alternative explanation for the hygienic trait to be somewhat weak.

However talking about virus', I am aware of a Study that found that hives with more propolis, resulted in the bees having lower viral loads, not aware of anything else done in relation to that DIFFERENT interesting Off Topic subject...

 

[B+.]

100% varroa resistance, through creating a hygienic bee (Buckfast from memory) in Germany with Single Drone Insemination has been achieved, and this has been able to be repeated, this would seem to make a viral alternative explanation for the hygienic trait to be somewhat weak.

In Hawaii actually (https://aristabeeresearch.org/ )....same technique is being used on carnica

 

[For want of a better word]

Knowing Declan... I do not think he was feathering his nest... a dedicated scientist!


Would have been nice to have seen some of the billions of EU Euros wasted on pointless research into other fields ( non bee related) being spent on something that could save the planet.

Chons da

 

[B+.]

Would have been nice to have seen some of the billions of EU Euros wasted on pointless research into other fields ( non bee related) being spent on something that could save the planet.

Wasted?
You seem to be under the misapprehension that budgets are awarded on the basis of your opinion (& a chat with a researcher with a vested interest).

 

[foghornleghorn]

Wasted?
You seem to be under the misapprehension that budgets are awarded on the basis of your opinion (& a chat with a researcher with a vested interest).

An absolute fortune p1ssed away on agri related research alone, I'd hate to think of the total amount wasted...


Did you have any/many years of high losses when you gave up treating your carnies?

 

[B+.]

Did you have any/many years of high losses when you gave up treating your carnies?

Back in the 90's everyone had high losses.

 

[foghornleghorn]

Back in the 90's everyone had high losses.

It could have been until some shift in viruses took place though?

 

[For want of a better word]

Wasted?
You seem to be under the misapprehension that budgets are awarded on the basis of your opinion (& a chat with a researcher with a vested interest).

Not at all ... I have at first hand seen how somewhat incredible amounts of money are wasted on pointless research... and other ( not necessarily of my choice) important environmental research projects are left high and dry because they are not sexy enough!

( I spent 2 years feeding Scofa bread to mice to see if it had any toxicological effect... when I was a young researcher at BIBRA )

If you do not know who BIBRA are ... look at the back pages of Silent Spring!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Back in the 90's everyone had high losses.

Lots did, but not everyone, many of those that lost their bees also packed up beekeeping for good, was lots of second hand equipment for sale or being given away back then.

 

[B+.]

the level of Varroa infertility seems to be a major factor in colonies being able to deal with Varroa, the Paper was not able to nail down the reasons or causes of it, hence the reason why I am wondering / hoping that follow up Research has been done?

The current thrust is to select colonies that targets reproducing varroa.

 

[B+.]

Lots did, but not everyone, many of those that lost their bees also packed up beekeeping for good, was lots of second hand equipment for sale or being given away back then.

Yes. I still have some wooden brood boxes I bought way back then. Still in great condition

 

[foghornleghorn]

The current thrust is to select colonies that targets reproducing varroa.

Is that because the previous 20 years hadn't produced bees with real resistance that would survive in any environment even though they were surving in the test environment without treating?