Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

[understanding_bees]

I think that everyone has heard the phrase, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” The subject of varroa control has been exercising my mind, and as I have already mentioned I can have feelings of empathy for beekeepers who are plagued with this parasitic pest. I have gained the impression that many beekeepers have an attitude of resignation to the problem, and use various treatments, for example Oxalic Acid vaporization, to prevent the rampant spread of varroa in a hive. As I have also already indicated, I am so glad that beekeepers in Australia do not have the problem. I also said “yet”. I know that considerable efforts are being made in Australia, by way of sentinel hives, etc, to check for any symptoms of varroa arriving here. I join with all those who are working to ensure that Australia remains free of varroa. Having said all of that, an analogy has come to mind, which is very topical – Corona Virus, Covid-19. As I understand it, this pandemic infection is causing very significant and serious problems in many countries right now. By comparison, Australia is almost free of that infection now! Just a few months ago, we had a problem in Melbourne where the infection rate was in excess of 700 per day, about the same rate as it was in France at that same time. Why are we now free of the problem in Melbourne, but the problem is much worse in France than it was then? According to the latest statistics I have found, there were 86,852 new infections in France yesterday, 7th November 2020. Melbourne has gone from more than 700 cases per day down to zero cases per day for more than a week. France has gone from approximately 700 cases per day up to nearly 87,000 cases in one day. Why? The answer lies mainly in the very strict isolation and quarantine rules which the Victorian Government put into place. Severe financial penalties were used where necessary to enforce adherence to those rules. I think that an analogy could be drawn between the severity of the Corona Virus infection, and the Varroa Destructor infestation. I also think that if a concerted effort was made, and EVERY beekeeper was not only encouraged (but forced) to obey an appropriate set of rules, then the varroa problem could be defeated. This kind of approach could be most easily achieved on an island. The UK is an island (or group of islands) as well. I know it’s a big island, but I wonder how much it would be worth to beekeepers, and to beekeeping in general, if serious efforts were made to get everyone involved?

 

[pargyle]

Just kill all the honeybees - most of them are in managed colonies .. make it an offence to keep bees for a period of 12 months then import new starter colonies from Australia and ban imported bees from anywhere else unless they are guaranteed varroa free locations. Compensate beekeepers up to 80% of their income from beekeeping for a year (that should not cost a lot ") - Bob's yer uncle ... jobs done.

UK honey only to be sold after that ... at a premium price of course ...

Ahhh ..I just remembered - don't they have SHB in Australia ? Out of the frying pan into the fire !

 

[Boston Bees]

"I also think that if a concerted effort was made, and EVERY beekeeper was not only encouraged (but forced) to obey an appropriate set of rules, then the varroa problem could be defeated."

What rules, specifically, would you propose?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Walter Mitty comes to mind

 

[Erichalfbee]

UB. Are you trying to troll the forum?

 

[happyculteur]

France has gone from approximately 700 cases per day up to nearly 87,000 cases in one day. Why?

Partly because the possibility for tests rose massively and partly because the *extremely disciplined* French wanted one last fling before the second confinement.

 

[beeno]

Well, maybe Australia can apply the same principle to Small Hive Beetle!

 

[madasafish]

I suppose we could all be like Hedgerow Pete (once of this forum) who examined every bee in a hive and removed those with varroa.. Took him several hours..


If we all did that, we'd all end up in the care of social services.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I suppose we could all be like Hedgerow Pete (once of this forum) who examined every bee in a hive and removed those with varroa.. Took him several hours..


If we all did that, we'd all end up in the care of social services.

Yes I remember that.

 

[Antipodes]

Just kill all the honeybees - most of them are in managed colonies .. make it an offence to keep bees for a period of 12 months then import new starter colonies from Australia and ban imported bees from anywhere else unless they are guaranteed varroa free locations. Compensate beekeepers up to 80% of their income from beekeeping for a year (that should not cost a lot ") - Bob's yer uncle ... jobs done.

UK honey only to be sold after that ... at a premium price of course ...

Ahhh ..I just remembered - don't they have SHB in Australia ? Out of the frying pan into the fire !

You could get all your bees from Tasmania (in Australia) where we don't have SHB or varroa. Mind you, you'd get a heap of Braula fly back

 

[pargyle]

You could get all your bees from Tasmania (in Australia) where we don't have SHB or varroa. Mind you, you'd get a heap of Braula fly back

That's OK .. we know how to deak with Braula, you introduce Varroa, treat them with a chemical that they become resistant to but all the Braula disappears ... we have Varroa to spare over here if you want some ?

 

[Antipodes]

That's OK .. we know how to deak with Braula, you introduce Varroa, treat them with a chemical that they become resistant to but all the Braula disappears ... we have Varroa to spare over here if you want some ?

Gee thanks I'll take a raincheck on them....

 

[pargyle]

Gee thanks I'll take a raincheck on them....

Wise move. ....

 

[Antipodes]

Get in quickly before the price rises. Special deal for Fareham beeks.

Wise move. ....

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2627349/disease-free-bees-make-global-impact/

 

[understanding_bees]

UB. Are you trying to troll the forum?

Dani, I have only shared information which was offered in good faith, based on science and experience.
I am not guided by "opinion", but by observable, repeatable, and verifiable science.

 

[pargyle]

Get in quickly before the price rises. Special deal for Fareham beeks.
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2627349/disease-free-bees-make-global-impact/

My goodness .... if all the frames are like that and all the bees die off at the end of the season I think I'll stick with what I have ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Dani, I have only shared information which was offered in good faith, based on science and experience.

Which you have admitted you have very little of.

 

[bobba]

As bosten says " What rules, specifically, would you propose? "

Eradicating mites from a single hive is hard enough, let alone an apiary. And as for the UK, who would treat all the wild bees?

I have 4 hives, I cannot kill all the mites in my hives.

Extermination and re-population as Pargyle says is one possible approach, but has many obvious shortcomings. But most concerning is the possibility of missing a single wild hive and ending up back at square one in 10y time. But if it did work and we all agreed to keep Buckfast bees because they are obviously the best, then they could be additional benefits.

I cannot see any chemical treatment ever killing all the mites, and so long as we keep treating our bees will never adapt to cope without treatment. Adapting to cope could involve being less prolific, swarming more or come at the cost of production.

I see the only way forward is to develop or find bacterial/viral/fungal pathogens to attack veroha. There are many pathogens that attack creepy crawly's that have yet to be fully investigated or studied.

We occasionally have an outbreak of "The Aphid fungus" in our culture at work. Little is known about this fungus but I am sure it could be harnessed for biological control. I have read that after outbreaks in a given area aphid populations will never recover that season. They can only recover after a winter egg cycle.

It will never wipe out a population completely, many die when they are too small to reproduce, and he ones that reach maturity will die from it at some point. So their life spans and hence ability to reproduce and overall population are greatly reduced.

I hope we can find something like this for mites.

Also of interest are the viruses they already transmit between bees and them selves. Malaria for example is to a lesser extent bad for mosquitoes, so I wonder if any of the viruses they carry have any affect on the mites.

But you know what. If I was supreme overload of the world, I would appoint you Mite Tsar of the Isle of White and asinine you some enforcers to do your bidding. If you can eradicate them there, then I will grant you additional enforcers and jurisdiction over additional territories. You seem to have mites and want to eradicate them as much as me, so that's all the qualifications you need.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dani, I have only shared information which was offered in good faith, based on science and experience.
I am not guided by "opinion", but by observable, repeatable, and verifiable science.

I understand you are a keen as mustard beginner but what you have gleaned from your scientific research has to be tempered with experience and reality.
There is "no way to rid us of this turbulent pest"
If you had any experience of beekeeping in the UK you would realise how ridiculous your notion is.
I'm afraid science sometimes has little application

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If I was supreme overload of the world, I would appoint you Mite Tsar of the Isle of White and asinine you

I do like Freud, I really do