Pesticide Problems in Beekeeping: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment of Varroa Mites

Discuss pesticide problems relating to beekeeping, including symptoms, distinguishing from disease and preventing pesticide impact. Adult Parasites: Varroa Mites Caused by the parasitic mite called Varroa Destructor (Buncombe Country Beekeepers Association, 2007). Symptoms include: existence of adult mites on adult bees, brood, or hive debris; adults have their abdomens shortened, wings distorted, and legs are deformed; and lastly, adult population and brood area declines dramatically, with blotchy brood pattern (North Carolina State University, 2007).

It can be prevented through using screened bottom boards, mite-tolerant stocks, drone-blood trapping, and management of still dusts (North Carolina State University, 2007). Varroa mites can be detected using sugar shake or ether roll, sticky board, alcohol wash, or drone-blood inspection or visual inspection. Treatments: Spring (before honey flow) o The use of volatile treatment (thymol, formic acid, etc) should not be used for they can cause reduction in the brood area. Appropriate dosage of Apistan or checkmite+ can be used as long as the mites have not formerly developed a resistance (Buncombe Country Beekeepers Association, 2007).

Late spring/summer (during/immediately following honey flow) ? Chemical treatments should never be used while hone supers are on hives. Exploit one or more systems of preclusion, for instance, the use of screened bottom boards or mite-tolerant stock (Buncombe Country Beekeepers Association, 2007). Autumn (preparing for winter) ? Test regularly for mites, if possible once a month. Alternate treatments regularly to lessen the comprehensive exposure of any chemical for mites (Buncombe Country Beekeepers Association, 2007). Nosema Caused by the protozoan, Nosema apis

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Stress from periods of long confinement, fast brood build-up, sustenance discrepancy and bad weather are some factors that may cause the existence of Nosema (Stanford, 2003). Symptoms consist of distension of the abdomens and paralyzed behaviors of adults. In order to control the disease, practice proper management technique while using the antibiotic fumagilin (Fumidil B, Nosem X) (Stanford, 2003). Other adult bee diseases include rickettsial disease, amoeba disease, spiroplasmas, and many others. Brood Diseases: American Foulbrood

Caused by spore-forming bacterium called Paenibacillus larvae larvae (Stanford, 2003). Symptoms consist of sour or “of a glue pot” odor; pierced or sunken capping; and resultant sticky black scales (Stanford, 2003). To prevent the disease secure hygienic stocks; avoid robbing by keeping colonies strong; minimize comb swapping between hives; replace three combs in the brood chamber every year with foundation or drawn combs from honey supers; and disinfect bee hives or suspect frames and brood boxes at the NCDA fumigation chamber using ethylene oxide (North Carolina State University, 2007).

If the disease is already present, treatments include burning of all frames and euthanizing of bees; scorching or fumigation of empty brood boxes, bottom boards, inner covers, and lids; lastly, contact your regional Apiary inspector (North Carolina State University, 2007). European Foulbrood Caused by the bacterium Melissococcus pluton and associated flora. Symptoms include a characteristic odor; rare presence of perforated or hollow cappings; and a resultant black scale, which is often twisted in its cell (Stanford, 2003).

To prevent the disease, maintain a strong and healthy colony. To treat the disease: maintain a hive quarantine and be vigilant for re-emergent signs of the disease; for light infections, reduce the area of the brood nest, replace infected combs with foundation, and keep the colony strong; for more serious infection, treat with terramycin, feed to colonies in powdered sugar by dusting on the top of the brood nest (North Carolina State University, 2007).

Other brood diseases include chalkbrood, stonebrood, sacbrood, and Purple brood. Pests and Predators: Wax moth Symptoms include: large larvae tunneling through the wax combs of weak hives or stored bee equipment; and presence of silk cocoons in infested hives or equipments (North Carolina State University, 2007). Treatment recommendations include: storing of unused combs with PDB crystals. Never place crystals on a living colony, as the fumes are highly toxic to adult bees and brood.

In case of heavy infestations, freeze combs for 1-2 days before reusing (North Carolina State University, 2007). Small Hive Beetle Symptoms include: presence of adult beetles and eggs or larvae; watery, fermenting comb with small white grubs eating the wax; and larvae crawling out of the front entrance of the hive and burrowing into the soil (North Carolina State University, 2007). If there are adults, tape half a strip of checkmite+ beneath a square of corrugated cardboard placed on the bottom board of hive.

If larvae are present: replace infected combs with foundation, then urn them or freeze them; Apply GuardStar soil drench around the perimeter of the hive to kill developing pupae in the ground around the hive (North Carolina State University, 2007). Other pests in the honey bee colonies include ants, robber flies, mantids, yellowjackets, and other wasps (Stanford, 2003). 2. Describe the setup of a good honey house, indicating positive aspects of your arrangement. For the rural areas, Vautier Hive is ideal.

It allows the bee keeper to produce good quality honey with fewer costs in building it. The hive is made from cement to protect the colonies from bad weather, bush fires and predators (BeesforDevelopment, 2006). The heavy weight of the hives will make it hard for the thieves to steal those (Volunteers for Africa Sustainable Natural Resource Management, 2006). The vautier hive should be raised off the ground on rocks or tires. The bee colony dwells in a small volume that is needed. At harvest time, just open the hive, remove the flames that are full of honey and replace them with new flames.

Close the hives until the next harvest(BeesforDevelopment, 2006). The hive produces 20-25 kg of honey per year (Volunteers for Africa Sustainable Natural Resource Management, 2006). The 22 frames should all have a top-bar and 2 triangles. Any long and stiff piece of wood can be used for top-bar. Cut the triangles from a square or rectangular piece of wood. Glue the triangles under the top-bar, making sure that all the frames are the same size (BeesforDevelopment, 2006). In order to encourage the bees to use the frames properly, put wax guides or foundation to the top-bar, centered and running the whole length of the top-bar, all the way to the edges of the triangles (BeesforDevelopment Inc. , 2007).

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