The Varroa mite remains the most deadly parasite of
honey bees, and the control of Varroa is the most important issue in honey bee
colony health. Tracheal mites pose a decreasing threat, but the Varroa mite
continues to kill honey bee colonies. Varroa mites develop inside the capped
brood cell with the developing honey bee pupa. During the honey bee’s
development and after it emerges as an adult, the Varroa mite sucks nutrients
from the bee. To access the bee’s blood, or hemolymph, the Varroa mite
penetrates the honey bee’s exoskeleton with its mouth parts. The resulting
wound is an entry point for numerous viruses. The viruses cause a number of
honey bee diseases, and their combined effect is known as “Parasitic Mite
Syndrome.” While Varroa mites can be found in all honey bee hives, colonies can
withstand a low level of mites. Varroa reproduce at a relatively steady rate,
unlike some other honey bee pests. Small hive beetles, for instance, reproduce
in massive bursts to rapidly overwhelm a bee colony.
All attempts at controlling Varroa mites should
begin with seeking lines of honey bees that have a natural resistance to mites.
A heritable behavior trait of resistant honey bees is described as “Varroa
Sensitive Hygiene.” Bees with this trait can detect reproducing Varroa mites
and remove them along with the infected bee brood. Resistant bees also preen
mites from the bodies of adult bees. These mites fall through the screens of
bee hives equipped with screened bottom boards, preventing reinfestation of the
hive. Beekeepers can dust the bees with powdered sugar to encourage preening.
If Varroa mite levels in the hive are too high, “soft” treatments using
essential oils or organic acids can be used to reduce the mite levels. Each of
these measures can be used together as part of an Integrated Pest Management
program. While parasitic mites have killed most feral honey bee colonies, some
exist, like these bees clustered for winter in a hollow tree.
--Richard
Posts
Richard, I've been following your blog for a short while, and find your posts very informative, thank you for doing what you do! Would you please take a look at my recent post and pictures and tell me what happened to my hive? Thanks! Jaime
ReplyDeleteHaHa Jaime,
ReplyDeleteThe pictures in your colorful blog, http://mindingmyownbees.blogspot.com/, tell a lot about your bee hive. It appears that your colony chilled on the cold nights that we have been experiencing. The cluster of bees remaining seems to be too small to provide adequate warmth. The bees did not starve. There seems to be plenty of available honey, and the dead bees are not located head-first inside the cells. The perforations in the cell cappings seem to be honey that was incompletely capped.
Your final picture shows a white substance inside cells of uncapped honey. This appears to be late-season honey, probably from bitterweed, fall asters, or goldenrod nectar, that crystallized in the comb. This is not a problem; bees liquefy crystallized honey in the spring by foraging for water.
From your pictures, I do not see any evidence of honey bee disease. You should be able to protect the comb from hive scavengers and install a new colony in the hive in the spring. Kentucky’s State Apiarist will be glad to examine your hives. I found one of my colonies had died this week in a similar manner. I probably should have combined the colony with a stronger one last fall when I prepared the hives for winter.
Best wishes with your beekeeping.
--Richard