Stratiolaelaps - A bug to Fight Varroa?

[lazy shooter]

I'm with 10framer.  I remain skeptical of introducing new organisms into any environment.  Besides varroa mites, what else might these bugs destroy? 

[Joe D]

I shouldn't have to worry then 10.  So far I'm doing fair with the SHB, haven't gone to the bottom brood chamber yet.  Have inspected the top brood box, first inspection on Feb 8,  5 hives found 1 live shb, inspected the 19th found 2 live shb in the 5 hives.  I put a super on 1 hive on the 8th and 1 on the rest on the 19th.



Joe

[10framer]

joe are you using traps? 

[10framer]

http://store.evergreengrowers.com/prostores/servlet/Detail?no=1

Are those the same things?  $28.00 for a one time treatment?  I'll take it!  However I will let others tinker first.

bush, i just read that and it says they are native and that they actually eat the larvae in the soil.  it also says they are compatible with nematodes. 
it seems to me that there would be no good reason to introduce them into a hive if they eat larvae(seems like it would actually be a bad idea).  they actually sound like a better form of hive beetle control than varroa from that description.  i'll be looking for more information on these. 

[Bush_84]

My reading thus far has been pretty positive.  It does say they are native, but then I heard they weren't.  Then again it really doesn't matter because they are already widely used in the USA.  They are used as IPM strategy for gardners.  So we will not be introducing something that is not already widely used in he USA. 

Thus far what I have seen on the beesource topic (emails provided from researcher) is that these bugs are maintaining a breeding population up to the varroa population.  They went to retreat in the fall only to find a sustained population.  It also is seeming as though it is taking smaller doses of these bugs to establish a population.  You could treat multiple colonies with one liter. 

My main concern is the potential for these bugs consuming brood such as eggs or hatched larvae.  The researchers have noted little varroa and strong colonies in treated colonies.  So we can assume one of two things...big emphasis on assume.  That they do not consume bee brood.  Or they do so in such an insignificant quantity that it does not drastically effect population.  Wild seem to be a decent trade off to trade a few eggs for varroa control.  Only time and further studies will tell, but I will be very interested in this.

I am more interested in how they consume varroa and how they sustain a breeding population in a hive.  These things are supposed to live in the soil.  I don't imagine that they eat varroa off of bees.  Are they somehow doing their thing in capped brood?  Imagine being in a locked room with your predator! 

They are apparently researching if these things will transfer from bee to bee like varroa did, thus establishing a population in other hives without application.  That would be handy if proven safe for bees, but disastrous if safe.  Imagine if you only had to treat half of your hives and they just established themselves in all of your hives.  Commercial operations would save gobs of cash. 

[Finski]

.
I wonder how they stand the hive temp 36C  / 100F when they use to live in soil.

Their physiology must be very rapid when temp rises 20C.

[Nathan-D]

Here in FL they have been treating invasive malleluca with a bug from Australia that seems to work well and so far it only eats the mallelucca.  Biocontrols can be the best thing ever or our worst nightmare.  I tend to be an optimist so I'm looking forward to it.

[billabell]

More info from Brian Spencer at Applied Bio-nomics:

I don't seem to know how to reply, or post.
Stratiolaelaps up until about 5 years ago was called Hypoaspis miles.
There are numerous mites in this large genera, but they are largely characterized as living in "litter".
They have been used for many years in poultry houses, controlling poultry mites and lice.
They cue on motion of small arthropods, and based on George's videos and experiments, they pose no risk to bees.
They bite the Varroa mite on the leg, fatally injuring it.
I personally believe that Ss colonizes the area of ground under the hives, during winter.
George is also investigating their effect on the small hive beetle.
Based on our horticultural experience, Ss should have some effect on any Arthropod that has a soil stage. For the Ss, a hive should provide the Ss with enough protection to convince it to stay in the hive, as long as there is food present.

Brian Spencer