Verrora #2 ?¿

[DonAsoka]

I get world wide honey bee alerts every day from google news and this morning I was directed to this article in the Indian Express, I hope this new BUG ( vampire ) can be controlled, otherwise we are all in trouble
 Happy hollidaze to all

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=60550

[Michael Bush]

We've got plenty of Varroa here.    It's not very new to us.

I'm having no problems on natural sized cells, but on "normal" enlarged (5.4mm foundation) cells the bees usually die sometime within two years without treatment.

[DonAsoka]

‘‘The infestation is caused by a mite which is a new species of Verroa destructor‘‘  

[Michael Bush]

I expect them to reproduce the same way and for small cells to restrict them in the same way.  But with luck, they won't make it here.  

[Finsky]

I expect them to reproduce the same way and for small cells to restrict them in the same way.  

You really believe that it is so simple? Whole globe have fighted 20 years against varroa, and they does not know that it is so easy.

Read this http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=407275

In New Zeland they have put just big money to reveal varroa problem. Researches tell aht small cell does not help with varroa.
No official specialist university or ministry recommend small cell for varroa. Sory Michael, you play with fire.

http://www.bee-l.com/biobeefiles/pav/scstudy.htm
http://bwrangler.atspace.com/bee/sunr.htm

First you must find bee stock  which is able to fight against varroa, then keep level very low that it does not disturb honeyflow.
http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/entomology/researchhighlights.html
Spring infestation levels of varroa on adult bees at average rates as low as 2% (2 mites per 100 bees) reduce honey production by 40 to 50%.  

This is good to read
http://www.queenbees.co.nz/view4.shtml

[Michael Bush]

>You really believe that it is so simple?

Yes, it is.

>Whole globe have fighted 20 years against varroa, and they does not know that it is so easy.

I know.

>In New Zeland they have put just big money to reveal varroa problem. Researches tell aht small cell does not help with varroa.

I've seen several studies on "small cell"  NONE have even attempted to follow any of the protocol as layed out by Dee Lusby who has been doing it for 18 years with no treatments whatsoever.  If they had read anything by her, they would know that their tests would have failed.

>No official specialist university or ministry recommend small cell for varroa.

And none I've talked to have tried it or show any interest in trying it.

>Sory Michael, you play with fire.

No. I play with bees.    I've been doing small cell now for going on five years.

[Horns Pure Honey]

I have any hives I buy combed through with a fine tooth comb, I wont buy if anything remotely looks wrong. I dont any of my other hives getting something they dont have. There is nothing wrong with my hives and I want to keep it that way.

[AdmiralD]

I have looked into finding Metarhizium Anisopliae fungus so that I could grow it in petri dishes....I now find, thanks to the terrorist threats, that all biologicals samples are to be shipped to CERTIFIED labratorys ONLY. IOWs, those of us who are into entrapranerial[sp]/experimenting can not grow and experiment without a liscience....

So, if anyone knows where a person can get a verified source of Metarhizium Anisopliae, let me know.

[Finsky]

http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/mussen/NovDec2005.pdf


Fungus for mite control

Dr. Frank Eischen, from the USDA/ARS bee research lab in Weslaco, TX, related to the audience what ...
Their preliminary studies determined that strains of fungi in the genera Metarhizium and Hirsutella killed varroa mites. However, the spores of Hirsutella were too sticky to formulate into a control material. Thus, Metarhizium was selected for further study. ...

In 2005 tests started in March. Colonies had to be found with medium levels of mites. Too few mites provided poor statistical analyses. Too many mites overwhelmed the system and drifting became a problem. By June, plastic strips had been designed and the serious studies begun.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t very much difference between the controls and the treatments. Only CheckMite+® and Apiguard® made a significant dent in the mite population. Apiguard did best. The fungus spores died after being removed from the cultures. The ARS budget was over-
spent and the results were poor. But, there is another study currently being run in Florida.

[davew26]

http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/mussen/NovDec2005.pdf


Fungus for mite control

Have you heard any more on the fungus treatment?  Wish I knew if the fungus grew naturally on grape leaves like the yeast on the grapes.  Metarhizium sounds like a good solution to the Bee mite.