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On 11 September Dr. Eric H.
Erickson, the director of the Carl Hayden Bee Research Facility
in Tucson, Arizona, went with us to two bee locations, in unisolated
areas, to test for both tracheal mites and Varroa mites.
Samples taken in the center of the brood nest also contained
drones where possible. We choose unisolated locations because
we wanted to show him, to beat the problem, one must be able
to accomplish business as normal in doing bee management within
the field. Please note that beekeepers around us have severely
lost bees, as we ourselves have, to both mites over the years.
When taken, several adjacent yards within 2 miles were being
treated, crashing, or being fed to keep them alive. Our bees
were building; and at the Carmen yard were very fast drawing
new foundation.
We began putting the 4.9 cm cell size in hives in May. We did
a second round the end of June and did a third round ending Labor
day. The Carmen yard we took samples from was worked Labor Day
along with the Knight location. The Carmen yard had been drawing
wax and averaged 4-8 or more frames per colony drawn. A few colonies
had a full box (10 frames) drawn. The Knight location had less
than 3 frames drawn on average and most brood laying was on 5.0
cm comb. Both yards still had 2-3 (3-Carmen 2-Knights) one super
hives (nucs) still laying on the larger Duragilt that refused
to change. Note these one super hives are now dead, not having
survived through to mid-October. So much for Duragilt (5.44 cm).
With smaller 4.9 cm comb which is still bigger than the 4.83
cm comb this country was founded on in Southern latitudes, (Northern
latitudes were founded on 4.9 cm to 5.0 cm sizes), we are now
getting our Varroa populations down to field tolerant
coexistant levels so we can mimic natural environment living
conditions. Tracheal mite levels are down there also, having
regulated the mite back to external Vagans status, as was the
norm condition around 1917 in our country, before we artificially
mutated the bee's thorax and breathing tube bigger on the thorax
to create a parasite problem. At 0-6% tracheal mites, bees have
no problem coexisting. At 10-11%, Varroa mites are on
the cuff for trouble. In Southem latitudes in times of plenty
they do fine; in times of dearth the bees do poorly and both
require constant management to control secondary diseases. This
is on 5.0 cm size comb. At 0-7% varroa mites, changing to 4.9
cm comb sizing, bees draw wax well and hives no longer require
constant management to control secondary diseases. Business is
back to normal for management in the field. We hope to cut percentages
again this coming year 1998 as brood nests are continued with
4.9 cm comb and all frames are converted in our broodnests.
This shows breeding is not all the solution. We figure comb is
1/3, diet is 1/3 and breeding is 1/3. Comb must be put in by
half (5) to full boxes to work.
Dee Lusby
Tucson, AZ
Note from author regarding article.
| HONEY
BEE PARASITES FROM CARMEN |
VARROA MITES
Colony # |
# Bees |
# Varroa |
# Varroa/100 Bees |
|
A |
175 |
34 |
19.43 |
|
B |
186 |
30 |
16.13 |
|
C |
161 |
39 |
24.22 |
|
D |
186 |
5 |
2.69 |
|
E |
157 |
7 |
4.46 |
|
F |
183 |
13 |
6.99 |
|
G |
169 |
13 |
7.70 |
|
H |
148 |
5 |
3.38 |
|
I |
187 |
2 |
1.07 |
|
J |
149 |
6 |
4.03 |
|
K |
185 |
5 |
2.70 |
|
L |
164 |
7 |
4.27 |
|
M |
188 |
7 |
3.72 |
|
N |
156 |
5 |
3.21 |
|
P |
163 |
8 |
4.91 |
|
Q |
179 |
17 |
9.50 |
TRACHEAL MITES IN 30
BEES
Colony # |
# Tracheal Mites |
% Tracheal Mites |
|
A |
0 |
0.00 |
|
B |
0 |
0.00 |
|
C |
0 |
0.00 |
|
D |
0 |
0.00 |
|
E |
1 |
3.33 |
|
F |
0 |
0.00 |
|
G |
1 |
3.33 |
|
H |
0 |
0.00 |
|
I |
1 |
3.33 |
|
J |
7 |
23.33 |
|
K |
0 |
0.00 |
|
L |
1 |
3.33 |
|
M |
1 |
3.33 |
|
N |
1 |
3.33 |
|
P |
0 |
0.00 |
|
Q |
2 |
6.67 |
| HONEY
BEE PARASITES FROM KNIGHT |
VARROA MITES
Colony # |
# Bees |
# Varroa |
# Varroa/100 Bees |
|
A |
165 |
1 |
0.61 |
|
B |
186 |
15 |
8.06 |
|
C |
142 |
13 |
9.15 |
|
D |
177 |
18 |
10.17 |
|
E |
168 |
21 |
12.50 |
|
F |
184 |
23 |
12.50 |
|
G |
171 |
26 |
15.20 |
|
H |
186 |
9 |
4.84 |
|
I |
181 |
53 |
29.28 |
|
J |
200 |
8 |
4.00 |
|
K |
189 |
19 |
10.05 |
|
L |
182 |
4 |
2.20 |
|
M |
175 |
23 |
13.14 |
TRACHEAL MITES IN 30
BEES
Colony # |
# Tracheal Mites |
% Tracheal Mites |
|
A |
2 |
6.67 |
|
B |
3 |
10.00 |
|
C |
0 |
0.00 |
|
D |
0 |
0.00 |
|
E |
0 |
0.00 |
|
F |
0 |
0.00 |
|
G |
5 |
16.67 |
|
H |
8 |
26.67 |
|
I |
0 |
0.00 |
|
J |
4 |
13.33 |
|
K |
2 |
6.67 |
|
L |
1 |
3.33 |
|
M |
1 |
3.33 |
|
