# Is Tropilaelaps clarae on US soil today?



## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

Well the good side is we can start importing bees from Australia again.


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## BeeLee (Sep 16, 2010)

I can only comment on #2, but it is not known that the Aussies have Tropilaelaps. There were of course all the swarms of Apis cerana found (of which Tropilaelaps is a parasite), but no one ever reported seeing the new mite (nor varroa or tracheal mites). As I understand it, the import ban was based on the Apis cerana threat and that Oz has slow paralysis virus and we don't yet. I am assuming your reason for adding #2 was thinking that Oz does have Tropilaelaps and are suggesting that we initiated the ban too late.

Katie


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Not here, as far as I know.
Stopped taking bees from Australia in an attempt to keep us from getting it.
Why Tennessee did what it did is beyond me. Thhinking ahead?


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Let us look at past history......The USDA did a survey about 1983 looking for something. Well the found what they were looking for--Tracheal mite. A few years later the USDA does another survey. Well once again they found what they were looking for--Varroa mite. Well this past year, I was part of a national survey once again looking for something--Tropalaelaps Clarae. Do not believe that the USDA does not know where it is in the USA. They would not be doing a survey unless they wanted to know how wide spread it was and whether it can be contained. I have kept bees too many years and survived too many bueracratic bee surveys to not know what the implications are. The were some Apis Cerana found on ships in the Port of Tampa not too long ago. Tampa seems to be the jumping off place for alot of problems related to the bee industry. Boys, a major problem is on the horizon!!! One that will make our time fighting Varroa look like the good ole days. TK


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Something to consider--The Horace Bell Factor..... Ole Horace is one of the shrewdest beekeepers alive. When Tracheal mite hit--Horace sold out two years ahead of it. He sold bees at a decent price. The he bought back cheap. He did the same thing when Varroa was found. When he got wind of CCD and AHB landing in Florida once again he sold out. Now he runs about 15000 colonies and sells quite a few colonies every year. Horace has connections over every corner of the globe and in USDA. SO if Horace suddenly UP AND SELLS everything out again for no apparent reason---Then you know he has heard of a problem. That problem would be Tropolalaps Clarae.... So watch what Horace does in the next few months....He is one of the best pest disaster barometers in the beekeeping industry...TK


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Ted Kretschmann said:


> Let us look at past history......The USDA did a survey about 1983 looking for something. Well the found what they were looking for--Tracheal mite. A few years later the USDA does another survey. Well once again they found what they were looking for--Varroa mite. Well this past year, I was part of a national survey once again looking for something--Tropalaelaps Clarae. Do not believe that the USDA does not know where it is in the USA. TK


And here's the rest of the story, sorta. When tracheal mites, and then varroa mites, were first found the APHIS killed all colonies, infested or not, w/in a certain radius of the colony(ies) found infested. So, either they have changed tactics or none were found.

I believe that were any found, we'd of heard.

TK, was looking ands then finding a cause and effect sort of thing? I can't imagine you think so. Isn't it more likely that someone found some reason to look in trachea and found tracheal mites? And then someone said, "Hey, what's this bug on the back of my bee?" and then USDA, after iding it, started looking for it?

The t. clarea survey wasn't to find it, but to establish that it isn't yet here. And w/ that info, justify closing the borders to Australian bees and queens, because of the fear that Australia is from where we would get t. clarea.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Mark you are correct. But when they found the pest, it was kept real quiet till they determined the extent of the infestation. Then the tried to eradicate the pest to no avail. The did a Varroa mite survey right after a graduate student supposedly found a mite on a drones back in Maryland. They found nothing. Three years later they found the mite. They had done the some thing a few years before Tracheal mite and found nothing, then bingo, we have mites. No they would not be looking Tropolaelaps if they have not gotten wind of something being out there. TK


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## BeeLee (Sep 16, 2010)

Let's say a grad student did find a Varroa mite in Maryland in '84. Are you suggesting the USDA did a survey, found mites but said they did not, and were able to keep it under wraps until '87? This would suggest the USDA was able to control the spread of Varroa for at least a year or two and keep beekeepers in the dark when testing on the beek's hives. But we were bound to get Varroa. There is a pretty good chance the grad student was wrong and we found Varroa 3 years later. I think the simpler answer is true in this case.

Mark is right. The USDA got funding to do the T. clarea survey to show that it isn't here yet or potentially find out if it is and come up with a game plan. But the USDA looked into getting the T. clarea survey funding as a way of doing the virus surveys that are done alongside the T. clarea survey since that is what will yield more info, and info they give back to the beekeeper. 

To suggest the the USDA is keeping the presence of the new mite under wraps is unlikely, especially since the surveys are done right in front of the beekeeper and if the T. clarea mite is there you can see it run around. If they did find the mite, there is no way beekeepers would keep that quiet even if the USDA did (although I honestly don't think they would be able to - or want to- keep it quiet either). 

If you are that worried about it, keep in mind that they are doing the survey in beekeepers' hives and the test is really easy to do. You can monitor. You can do it yourself and encourage others to monitor as well. Just find a frame with mostly sealed brood, but a bit of open brood (preferably older larvae) as well; get a shallow, large pan; rap the frame in the pan twice on one side, flip and rap twice, switch ends and rap on both sides for a total of eight raps. Look at the larvae that fall out for any of the T. clarea mites. I think there are videos on it as well.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

BeeLee, I was part of the survey and will be again in another part of my operation. No, I am not suggesting that they kept the findings in the dark for three years. What I am suggesting is they kept looking for three years, then they found what they were looking for. The T laps survey will continue this year also. And it will continue most likely next year also. So we will see. TK


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Sorry TK, but your previous posts seemed to imply a cover up sorta situation on the part of the USDA, or at least a witholding of info (to avoid panic?). Almost a cause and effect.

Doesn't it make sense to look, at least from time to time, in order to get a jump on a potential problem? If it is likely that T. clarea WILL get here some time, shouldn't we have a way of looking for it and experience doing so?


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Yes, we should look and look again. Especially in areas within fifty miles of the ports of call, with all their ship found bees. Bee Lee stated that "we were bound to get varroa". This is not true. While the find in Maryland was later debunked, Varroa was found three years later in the ORLANDO, Florida area. It was most likely a "pocket" importation. That is a beekeeper brought back a queen with Varroa from overseas. It was found because the USDA was still looking.The infestation is supposedly link to one particular beekeeper. Mark, I am sorry, they knew of the infestation six months before it was announced to the general beekeeping public. They had to determine how widespread the infestation was and if it could be eradicated. Sadly, Eradication seems to never work. (And ole Horace Bell sold out, for the second time, with the rest of the southeastern Beekeeping community scratching their heads wondering why he was doing so)_TK


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

The USDA has been preparing for the arrival of Tropolaelaps for many, many years. My mother and shim spent many weeks in India, many,many years ago. Alot of that time was researching this mite. TK


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Ted Kretschmann said:


> Mark, I am sorry, they knew of the infestation six months before it was announced to the general beekeeping public. TK


SOP, don't ya think? Or, pretty fast for a Governmental Organization.


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## BeeLee (Sep 16, 2010)

Glad I misunderstood you, Ted. I was hoping that was the case. 

I do think we were bound to get Varroa. We could have held out longer, but we are connected to too many countries. Varroa was in S. America in the 70's, so if Varroa didn't come from our own port then it would have come up from the south. At least Tropolaelaps isn't nearly as widespread as Varroa was when we got it, so that gives us a better chance. Plus, I think beeks are more aware of the dangers of "pocketing" in foreign bees. Maybe that is too hopeful...


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I knew a keeper who took an AI Queen back to the Middle East, from the U.S., about 25 years ago, in his suit jacket pocket. Or, at least that was his plan. So, I can imagine it happens.

Isn't it likely, given time, that T. clarea will show up here? I think it is inevitable. Just think about how quickly and freely we move around this Globe.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Mark, maybe six months is pretty fast for the governement. BeeLee isnt there actually two types of Varroa in this country??? With one being the more virulent of the two. It seems that I keep remembering this. And thus we have been infested twice in recent history.... TK


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## BeeLee (Sep 16, 2010)

You're right, Ted. Both the haplotypes (Korea/Russia and Japan/Thailand, with the Korea/Russia one being more virulent) are here in the States, which suggests multiple introductions to the country. I am pretty sure the Japan/Thailand strain was the first one that made it to S. America. The Korea/Russia strain is supposed to be much more prevalent at least in the US and likely everywhere else as well. 

There is a real possibility that Tropolaelaps will be here. I just can't bring myself to say inevitable about that one. You're probably right that it is inevitable, Mark, but I just so hope not. I just don't think it is here yet. I suppose we should just assume it will come soon so we have some sort of plan. I don't know very much about Tropolaelaps. I guess I will have to do some serious reading.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

BeeLee, what little I know on T,laps is that Varroa will seem like a cake walk and the times we are in now will be remembered as the good ole days. T,laps has a reproduction time of 6 days. So it is out of sinc with the reproductive brood cycle of our bees and even africanized bees. Bee, I have kept bees since I was 9 years old and am 48 now. I have lived through ALL the major changes because of pest in the industry and seen my commericial operation collapse three times due to the pests. I do not know if I can stand anymore problems. I may have to pull a "Horace" on this one. Learn ALL you can, as we will need some very good bee researchers on this problem, if the industry is to survive.TK


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