A fast growing problem

How can we stop SHB spread?

Entrance Reducers

Honey bee stock

Hood, M. 2004. Bee World 51-59.

Do entrance reducers affect SHB invasion?

Ellis, J. et al. 2003. J. Econ. Entomol. 1647-1652.

Apr

il 15

Apr

il 30

May

15

May

30

June

15

June

30

July

15

July

30

Aug

ust 1

5

Aug

ust 3

0

Sept

embe

r 15

Sept

embe

r 30

Oct

ober

15

Oct

ober

30

Nov

embe

r 15

Timeline of Measurements

Recorded # SHB, # frames adult bees, # frames brood & removed all SHB

Introduced entrance reducers in half

of the colonies and removed all SHB

in all colonies

Madeuniform

packages

Colonies with entrance reducers

9 Italian colonies

9 Russian colonies

Colonies with regular entrances

9 Italian colonies

8 Russian colonies

Do entrance reducers affect SHB invasion?No overall effect, p=0.1596

0

4

8

12

16

20

Without Reducer With Reducer

Avg

. # S

HB

0

10

20

30

40

50

July 25 August 1 August 15 November 10

Avg

. # S

HB

Without Reducer With Reducer

Do entrance reducers affect SHB invasion?

p=0.5381

p=0.1994

p=0.1308

p=0.4435

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bees Brood

Avg

. # F

ram

es

Without Reducer With Reducer

What about other colony factors?

p=0.3847

p=0.5591

0

4

8

12

16

20

I tal ian Russian

Avg

. # S

HB

a

b

Does honey bee stock affect SHB invasion?Overall effect, p=0.0176

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

July 25 August 1 August 15 November 10

Avg

. # S

HB

I tal ian Russian

a a

a

b b

b

Does honey bee stock affect SHB invasion?

p=0.0255

p=0.3204

p=0.0280

p=0.0207

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bees Brood

Avg

. # F

ram

es

I tal ian Russian

p=0.2708 p=0.9257

What about other colony factors?

What do we know at this point? Entrance reducers

Honey bee stock

Continuing research