Varroa Mites: Samples and Controls(Varroa destructor or jacobsoni)

-discovered S.E. Asia 1904; U.S. 1987

Tammy Horn Potter,KY State ApiaristKY Dept of AGR502.229.2950Tammy.potter@ky.gov

Many thanks to Dr. Ray McDonnell for assistance with this presentation

SPREAD OF Varroa destructor

Robbing (bees pick up mites )

Drifting (drones accepted in other colonies

Absconding from colonies collapsing (robbers pick up mites)

Swarming (swarms bring mites with them)

Beekeepers (transferring affected bees)

Varroa destructor has no “free living” stage. It is totally dependent on its honey bee host. “Obligate” parasite

The mite is blind and needs to feed frequently on bee tissue

Female mites have two distinct phases in the life cycle:

1. phoretic phase-mite rides on an adult bee and will transfer this way

2. reproductive phase – in sealed drone or worker brood cells

Varroa Mites--Overview

Varroa Mite—Reproductive Biology

• A female mite drops in shortly before capping stage and hides in worker bee food

• Once cell is capped, the female mite climbs on the (bee) prepupa and within 60 hours, she produces her first egg, which is a male.

• After an additional 30 hours, she produces 1-2 fertile female eggs, which hatch into daughters. When mite eggs hatch, they are called protonymphs, then molt into deutonymphs and in turn molt into adults.

Varroa Mites: “Hypodermic needles”

•The adult varroa mite pierces the exoskeleton of the (bee) prepupa so she and her daughters can feed on the blood of the host. •Drone bees offer more time for the female mite rear two-three daughters because of the longer capped cell time. •A male mite mates with 1-2 sisters and then dies inside cell

The adult honey bee emerges with original female mite and one or two fully-developed

daughter-mites. These daughters attach to a passing adult bee

Viruses

Deformed Wing Virus Israeli Acute

Paralysis Virus

USDA CAPS Honey Bee Health Assessment

24 volunteer beekeepers across the KYCommonwealth

5 commercial beekeepersSend live and dead samples

to USDA Bee Lab in Beltsville MD

$12,000

9 States 2014-201538 States 2015-2016

2017 is in process

Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

MacKenzie Jones, 2016

• 150 honey bees are placed in a ventilated box

• 150 bees are placed in a bottle containing alcohol or soapy water

Honey Stores for Winter

On Sept 1st, hives need to have 8+ frames and healthy brood with covering nurse bees, weigh at least 60-80 lbs and have low mite counts.

All light hives (< 40 lbs total in hive bodies) need to be fed 2:1 syrup NOW and with a gallon or more on NOW

Feed steadily through mid-October for any hope of building honey stores.

Mite Treatments—Seasonal, mite-population-dependent, and always

read the labels1. Spring and Summer: Mite-Away

Quick Strips (formic acid) when you have honey supers on

2. Fall—Apiguard (thymol), especially before September when the queen starts laying her winter bees

3. Winter and/or swarms (when no brood is in the hive)—Oxalic acid that is labeled as miticide

Now is the ideal time to treat with oxalic acid dihydrate

Nitrile glovesVentilated respiratorVaporizerOxalic acid labeled as a

miticide (Brushy Mt. is only place with EPA certification to sell as miticide)

Water to cool the vaporizer

Deep-cycle marine battery

Note the difference in efficacy, dependent upon how much brood is present.

See Randy Oliver’s Scientific Beekeeping.com website

Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS)

Formic acid Hints• May be used with

honey supers • Can penetrate the wax

cappings to impact mites

• Be mindful of temperature—can be hard on queens

• Use protective gear

Apiguard—thymol

Essential oil Hints• Should not apply when

bees are bringing nectar into hive

• You need to apply twice, 14 days apart

• Wear protection gloves, eyewear, etc.

• Be mindful of temperatures: too hot, the brood will fry, too cold, the gel is ineffective

Apivar

Amitraz Hints• Slow release strips

(need to count on 42 days)

• Do not use when honey supers are present

• If used according to label, very few residuals in the hive.

• Should be rotated with other treatments to prevent mite resistance

Honey Bee Health Coalition

• Tools for Varroa Mite Management• 12 brief Videos showing sampling,

treating for mites, available on the KY State Beekeepers Association website and Honey Bee Health Coalition website

• www.honeybeehealthcoalition.org

Other Options

• Consider breeding honey bees from queens that show Varroa Sensitive Hygienic behavior (“mite-biting” honey bees that Purdue University is distributing)

• Consider breeding honey bees that exhibit varroa tolerance (Russian stock)

• Create Brood breaks by caging queens or making splits, etc.

Overview of controls of Varroa destructorCHEMICALS (Miticides) SYNTHETIC• Pyrethroid Strips (Apistan)—Mites have shown resistance since 2009• Organophosphate Strips (Checkmite+)—this will cause the drone

bees to become sterile, toxic to you too.

NATURALLY OCCURRING• Formic Acid vapors (Mite-Away Quick Strips)—can be effective

during a honey flow if applied according to label and timely sampling • Powdered Sugar sprinkled on bees—only 15% effective• Essential Oils (Thymol, Apiguard)—can be 80% effective if applied

according to label and timely sampling• Oxalic Acid trickle/vapor—90% effective if applied according to label

and timely sampling• Hops compounds in strips (Hopguard)—can be used during honey

flow, but most effective when no brood in the hive. Can be messy to use

Resources

• www.ksbabeekeeping.org • honeybeehealthcoalition.org• www.kyagr.com/statevet/honeybees.

htm• www.honeycouncil.ca/images2/pdfs

Thank You!

Tammy Horn PotterKY State ApiaristKY Dept of AGR109 Corporate Drive ComplexFrankfort, KY 40604502.229.2950Tammy.potter@ky.govPhoto: Ray Tucker, Jr.

http://www.kyagr.com/statevet/honeybees.html