Enemies of the Hive

• First Lessons in • by Keith S. Delaplane • Chapter 8 • Bee Disorders, Parasites, Predators and Nest Invaders

This Powerpoint Presentation prepared by Charles Heatherly Disorders Diseases Parasites Nest Invaders Predators Pesticides Incompetent U.S. Honey Bee Losses

• • Average Losses 2006-2011 33% • 2012 22% Estimated losses 2013 > 33% Integrated Pest Management

• The use of a variety of pest treatments such as genetic host resistance, cultural practices, beneficial organisms, and a minimum of toxic chemicals. As long as pest levels stay below the treatment or economic threshold, it is not necessary to use toxic pesticides. Treatment Threshold • For a given pest or crop system, the treatment threshold is the specific number, - a pest number, density or level of damage – that is acceptable p 106 Diseases of Brood

American Foulbrood European Foulbrood Chalkbrood Sacbrood Adult Diseases

Nosema apis Nosema ceranae Viruses Parasitic Mites

Varroa destructor

Tracheal Acarapis woodi Scavengers

• Wax Moth •

• (Know how to distinguish between larva)

Predators

• Bears • Skunks • Ants • Hornets • Birds • Mice

• Spore forming Bacterium Paenibacillus • Highly infectious • Highly destructive • AFB spores almost indestructible • No economic threshold • Zero tolerance American Foulbrood Treatment • Burning the hive and bees is most common remedy • NC has fumigation chamber • See your area bee inspector • Treatment – Terramycin • Only suppresses growth of spores, • no cure - There is no cure American Foulbrood

Best way to distinguish AFB from EFB - ropy dead larva American Foulbrood

Irregular brood pattern European Foulbrood

• Bacterium Melissococcus plutonius • Symptoms similar to AFB • Less virulent Chalkbrood • Pathogenic fungus Asocophaera apis • Dead white, chalky “Mummies” • No treatment except IPM • Keep hive dry and well ventilated • Prevented through good management • Hygenic Queens Sacbrood

• Relatively minor and rare disease • Caused by virus • No remedial medication • Dead larvae are flaccid, watery • Look like a Chinese slipper Adult Diseases • – most serious • Single celled protozoan Nosema apis • Rarely kills but triggers morbities • Reduced lifespan • Reduce productivity • Increased queen supercedure • Low population • Sluggish Spring buildup Nosema apis

• Treatment - antibotic Fumagilin B

• Nosema ceranae • More of a recent problem in Europe Viruses

• Kasmir bee virus • • Symptoms - bees lose body hair, • Movement is disorganized • Trembling • No known treatment • Cull damaged brood comb • Requeen • Control varroa will reduce potential infection Parasitic Mites

• Tracheal Acarapis woodi Varroa Mites

• Most damaging pest of US honey bee • Introduced in US in 1987 – First found in NC in 1990 • Visible to human eye • Cycle begins with female mite in open brood cell, preferably • She lays eggs – one male, several daughters • They mate, emerge Varroa Mites

• Effected bees suffer physical injury • Reduced blood volume • Reduced longevity • Reduced productivity • Typical infection occurs in late season (Fall) Hive weakened by varroa succumbs to other pests

Detection of Varroa Mites

• Sticky Sheet

• Powdered Sugar Shake Treatment of Varroa Mite

• Apistan (fluvinate) – • Check Mite (coumoflous) • Api-life var (thymol) • Formic Acid • Integrated Pest Management Screened bottom boards Hygenic Queen Tracheal Mite Acarapis woodi

• Long history of troubling the honey bee • Has been around for more than a century • First detected in NC in 1980 • Honey bee Act of 1922, a response closed importation for 83 years Characteristics of Tracheal Mite

• Lives and reproduces in breathing tube • Young bees are preferred • Microscopic • Infestation occurs in late winter • Or early spring • 25% infestation is very damaging

Symptoms of Tracheal Mites

• Bees will crawl in grass near hive entrance • Cannot form an effective winter cluster • Most common symptom is an empty hive • K-wing syndrome

Treatment of Tracheal Mite

• Menthol crystals • Mite – Away II, an absorbent pad with formic acid - • Extender patty - vegetable oil and powders sugar – disrupts mite and is harmless to environment, or bee keeper Nest Scavengers

Wax Moth

Small Hive Beetle Wax Moth Galleria mellonella

• An old foe • And strangely, a friend, too • Cleans out abandoned nests, spores rendering them clean for future use • Problem occurs when wax moths take over weak hive and destroy it Damage by Wax Moth Wax Moth

• Female enters hive, usually at night • Lays eggs • Larvae emerge, eat protein litter • Seeks a protected spot • Chews cavity in wood • Spins silken cocoon and pupates Characteristics of Wax Moth

• Moth activity in living colonies • Moth activity in stored equipment • Moths are secondary problem, not a primary problem • Moth Problem usually traced to queenless colony or varroa mites Treatment for Moths

• Paradichlorobenzene in stored equip. • Stack stored hives cross ways to allow light and ventilation (see p 128) • Requeen • Control Varroa mites • Use 9 frames in supers rather than 10 Wax Moth Larva Compared with SHB Larva

Wax Moth Larva

SHB Larva Small Hive Beetle

• Most recent pest • Scavenger • Not a major threat to strong colony • Can quickly wipe out a weak colony • Has become a major problem in SE US • First found in NC in 1998 Small Hive Beetle

• Adult female lays • eggs in cavity • Larvae emerge to eat • honey, brood, protein litter and grow • Larval is most damaging stage • Frames become slimy • Larvae exits hive to pupate in soil Small Hive Beetle

• Treatment threshold is 300 beetles according to Delaplane

• Personally, I think it is much less!

Treatment of Small Hive Beetle

• Integrated Pest Management • Hygenic Bees • SHB traps • Hive tool smash Predators • Bear • Skunk • Ants • Hornets • Birds • Pesticides • Mice Non-infectious Disorders

• Queenlessness • Robbing • Agricultural Pesticides • Incompetent Beekeeper Good, Disease Free Brood Pattern Thought of an old beekeeper “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” Benjamin Franklin