Vita (Europe) Ltd August 2005 Issue No 3 News from Vita (Europe) Ltd NEWS MITE CONTENTS Vita launches new VITA RESEARCH AWARD 1 EU DIRECTIVE UPDATE 1 research award at EDITORIAL 2 VITA NEWS – APIGUARD, Apimondia CHALKBROOD & VITASOL 2 ESTONIA FEATURE 3-4 President Viktor Yuschenko becomes Award patron BUZZWORDS 3-4 Vita (Europe) Ltd will launch an award to promote research into honeybee health at Apimondia, the world’s largest honeybee event to be held in Dublin in August 2005. President Viktor Yuschenko of the Ukraine, a life-long beekeeper, has agreed to become the Award’s Patron. The award, valued at up to €10,000, will be made on a regular basis to help fund new honeybee health research. Any individual or organisation can apply. “Through our global network of distributors we appreciate that there is still much to be done to provide safe and effective honeybee health treatments for the world’s beekeeping industry,” explained Jeremy Owen, Sales Director of Vita. President Viktor Yuschenko of the Ukraine, a lifelong “We are naturally thrilled that President Yuschenko has agreed to become beekeeper, becomes patron the Award’s patron. As a beekeeper and a president, he fully understands the of Vita’s new award. benefits of a healthy honeybee population to national economies. “We hope this award will stimulate new research into diseases that affect UPDATE honeybees. We will be especially, but not exclusively, interested in European Directive & bees naturally-based treatments that are really effective since that is clearly a priority for many beekeepers.” The lobbying against the EU Amongst the diseases and pests of particular interest to Vita are those which plan (Directive 2004/28/EC) to as yet have no known effective controls: the small hive beetle which is make medications for all food- spreading globally and almost established a foothold in Europe last year; producing animals, including chalkbrood which seems to be increasing in prevalence in certain areas; and bees, available only through vets the long-term problems of varroa and foulbrood. seems to be making progress. Vita will announce the winner of the inaugural Vita Research Award at The EU is currently drawing up a Apimondia 2005. list of possible exemptions and it is hoped bees will be on that list. Application details for the next award will appear on the Vita website in No date has yet been set for the September 2005. production of the list. www.vita-europe.com 2 The latest in honeybee health and mite control from Vita (Europe) Ltd EDITORIAL NEW PRODUCT FOCUS LOBBYING PROGRESS The beekeeping industry is a modest one, but when it comes Vita news to fighting a specific issue it can transform itself into a very effective lobbying force. US pollination crisis – Apiguard to Apiguard fights chalkbrood? Although we the rescue? Recent trials of Apiguard in Greece are still awaiting Reports from the USA indicate serious indicate that Apiguard is effective a final decision pollination problems caused by a against chalkbrood as well as varroa. from the EU on combination of varroa and sometimes Data collected over the past three years whether or not poor weather conditions. in Greece indicates that Apiguard has bee medications It started in the Californian almond an efficacy of between 50% and 70% will have to be groves where latest reports suggest that against chalkbrood. These are initial made through vets, the signs are the almond harvest may be down by as but very encouraging results, so Vita is more hopeful than before. much as 18%. But then came a stream of commissioning further research. The EU is considering whether reports from places like New Hampshire Chalkbrood is often present in bees will be included in a possible and its cranberries, and the Upper colonies and at times can be a real list of exemptions. Midwest and its apple crop. problem. It is caused by Ascosphaera Let’s hope that common sense Speaking to Newsmite, Dan apis, a fungal pathogen and its spores prevails and that bees are on the Cummings, Director of the US Almond affect developing larva, covering them list. And if they are, I think it Board, said: “We need 1.4 million bee with a white, fluffy, cotton-wool type will be in large part a result of colonies – that’s approximately half growth which eventually dries out to beekeepers’ lobbying. In the UK at of the total number of colonies in the form the characteristic chalkbrood least, they made a strong impact on US – to pollinate California’s almond “mummies”. In heavily infected the VMD, the government agency crop. These colonies are becoming colonies, the workers have difficulty in dealing with the issue, who seem increasingly hard to find and this cleaning out the cells. The spores can to be convinced by the beekeepers’ year we are hearing of colony losses remain viable for up to 15 years and are case. of between 10% and 50% across the spread by drifting bees and beekeepers. country. We are therefore very keen to Photo courtesy of CSL APIMONDIA have Apiguard officially approved for Jeremy Owen and I look forward use in the USA as quickly as possible.” to seeing many of you in Ireland at Apimondia 2005. It promises to Vita is currently applying to have be an excellent week and I’m sure, Apiguard registered in the USA like me, you will be interested to where it will provide a much-needed learn about the latest research into extra weapon in an Integrated Pest honeybee diseases. Management strategy. Apistan and I hope that our new research coumaphos are no longer effective in award will attract interest and help many parts of the US because resistance lead to progress in controlling the has built up to their active ingredients. parasites and diseases that inhibit Apiguard, based on thymol, will be a beekeeping. new product that is expected to bring Developing chalkbrood mummies Please do call by and see our considerable benefit. brand new stand. The incidence and extent of First field trials of Vitasol chalkbrood is not fully understood. Dr Max Watkins Tests in Egypt using Vita’s proto-type Smallish colonies under stress Technical Director treatment for the control of mites (especially from varroa) are usually Vita (Europe) Ltd on agricultural crops have met with most susceptible to chalkbrood. Re- considerable success. queening sometimes helps, but until now In first trials, Vitasol was tested on there has been no effective treatment. two types of mites in apple orchards Regionally, chalkbrood seems to be most and aubergine fields. Over a four-week prevalent in maritime climates – and period, 80% efficacy was recorded. often where pine trees are present. The latest in honeybee health and mite control from Vita (Europe) Ltd 3 DISTRIBUTOR FEATURE BUZZWORDS View from the Baltic Beekeepers Zoovetvaru, Vita’s Estonian, Latvian across Europe and Lithuanian distributor protest Interviewed mid 1970s initially puzzled beekeepers, Honey price and quality have by Newsmite, but its entry route is now understood. been the focus of a number Margus As a key strategic area, Estonia had of beekeeping political Kuklane several Soviet military bases with demonstrations across Europe Managing personnel who would be rotated every over the past few months. Director of few years. The beekeepers amongst In December, Hungarian Zoovetvaru them not only had their household goods beekeepers took to the streets in Vita’s Estonian relocated for them – their bees were Brussels protesting about cheap distributor sees a bright future for air-freighted too. Many personnel were honey imports from Asia and Baltic beekeeping in the EU, and relocated from the Far East and it is South America which they claim would like to see better regulation thought that along with their bees came do not meet EU standards. of bee treatments to ensure that the varroa parasite. beekeepers get quality bee medications In February, Extramaduran Photo courtesy of Aleksandra Kilk Photo courtesy of and consumers get a fine product. beekeepers in Spain protested Estonia has had a turbulent history outside their government’s and its beekeeping history reflects this Department of Agriculture about (see Buzz Words p4). Having gained the threat from cheap imports independence for the second time in one of Chinese honey which they century, the country is now part of the said did not have to meet EU EU and is seeing a steady resurgence of standards. its beekeeping industry. Varroa’s surprise arrival in Estonia Hellar Truuts’ apiary in northern Estonia Estonia has had to deal with varroa for Varroa agency almost 30 years. Its early arrival in the Pharmaceutical status On 1 July 2005, New Zealand Early methods of varroa control were set up Varroa Agency Inc (VAI), often replaced by Apistan which since an organisation made up of local its introduction has been classified as a Estonian Factfile government and beekeeping pharmaceutical product in Estonia. From interests in South Island, New Population: 1.41 m the outset, Zoovetvaru quite deliberately Zealand. Varroa hasn’t yet been Capital: Talinn registered it as a pharmaceutical because identified in the South Island and that designation would bring two main Area: 45,227 sq km VAI wants to keep it that way. benefits. Climate: maritime, wet moderate Is this the world’s first varroa winters cool summers “When Apiguard first became agency? Language: Estonian (official) 67%, available, there were other thymol Russian 30% products on the market but they were Agriculture: 4.1% of GDP of poor quality,” explained Margus. Landuse: arable & permanent crops “Apiguard’s pharmaceutical status Varroa-free zone therefore gave a clear indication that it 16.5% Newfoundland and Labrador in was of much higher quality and safe to Labour force: 11% in agriculture eastern Canada seem to be free use.” Beekeepers: 7,600 of varroa.