Honey production of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies with high and low Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) infestation rates in eastern Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berna Emsen ◽  
Ernesto Guzman-Novoa ◽  
Paul G. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Infestation Level ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Honey Production ◽  
Bee Colonies

AbstractThe objective of this study was to compare the honey yields of groups of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies with high and low infestation rates of the mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae). More than 150 colonies were screened for mite fall in early spring and again 16 weeks later. The 10 colonies with the lowest rates (L) and the 10 colonies with the highest rates (H) of mite population growth were selected. These 20 colonies were evaluated for mite infestation in adult bees and honey production. Adult bee infestation in the colonies of the H group was significantly higher than in the colonies of the L group. Additionally, H and L colonies differed significantly for honey production. L colonies produced 28.91 ± 2.34 kg of honey per hive versus 18.49 ± 0.77 kg for the group of H colonies. Furthermore, the mite infestation level of colonies measured as mite fall or as number of mites per 100 bees, was significantly correlated with honey production (r = −0.62, P < 0.05 and r = −0.76, P < 0.01, respectively). These results indicate that varroa mite populations significantly reduce honey yields in honey bee colonies in eastern Canada.

scholarly journals Diagnosis of Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor) and Sustainable Control in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies—A Review

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleš Gregorc ◽  
Blair Sampson
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Organic Acids ◽  
Essential Oils ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Mite Control ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Reliable Methods

Determining varroa mite infestation levels in honey bee colonies and the proper method and time to perform a diagnosis are important for efficient mite control. Performing a powdered sugar shake or counting mites that drop from combs and bees onto a hive bottom board are two reliable methods for sampling varroa mite to evaluate the efficacy of an acaricide treatment. This overview summarizes studies that examine the efficacy of organic acids and essential oils, mite monitoring, and brood interruption for integrated varroa mite control in organic beekeeping.

scholarly journals The effect of the queen's age on the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) burden of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

2018 ◽  
pp. 83-87
Author(s):  
Marianna Takács ◽  
János Oláh
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Brood Chamber ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Mite Mortality

An apiary trial was conducted in 2016 August to October in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Nyírmada to evaluate the influence of queen’s age on the Varroa destructor-burden in the treatment colonies. Sixty colonies of bees belonging to the subspecies Apis mellifera carnica pannonica in Hunor loading hives (with 10 frames in the brood chamber/deep super) were used. The colonies were treated with amitraz and the organophosphate pesticide coumaphos active ingredients. The amitraz treatment includes 6 weeks. The coumaphos treatment with Destructor 3.2% can be used for both diagnosis and treatment of Varroasis. For diagnosis, one treatment is sufficient. For control, two treatments at an interval of seven days are required. The colonies were grouped by the age of the queen: 20 colonies with one-year-old, 20 colonies with two-year-old and 20 colonies with three-year-old queen. The mite mortality of different groups was compared. The number of fallen mites was counted at the white bottom boards. The examination of spring growth of honey bee colonies has become necessary due to the judgement of efficiency of closing treatment. The data was recorded seven times between 16th March 2017 and 19th May 2017. Data on fallen mites were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc Tukey-test. Statistical analysis was performed using the software of IBM SPSS (version 21.). During the first two weeks after treatments, the number of fallen mites was significantly higher in the older queen’s colonies (Year 2014). The total mite mortality after amitraz treatment in the younger queen’s colonies was lower (P<0.05) compared to the three-year-old queen’s colonies. According to Takács and Oláh (2016) although the mitemortality tendency, after the coumaphos (closing) treatment in colonies which have Year 2014 queen showed the highest rate, considering the mite-burden the colonies belongs to the average infected category. The colonial maintenance ability of three-year-old queen cannot be judged based on the influencing effect on the mite-burden. The importance of the replacement of the queen was judged by the combined effect of several factors. During the spring-growth study (16th March–19th May) was experienced in the three-year-old queen’s colonies the number of brood frames significantly lower compared to the one- and two-year-old queen’s colonies. In the study of 17th April and 19th May each of the three queen-year-groups were varied. Therefore in the beekeeping season at different times were determined the colonial maintenance ability of queens by more factors: efficiency of closing treatment in early spring, the spring-growth of bee colonies, the time of population shift (in current study, this time was identical in each queen-year), honey production (from black locust).

scholarly journals Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies is affected by the number of foragers with mites

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman ◽  
Fabiana Ahumada ◽  
Victor Zazueta ◽  
Mona Chambers ◽  
Geoffrey Hidalgo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals Controlled Infestation of Honeybee Colonies with Varroa Destructor Females

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajmund Sokół ◽  
Remigiusz Gałęcki ◽  
Maria Michalczyk
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Research System ◽  
Daily Mortality ◽  
Honey Bee Workers ◽  
Bee Colonies

AbstractThe development of female Varroa destructor mites in the bee colonies was examined in the apiculture season through a developed research system in which bee colonies were experimentally infested with fifty V. destructor females. Differences in infestation rates were observed between the control group (C) and the infested group (E). The average number of female mites per colony was determined at 513 in group E and 261.6 in group C. Natural daily mortality reached 0.16 mites in group E and 0.09 mites in group C. In group E, the number of V. destructors increased 7.96 to 13.32-fold, subject to colony. The size of V. destructor populations increased at a higher rate in group E than in group C (F= 12.39, P= 0.047). At the end of the experiment, the percentage of infested honey bee workers was determined at 0.97% in group E and 0.46% in group C. The results of this study confirmed that V. destructor mites continue to proliferate rapidly in honey bee colonies, and that the population growth rate in bee colonies and apiaries has to be closely monitored due to growing levels of resistance to acaricides.

scholarly journals Small-cell comb foundation does not impede Varroa mite population growth in honey bee colonies

Apidologie ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Berry ◽  
William B. Owens ◽  
Keith S. Delaplane
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Small Cell ◽  
Mite Population ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE QUEEN BEES AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH SURROUNDINGS ON THE DEGREE OF VARROA INFESTATION OF A BEE COLONY

AGROFOR ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis VOJT ◽  
Nebojša NEDIĆ
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Damage Threshold ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Bee Colony ◽  
Complete Destruction ◽  
Breeding Programmes ◽  
Queen Bees ◽  
Bee Colonies

Honey bee endures significant losses due to the presence of Varroa destructor mite in bee colony. Because of its wide-spread presence in bee colony it can cause its complete destruction. Different breeding programmes regarding honey bee pay a great attention to bee resistance to varroa. The trial was conducted in 27 bee colonies. Three groups of bee swarms were formed and in each there were nine queen bees originating from three mutually distant producers. Then, in three distant apiares the queen bees were placed in bee swarms so that in every apiary the queen bees of three different genotypes were represented. During 2017 and 2018, during six different periods, by a powdered sugar method the infestation of bee colonies by varroa mite was inspected. The degree of varroa infestation in relation to origin of queen bees ranged from 0.269 to 0.327 and difference determined was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In relation to a location, the least average infestation of societies accounting for 0.140 was observed in an apiary in northeastern Serbia, while the greatest infestation accounting for 0.452 was observed in colonies placed in western Serbia. Determined difference in varroa infestation in relation to a location of an apiary was statistically significant (P0.05). Continual monitoring of the varroa infested colonies by use of powdered sugar method indicated the differences between examined groups and reduced damage threshold for bees.

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