1. Enemies of the Hive First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith S. Delaplane
Chapter 8
Honey Bee Disorders, Parasites, Predators and Nest Invaders

2. Honey Bee Disorders Diseases Parasites Nest Invaders Predators Pesticides Incompetent Beekeeper

3. 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.

4. 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

5. American Foulbrood European Foulbrood Chalkbrood Sacbrood
Diseases of Brood
American Foulbrood
European Foulbrood
Chalkbrood
Sacbrood

6. Nosema apis Nosema ceranae Viruses
Adult Diseases
Nosema apis
Nosema ceranae
Viruses

7. Varroa destructor Tracheal Acarapis woodi
Parasitic Mites
Varroa destructor
Tracheal Acarapis woodi

8. Scavengers Wax Moth Small Hive Beetle
(Know how to distinguish between larva)

9. Predators
Bears
Skunks
Ants
Hornets
Birds
Mice

10. American Foulbrood Spore forming Bacterium Paenibacillus
Highly infectious
Highly destructive
AFB spores almost indestructible
No economic threshold
Zero tolerance

11. 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

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

13. American Foulbrood
Irregular brood pattern

14. European Foulbrood Bacterium Melissococcus plutonius
Symptoms similar to AFB
Less virulent

15. 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

16. Sacbrood Relatively minor and rare disease Caused by virus
No remedial medication
Dead larvae are flaccid, watery
Look like a Chinese
slipper

17. Adult Diseases Nosema apis – most serious
Single celled protozoan Nosema apis
Rarely kills but triggers morbities
Reduced lifespan
Reduce productivity
Increased queen supercedure
Low population
Sluggish Spring buildup

18. Nosema apis Treatment - antibotic Fumagilin B Nosema ceranae
More of a recent problem in Europe

19. Viruses Kasmir bee virus Deformed wing virus
Symptoms - bees lose body hair,
Movement is disorganized
Trembling
No known treatment
Cull damaged brood comb
Requeen
Control varroa will reduce potential infection

20. Parasitic Mites
Varroa destructor

21. Tracheal Acarapis woodi

22. Varroa Mites First found in NC in 1990
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 drone
She lays eggs – one male, several daughters
They mate, emerge

23. 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

24. Detection of Varroa Mites
Sticky Sheet
Powdered Sugar Shake

25. Treatment of Varroa Mite
Apistan (fluvinate) –
Check Mite (coumoflous)
Api-life var (thymol)
Formic Acid
Integrated Pest Management
Screened bottom boards
Hygenic Queen

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. Nest Scavengers
Wax Moth
Small Hive Beetle

31. 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

32. Damage by Wax Moth

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. Wax Moth Larva Compared with SHB Larva

37. 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

38. Small Hive Beetle Larval is most damaging stage 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

39. Small Hive Beetle
Treatment threshold is 300 beetles according to Delaplane
Personally,
I think it is
much less!

40. Treatment of Small Hive Beetle
Integrated Pest Management
Hygenic Bees
SHB traps
Hive tool smash

41. Predators
Bear
Skunk
Ants
Hornets
Birds
Pesticides
Mice

42. Non-infectious Disorders
Queenlessness
Robbing
Agricultural Pesticides
Incompetent Beekeeper

43. Good, Disease Free Brood Pattern

44. Thought of an old beekeeper
“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”
Benjamin Franklin