1. Economic Viability of a Varroa IPM System Keith S. Delaplane, James D. Ellis University of Georgia www.ent.uga.edu/bees

3. Concluded Colonies with resistant queens and screen bottoms tend to: Have fewer mites, especially at seasons when mite depredation is most severe, Have delayed onset of economic threshold.

4. ... and detected Favorable compensatory interactions: Between resistant queens and screens, Between queens and screens and non-isolated apiaries.

7. Design

8. 2 years

9. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators

10. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators 21-30 colonies each

11. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators 21-30 colonies each 3 treatments within apiary

12. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators 21-30 colonies each 3 treatments within apiary –chemical: Feb and Aug chemical

13. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators 21-30 colonies each 3 treatments within apiary –chemical: Feb and Aug chemical –IPM: bottom screen + Russian 

14. Design 2 years 6 beekeeper collaborators 21-30 colonies each 3 treatments within apiary –chemical: Feb and Aug chemical –IPM: bottom screen + Russian  –Control: no chemical or IPM, non-selected 

15. Design Monitored: –Mite fall –Onset of threshold –Honey yield –Time spent working colonies –Queen loss (replaced as found)

16. Excluding colonies  treatment threshold 20052006

24. screens 31.5 Colony work

28. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies:

29. Compared favorably for average mite levels,

30. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies: Compared favorably for average mite levels, Compared favorably for onset of threshold,

31. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies: Had highest honey production,

32. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies: Had highest honey production, Had highest total work hours,

33. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies: Had highest honey production, Had highest total work hours, Fewest colony deaths, and

34. Conclusions Compared to control colonies or chemical colonies, IPM colonies: Lowest queen replacement rate.