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Manchester and District Beekeepers’ Association |
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Phone: 0161-747 7292 To contact us: Email: |
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ABOUT MDBKA / QUEEN / WORKER&DRONE / SWARMING / THE SUPER / THE HIVE / BROOD CHAMBER / PESTS & DISEASE / VARROA / AFB / EFB / SHB / CHALKBROOD / ACARINE/ HIVE PRODUCTS / WAX / BOOKS / STINGS / CONTACTS / APRIL NEWS / TUITION / SWARM COLLECTION SERVICE/ NEWSLETTER/ WAX /
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M.& D.B.K.A. |
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LINKS
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Varroa The first honey bee colony losses attributed to Varroa mite were reported in the Far East during the 1960s; the mites have since spread to most areas of the world where honey bees are kept. The destructive power of Varroa is evident from the reported losses of millions of colonies throughout Europe. The mite reached England in 1992 where the first re ported sighting was in Devon but it has since spread through the whole of the British Isles.
Effects on individual bees Single bees infested by Varroa during their development usually survive but suffer a degree of damage depending on how many mites have infested them.
Effects on the colony. The damage done by the mite depends upon the level of infestation. If the infestation is light then damage will go un-noticed by the beekeeper but as infestation levels increase, deformed bees will be observed. The colony can go from an apparently healthy one bringing in good crops of honey to complete collapse in a matter of weeks because as the adult bees come to the end of their normal lifespan they are not replaced by healthy youngsters. The debilitat ing effect of Varroa also encourages bee diseases which hasten the colonies demise. Since Varroa cannot be eradicated every beekeeper must practice effective mite control; some methods are discussed overleaf.
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PESTS AND DISEASES |
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Fig.17 Varroa Mite on the back of a Worker Bee |
