-----Original Message-----
From: Olda Vancata <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Donnerstag, 28. Januar 1999 02:53
Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bee diseases.
>> From: Stefan Stangaciu <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>Stefan
>
>> * there are already too many pollutants in our bee
products;
>
>I agree. Especially when thinking on how much water, air
etc is
>circulated through the beehive during the year and the
environment
>outside the beehive is not the cleanest one (pollutants
buried
>thousands of km).
>
>> * there are at least a dozen of very effective ways to
keep under
>> control varroa and other bee diseases through alternative
methods;
>
>Can you please give me an account of 12 alternative and
effective
>methods how to keep varroa under control? Can you for each
method
>describe: a- method; b - efficiency in %; c - time consumed
for total
>treatment?
>
>Thanx
>
>\vov
Hello dear friend,
You make me smile... :-))
This above work shall be done by people like you, having
great experience in beekeeping.
I am just a "hobbyist" in beekeeping but an expert, I
dare to say, in apitherapy.
As an apitherapist I am very much concerned of the
beehive's products QUALITY, EFFICIENCY, but also, on LONG
TERM on the potential risks given by strong poisons as are
used now by the "chemical lovers"...
Anyway, your above idea to send all our List-friends a
dozen of alternative methods is good enough to try to make
now such a list.
The "homework" with: a- method; b - efficiency in %; c -
time consumed for total
treatment, shall be done, isn't it, by experts in beekeeping
like you.
I have already said that there is out there, in
Internet, in medical libraries, in research laboratories all
over the world a HUGE Data Base related to the
pharmacologically properties of the NATURAL (groups) of
substances.
Such a huge Data Base we have already in our Apimondia's
Apitherapy Department.
So, the information exists, you need only to search for
it, if you have reached the conclusion that you must to
change your methodology towards an "ecological", 100%
natural beekeeping.
Coming back to your very nice above invitation, here is
a list with alternative methods to control varroa and many
other bee diseases.
Please keep in mind that, like in Natural (Naturopathic)
Medicine, the success comes faster when you use SEVERAL
METHODS instead of only one.
The "time" required to apply these methods... It is only
a question of "routine" and "learning" how to apply a new
method. Once you know it very well, you can apply it fast.
OK... Let's start the list:
I) Use of ORGANIC ACIDS:
* formic acid;
* oxalic acid;
* lactic acid;
* acetic acid.
II) Use of MEDICINAL PLANTS (Phytotherapy):
* Nicotiana tabacum, Chrysantheme vulgare (Tanacetum
vulgare), and many other plants (in short fumigation
followed by catching of "drunk" varroa on the "sticky"
bottom); many such plants can be used directly in the usual
"smokers".
* Herbal tea to increase the bee colony's immune
system and/or to fight directly varroa:
- poplar buds;
- pine buds;
- eucalyptus leaves;
- thyme;
- common yarrow;
- equinacea;
- Artemisia absynthium etc., etc.
III) Use of ESSENTIAL OILS (Aromatherapy):
* like in phytotherapy, there is a very large list
with useful and potential useful substances/products:
- wintergreen oil;
- thyme oil (natural one!)
- eucalyptus oil;
- lavender oil;
- rosemary oil;
- pine oil etc., etc.
* even if the above oils will not destroy 100% the
varroa, but only over 60- 90% of them (figures already given
in many reports), they will help, as "adjutants" the
physiological functions of the diseased colony; please do
not forget that the bees are not dying directly because of
varroa, but because of the "anemia", viral and bacterial
infections which follows or are simultaneous to the varroa
parasitism.
IV) Use of ...bee products (apitherapy):
- thyme, eucalyptus, rosemary honey;
- propolis different EXTRACTS, mixed with HONEY +
POLLEN (Bee bread) + ROYAL JELLY.
The bee's immune system relies, like all other
physiological functions on a source of energy; a very good
food will give enough nutrients, vitamins, enzymes, trace
elements etc. to fight the potential diseases associated
with the varroa's presence.
Very often, bad, greedy beekeepers are really
starving the bees by taking from the hives much more than
they should do... Worse than that, they replace the honey
(which has THOUSANDS of different USEFUL substances) with
...white sugar, which is a very, very POOR food (contains as
you know only two substances)
V) Use of drone brood removal
VI) Use of bottom sticky floors
VII) Use of wired, mesh, open bottom floors
VIII) Artificial swarming + organic acids/aromatherapy
treatment
IX) Use of physical methods like:
HYPERTHERMIA (HEAT); a short but high temperature
exposure (about 400C), applied several times will kill most
of the varroas, but also many viruses and bacteria + will
activate better the bee's immune system.
X) Use of paraffin oil, in external treatment.
XI) Genetical breeding
XII) Combination of all above methods...
This topic related to alternative treatments is
extremely complex.
I would be very happy to see in our future
discussions related to this subject more flexibility,
friendship and desire to cooperate together (why not?) with
biologists, biochemists, geneticians from big Universities.
Only together we can find the best answers!
Kind regards,
Stefan Stangaciu, MD, LAcup.
Constanta, Romania
[log in to unmask]
www.sci.fi/~apither
www.beesting.com
PS If you are interested I can send you some references on
alternative treatments against varroa and other bee
diseases.
Ideally will be to start yourself, with curiosity,
energy and open mind the search for scientific literature
related to alternative treatments.
GOOD LUCK!!!
|