At 02:57 PM 6/6/96 +0000, you wrote:
>Bruce Kemp wrote:
>
>> I'm new to the list. There seems to be quite a few of us. I have
>> been into bees for a year now and live in Virginia in the USA. I
>> understand there is quite a varroa mite problem here they carry a
>> virus that has wiped out most of the hives around here...
>>
>> So to summarize my questions:
>>
>> 1. Is the virus wide-spread?
>> 2. Do other things cause the virus besides varroa?
>> 3. What are patties?
>> 4. What to do about tracheal mites?
>> ...
>
>Ted Fischer responded:
>
>> 1) I don't believe that the question is settled as to whether or not
>> the varroa mites carry a virus or they themselves cause all the
>> destructive effects we're seeing in infested colonies...
>>
>> 2) Virus or not, these effects are seen only in varroa infested
>> colonies.
>>
>> 3) Patties are made of vegetable shortening and sugar, and were
>> originally made as a vehicle for the introduction of terramycin
>> into the colony for foulbrood prevention, since terramycin breaks
>> down easily except in the presence of fats. It was subsequently
>> noticed that tracheal mite populations were diminished in hives
>> containing these patties, and that the control patties without the
>> terramycin had the same value in limiting tracheal mites.
>>
>> 4) The easiest way to control tracheal mites, therefore, is to put
>> patties in the hive after the supers are removed. This will
>> control both foulbrood diseases as well as tracheal mites. The
>> mites are mainly a problem in the fall, when they build up and
>> adversely affect the winter bees. Putting patties in the hives at
>> this time of year is by far the best thing to do for tracheal
>> mites. Patties are commercially available (Terrapatties) or you
>> can make your own (a 3 lb can of shortening blended with 5 lbs of
>> sugar and a small packet of Terramycin (TM25))....
>>
>> Ted Fischer
>
>Now, Aaron Morris adds way more than 2 cents worth, with apologies
>in advance to those who have read it already.
>
>At the risk of wasting bandwidth to repost recent information from
>this forum and sci.agriculture.bees, I'm posting the following excerpt
>from the May issue of the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association
>newsletter (which I author and shamelessly steal from both electronic
>forums information that may be of value to beekeepers who aren't
>connected). The points I want to get across are 1) mites as a vector
>in spreading viruses and 2) the possibility that grease patties
>(vegetable oil and sugar with no other medications) may be a deterrent
>to tracheal mites and such patties (with no other medications) may be an
>appropriate treatment throughout the honey producing season. Please
>note these are not my original ideas, speculation abounds, and the bee
>scientists readily admit that they too do not have definitive answers to
>the whys and wherefores behind these issues.
>
>As Rod Serling would say, "Submitted for your approval..."
>
> >-----------------<
>
This was posted to the list on May 1st this year
Approved-By: Joseph Cooper <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 1 May 96 17:08:16 +0000
List readers who want to follow up on Allen Dick's recent posting as to the
use of grease in the control of tracheal mites may want to look at:
Diana Sammataro, Susan Cobey, Brian H. Smith and Glen R. Needham,
"Controlling Tracheal Mites..In Honey Bees..With Vegetable Oil," _J of
Economic Entomology_, 87, (4): 910-16 (1994).
The abstract reads in part:
"Field experiments ...between 1991 and 1993 demonstrated that treating
colonies of honey bees...continuously with vegetable oil depressed
populations of tracheal mites....Oil patties were made from a combination of
solid vegetable oil (shortening) and white sugar, with or without the
addition of [Terramycin]."
References cited in this article include at least two other directly
relevant papers.
**********************
Joseph Cooper
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I recently read that DR Deleplane co-authored a paper concerning the use of
grease patties for "T" mite control in summer. He recommends a mixing 2
parts Crisco or other vegetable shortening to 1 part powdered sugar. Press
into patties between waxed paper and insert over the brood nest. Make sure
that the shortening is 100% vegatable oil and not animal fat. Measurements
are by weight. Granulated sugar can also be used if you prefer.
I will try to get a copy of the article and post it to the list. Also if
possible I will try to get a cop of the paper at the seminar next week and
post it to the list
Frank Humphrey
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Franklin D. Humphrey Sr.
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