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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Christine Gray <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 22 May 2003 07:56:00 +0100
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Tim Vaughan queried the logic when I said : "If you treat only when needed,
there should be no re-infestation if all
hives are regularly monitored."   I admit I still feel confused on the best
long-term treatment for Varooa, even after all the research tha has been
published , and would welcome  expert contributions on the issue that
"whilst regular prophelactic treatment of all hives in an apiary once or
even twice a year is the most effective means of control, it is apparently
inevitable that resistance will develop  from so much exposure to one
chemical unless a wholy different means of control is used at intervals to
kill off mites that are on the way to developing resistance".
To give my best answer to Tim's particular question,    >How is monotoring
the hives going to keep the drones from flying back and forth?<   of course
it isn't.  However, personally I assume at present that whilst drifting
drones carry enough Varooa to infect a previously clean area, drones
represent so small a proportion of all bees that drifting does not have much
effect on re-distributing mites within an infected apiary.  The main cause
of mite transfer comes when social cohesion within a colony starts to weaken
due to an excessive mite infestation, - on the way to total colony collapse.
So if u an avoid letting any single colony go too far - by monitoring every
hive - reinfestation of treated hives by untreated ones with only small mite
populations should not be a problem. But could Max Watkins or others
comment?
In Tim's case, hives are apparently only 2 feet apart.  That does seem to
run risk of increased drifting.  Colonies distribute themselves about 1/2 a
mile apart in nature, so bees may not have evolved such precise orientation
skills as to avoid drifting 2 feet by young bees. Bees seem to use geography
to get close to the nest entrance, then switch to scent - it is common lore
u can move a hive 2 feet without losing bees.  Similar scents from closely
related bees may be confusing.   I keep my hives 6 feet apart.

Robin Dartington

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