FYI, from Pubmed.

VARROOSIS, BEE - INDIA: (KASHMIR)
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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases

Date: Sat 3 Nov 2007
Source: Etala'at News Service [edited]



Varroa mite infection of bee colonies has strongly reduced honey production 
in Kashmir valley. The department has recorded 45 metric tons of honey 
production this year [2007] compared to last year's 30 metric tons. "This 
production is negligible when we compare it with 400 metric tons of honey 
some 8 years before," said apiculture development officer Mehraj-u Din.

"Due to the mite disease, there has been a 72 per cent decrease in honey 
production in the valley, while almost 90 per cent of the bee colonies have 
perished," said an apiculture development officer. Out of 40 000 bee 
colonies registered with the department of agriculture Kashmir, more than 
half of the colonies have perished because of the mite disease. The 
officials in the apiculture wing of the agriculture department said that 
varroa mite attack has dealt the biggest blow ever to the apiculture 
industry in the state.

The field officials of the apiculture department said that the disease in 
the valley might have been brought by the bee hive keepers from outside the 
state, as most of the beekeepers migrate with their hives to Punjab and 
other adjoining states during winter. "Some bee hive keepers from Kashmir 
go with their bee hives to Punjab and other states during winter to 
increase honey production. We suspect the disease might have come from 
there," said a field officer, Ghulam Mohammad, from Kulgam. [map at 
]

At present, there are only 10 064 bee colonies in the private sector 
registered with Kashmir's agriculture department; there were 11 375 
colonies registered last year [2006]. In addition, the agriculture 
department has 164 bee colonies of its own.

According to farmers, the disease was reported 1st in valley in 2003, but 
until now, the concerned department has not come up with any specific cure 
against the disease. As the disease shows no sign of cessation, the 
agriculture department has began to prescribe formic acid fumes and sulfur 
powder for this disease, but the farmers don't seem to be convinced of 
these as a remedial measure.

Seriously concerned about the loss caused by the mite to honey production, 
the scientists at the Sheri Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences 
(SKUAST), Shalimar Srinagar said that the university is keenly studying the 
disease and hope to find the cure soon. "The loss due to the disease is not 
the same as it was in the beginning. We have taken up certain projects 
including "fall the strip" and "sulfur fumigation" to work out the measures 
to check this disease," said A.R. Wani, a scientist in the agriculture 
university who is working on these projects.

-- 
communicated by:
ProMED-mail 

[Varroosis is a worldwide distributed bee disease, caused by the mite 
_Varroa destructor_ (formerly _Varroa jacobsoni_), a parasite of adult bees 
and their brood. It penetrates the intersegmental skin between the 
abdominal sclera of adult bees to ingest haemolymph. It can sometimes be 
found between the head and thorax. The number of parasites steadily 
increases with increasing brood activity and the growth of the bee 
population, especially late in the season when clinical signs of 
infestation can 1st be recognized. The life span of the mite depends on 
temperature and humidity, but, in practice, it can be said to last from 
some days to a few months.

Varroosis is reportable to the OIE; for its global distribution (2004), see 
.

For additional information, subscribers are referred to chapter 2.9.5., 
"Varroosis," in OIE's Manual for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for 
Terrestrial Animals at .
- Mod.AS]

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