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Date: | Thu, 4 Mar 2021 11:52:49 -0500 |
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Hi all
I think there are a lot of misconceptions regarding air flow inside the honey bee colony. Most of what I see written about this and also heat conservation in bee colonies -- appears based on preconceptions and not on observations. On the other hand, such observations as have been made often do not support these preconceptions at all. For example, in trials of formic acid vapor to control tracheal mites, this:
The domestic colonies receiving a single application of BFA [Beltsville Formic Acid]
and having screen bottom boards had an even smaller prevalence
of mites in October (about 1/5) and January (about 1/2) when compared
to similar untreated colonies. The screen bottom boards
themselves had no apparent influence on mite numbers. However,
the combination of screen bottom boards and BFA brought the
prevalence of mites to an average below the economic threshold
for six months. The presence of a screen bottom board enhanced
the effectiveness of the BFA treatment in some unknown manner,
perhaps by facilitating a good dispersal of formic acid vapors
throughout the hive. This result is contrary to the intuitive expectation
that the large screen bottom board would be expected to
cause a rapid reduction in the concentration of formic acid vapor
to ineffective levels.
ΒΆ
note: "This result is contrary to the intuitive expectation." That's what I am saying. Expectations based on "intuition" do not apply in this case. Probably best to leave intuition at the door, since few of us have spent any time *inside* a bee hive.
PLB
An Evaluation of Far-eastern Russian Honey Bees and Other Methods for the Control of Tracheal Mites
by LILIA I. DE GUZMAN, THOMAS E. RINDERER, GARY T. DELATTE, J. ANTHONY STELZER, LORRAINE BEAMAN and CHARLIE HARPER. October 2001. American Bee Journal
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