AIA Resolutions Committee, revised 2023
The apiary inspectors are concerned about the possible importation of harmful subspecies of honey bees (example, Apis mellifera scutellata aka Africanized bees) and new pathogens, pests, parasites, and germplasm (example, Tropilaelaps mite and invasive Vespa spp.). The direct importation of other undesirable species of insects such as the Northern Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) could increase stinging incidents and other burdens, such as hive slaughter events, on honey bee hives in the United States.
* The phrase "hive slaughter events" is new to me. It can be traced back to a 1973 report from Japan
Matsuura, M., & Sakagami, S. F. (1973). A bionomic sketch of the giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, a serious pest for Japanese apiculture (With 12 Text-figures and 5 Tables). 北海道大學理學部紀要, 19(1), 125-162.
The attack by V. mandarinia is divided into three successive phases, hunting, slaughter and occupation. However, why V. mandarinia does not visit apiaries until August is still unsolved. It may have some preferred prey which decrease in late summer, or some quantitative change of protein requirement may appear in parallel with the start of rearing sexuals.
Control methods of hornets in Japan are classified into: 1) Beating to death, 2) Removal of hornet nests, 3) Bait trapping, 4) Mass poisoning, 5) Trapping at hive entrances, 6) Protective screen. Most of these devices have been invented by beekeepers not in governmental institutes. The beating to death of hornets visiting apiaries is the method practiced since the beginning of the modern apiculture using A. mellifera, and is still widespread in Japan.
PLB
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|