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Date: | Tue, 28 Oct 1997 20:17:24 +0100 |
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Hi Garth! I got really happy to get your answer of one of my question although
maybe my questions seem to be very ignorant and unwise. I just got some
thougts, that perhaps there are something going on somewhere to find new and
promising approaches to the varroa problem. Research that I have yet only heard
very little of. Thanks so much for taking your time! I hope others will be
inspired to participate too. Have a fine day! Torbjorn * Svar på meddelande i
"BEE-L.INT"
G> From: Garth <[log in to unmask]>
G> Organization: Rhodes University South Africa
G> Subject: Re: cell size discuussion
>> From: Torbjorn Schultz <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: varroa questions
>>
>> Hi Garth, Perhaps you can help me with some of my questions,
>> which I sent=
>> away to the conference a few days ago?
>> Do yu know of any promising research and results according:
>> methods to use feromons to trap and reduce the varroa mites?
>> methods to use "natural enemies" and diseases against the
>> mites? breeding varroa resistent bees?
G> Hi Torbjorn and All
G> I actually know very little about varroa, but posted some
G> stuff about cell size in reponse to a post by David Eyre from
G> Ontario. He mentioned that some research has been done in
G> Arizona keeping European honey bees in african dimension
G> honeycombs (smaller cell size).
G> A nuumber of interesting replies have come back so far,
G> including one by Dr Rodriguez who has done much research on
G> varroa and observed the mites in action. He mentions that the
G> main time of infection is when infected bees enter cells to
G> provision. He also mentioned that he does not see any merit in
G> the system with present information, but that further info
G> would be interesting - does anybody have access to this info?
G> Today David Eyre (sorry if I spelt this wrong - I am using an old
G> copy of pegasus as today so cannot check spelling from Bee-L)
G> mentioned he was surprised that the brood cycle could be
G> speeded up by decreasing cell size and that he had thought
G> this would be under genetic control.
G> So as far as I uunderstand it, the size of a bee is due to the
G> amount of provisions (excuse grammar there) a bee cell can
G> contain. Hence a larger cell will contain more provisions
G> hence the fact it will produce a larger bee. I think the size
G> of the genome of all bees is the same, which means that each
G> cell division takes roughly the same time for all bees, so
G> hence a big bee has more cells so it must stay in the cell for
G> longer. This statement is neatly suported by the speed at
G> which drones grow. (is it 11 or 14 days? Can't remember) but a
G> drone has half the genetic material, therefore it can have
G> it's cells diividing really fast to produce a big animal.
G> Likewise a queen which is the same size, but has twice the
G> genetic code (diploid) takes a few days longer to get that
G> big.
G> On the topic of little helpers in the hives eating the mites,
G> I have a personal theory that the reason that varroa is not a
G> problem in africa is because of all the little symbionts found
G> in the hives. I have no background to make such a statement,
G> except that I know varroa has been found in south africa and
G> that hives that I have that have a large population of bee
G> lice also have a high population of hive pseudoscorpions.
G> (closes thing in shape to varroa that I have seen)Pictures of
G> these pseudoscorpions will be put on my web page. They are
G> really cute little creatures wiith huge pincers. The first
G> time I saw them I though my hives had ticks - but a kind word
G> from somebody that knew told me they were hive
G> pseudoscorpions, that apparently do nothing in the hives. That
G> does not explain why my healthiest hives have in excess of a
G> hundred of these in the bottom, and why putting a little patch
G> of sand in the bottom of a weak hive and some of the scorpions
G> seems to improve it's health. (Maybe the fact I like the
G> pseudoscorpions is because of my birthdate in early november
G> or maybe because of observer bias, ormaybe there is something
G> in it?)
G> Anyhow, that is what I know.
G> Keep well
G> Garth
G> ---
G> Garth Cambray Kamdini Apiaries
G> 15 Park Road Apis melifera capensis
G> Grahamstown 800mm annual precipitation
G> 6139
G> Eastern Cape
G> South Africa Phone 27-0461-311663
G> 3rd year Biochemistry/Microbiology Rhodes University
G> In general, generalisations are bad.
G> Interests: Flii's and Bees.
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