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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 5 Sep 2012 08:11:08 -0400
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The mechanism by which the Varroa jacobsoni
mite causes the Apis mellifera colony to collapse
is still not understood. Some apparently
healthy colonies are able to support large mite
populations while others containing a much lower
mite population collapse.

Stephen Martin, et al
Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK
Apidologie 29 (1998)

* * *

Bee Parasitic Mite Syndrome (BPMS)

First reported when bee colonies were stressed by varroa mites, the name BPMS or PMS was given (189) to explain why colonies infested with both HBTM and varroa were not thriving. BPMS may be related to both mites vectoring a virus, such as acute paralysis virus (106, 108). The symptoms, which can be present any time of the year, include the presence of mites, the presence of various brood diseases with symptoms similar to that of the foulbroods and sacbrood but without any predominant pathogen, American foulbrood-like symptoms, spotty brood pat- tern, increased supersedure of queens, bees crawling on the ground, and a lowered adult bee population. Although BPMS remains an enigma, feeding colonies Terramycin (antibiotic) syrup or patties and pollen supplements and using resistant bee stock have shown promise in keeping bees alive.

Diana Sammataro, et al
Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2000. 45:519–548

* * *

The ectoparasitic mite V. destructor impairs both brood and
adult bees causing a non-uniform disease pattern called
varroosis or parasitic mite syndrome and including a
specific form of brood damage termed "snotty brood"
(Shimanuki et al. 1994). The symptoms of varroosis are
dependent on the rate of mite infestation of a given colony
and on viral infections vectored to individual bees by the
parasitizing mites

Honey bee pathology: current threats to honey bees and beekeeping
Elke Genersch
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol (2010) 87:87–97

* * *

Interestingly, there is no scientific definition of PMS, only references to the articles in the ABJ by Shimanuki and Calderone. 

van Engelsdorp et al have suggested the term Idiopathic Brood Disease, because the actual cause is not known. 

Mites, etc. are regarded as symptom, not cause. In other words, mites may be present but do not directly cause the disease.

PLB

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