At 02:57 PM 6/6/96 +0000, you wrote: >Bruce Kemp wrote: > >> I'm new to the list. There seems to be quite a few of us. I have >> been into bees for a year now and live in Virginia in the USA. I >> understand there is quite a varroa mite problem here they carry a >> virus that has wiped out most of the hives around here... >> >> So to summarize my questions: >> >> 1. Is the virus wide-spread? >> 2. Do other things cause the virus besides varroa? >> 3. What are patties? >> 4. What to do about tracheal mites? >> ... > >Ted Fischer responded: > >> 1) I don't believe that the question is settled as to whether or not >> the varroa mites carry a virus or they themselves cause all the >> destructive effects we're seeing in infested colonies... >> >> 2) Virus or not, these effects are seen only in varroa infested >> colonies. >> >> 3) Patties are made of vegetable shortening and sugar, and were >> originally made as a vehicle for the introduction of terramycin >> into the colony for foulbrood prevention, since terramycin breaks >> down easily except in the presence of fats. It was subsequently >> noticed that tracheal mite populations were diminished in hives >> containing these patties, and that the control patties without the >> terramycin had the same value in limiting tracheal mites. >> >> 4) The easiest way to control tracheal mites, therefore, is to put >> patties in the hive after the supers are removed. This will >> control both foulbrood diseases as well as tracheal mites. The >> mites are mainly a problem in the fall, when they build up and >> adversely affect the winter bees. Putting patties in the hives at >> this time of year is by far the best thing to do for tracheal >> mites. Patties are commercially available (Terrapatties) or you >> can make your own (a 3 lb can of shortening blended with 5 lbs of >> sugar and a small packet of Terramycin (TM25)).... >> >> Ted Fischer > >Now, Aaron Morris adds way more than 2 cents worth, with apologies >in advance to those who have read it already. > >At the risk of wasting bandwidth to repost recent information from >this forum and sci.agriculture.bees, I'm posting the following excerpt >from the May issue of the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association >newsletter (which I author and shamelessly steal from both electronic >forums information that may be of value to beekeepers who aren't >connected). The points I want to get across are 1) mites as a vector >in spreading viruses and 2) the possibility that grease patties >(vegetable oil and sugar with no other medications) may be a deterrent >to tracheal mites and such patties (with no other medications) may be an >appropriate treatment throughout the honey producing season. Please >note these are not my original ideas, speculation abounds, and the bee >scientists readily admit that they too do not have definitive answers to >the whys and wherefores behind these issues. > >As Rod Serling would say, "Submitted for your approval..." > > >-----------------< > This was posted to the list on May 1st this year Approved-By: Joseph Cooper <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wed, 1 May 96 17:08:16 +0000 List readers who want to follow up on Allen Dick's recent posting as to the use of grease in the control of tracheal mites may want to look at: Diana Sammataro, Susan Cobey, Brian H. Smith and Glen R. Needham, "Controlling Tracheal Mites..In Honey Bees..With Vegetable Oil," _J of Economic Entomology_, 87, (4): 910-16 (1994). The abstract reads in part: "Field experiments ...between 1991 and 1993 demonstrated that treating colonies of honey bees...continuously with vegetable oil depressed populations of tracheal mites....Oil patties were made from a combination of solid vegetable oil (shortening) and white sugar, with or without the addition of [Terramycin]." References cited in this article include at least two other directly relevant papers. ********************** Joseph Cooper [log in to unmask] I recently read that DR Deleplane co-authored a paper concerning the use of grease patties for "T" mite control in summer. He recommends a mixing 2 parts Crisco or other vegetable shortening to 1 part powdered sugar. Press into patties between waxed paper and insert over the brood nest. Make sure that the shortening is 100% vegatable oil and not animal fat. Measurements are by weight. Granulated sugar can also be used if you prefer. I will try to get a copy of the article and post it to the list. Also if possible I will try to get a cop of the paper at the seminar next week and post it to the list Frank Humphrey [log in to unmask] Franklin D. Humphrey Sr. [log in to unmask]