Bee Health Flashcards

1
Q

What is the main objective of good apiary hygiene? 2

A
  1. To prevent the spread of disease and keep bees healthy - even low levels can make bees more suseptible to other diseases
  2. To prevent the contamination of honey
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2
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Acronym

Reco: learn the acronym first to give you the shape of the full answer, then the sub answers

A

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  1. Bee management
  2. Apiary management
  3. Comb replacement
  4. Kit cleaning
  5. Personal equipment
  6. Feeding precautions
  7. Robbing prevention
  8. Quarantine practice
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3
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer Bees management 3

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A

BEES management

  1. Quarantine swarms until known to be disease free.
  2. If colony a dies unexpectedly, seal to prevent robbing
  3. Regularly monitor for varroa, which carry pathogen
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4
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer apiary management 5

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A

APIARY management

  1. Give colonies enough space which also reduces stress which can make bees more susceptible to disease
  2. Arrange hives randomly and paint entrances different colours to reduce drifting
  3. Keep apiary clean and tidy so never leave old comb/equipment about
  4. Keep kit store shut up to prevent bees crawling over kit.
  5. Store supers over a QE to keep out mice, prevent mould and allow spiders to control wax moth
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5
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer comb replacement 7

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A

COMB replacement

  1. Never put supers on the ground - botulism
  2. Put brace comb and propolis in container and remove
  3. Replace brood comb at least every 3 years
  4. Dispose of old comb quickly
  5. Never exchange comb/brood/super frames between colonies unless you know they are free from disease
  6. Never buy old combs/use second hand combs
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6
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene 4+4 supplementaries

Long answer Kit cleaning

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A

KIT cleaning

  1. Avoid inspection cloths as these can harbour disease
  2. Clean all kit before reuse
  3. Thoroughly disinfect second hand kit
  4. Kill pathogens by
    1. Scraping and scorching old boxes
    2. Boiling frames in washing soda solution
    3. Freezing old combs
    4. Fumigating DRY combs with 80% acetic acid/
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7
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer Personal equipment 5

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A

PERSONAL equipment

  1. Use disposable gloves
  2. Keep bucket w lid soda 1kg/5l to rinse marigolds and tools between inspections
  3. Clean smokers and bellows regularly in washing soda
  4. Wash suit, veil etc with 1/2 cup washing soda after each apiary inspection
  5. Wash boots after hive visit
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8
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer Feeding precautions 5+4 supplementaries

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A

FEEDING precautions

  1. Reduce robbing by feeding
    1. in the evenings after they’ve stopped flying
    2. all colonies in apiary at the same time
    3. nucs after 48 hours, after flying bees have left
    4. avoiding spillages – wash away with water
  2. Never make up syrup with brown sugar as is causes diarrhoea
  3. Wait 48 hours to feed swarms so they consume all their stores in making comb and store none
  4. Don’t feed syrup too late in the year when it is too cold to ripen and cap it, resulting in fermentation.
  5. Feed in the right concentration: 1lb:1pint for immediate use; 2lb:1pint when laying down stores.
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9
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer Robbing prevention 8

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A

ROBBING prevention

  1. Keep kit well maintained and bee-tight
  2. Open hives for minimum time and keep cover boards over supers while inspecting brood.
  3. Feed all colonies in the apiary in the evening after they have finished flying
  4. Avoid spillages and leaky feeders. Dilute spilt feed with water immediately
  5. Never let honey drop from supers without cleaning it up
  6. Return wet supers in the evening and not leave supers/frames out for cleaning
  7. Leave a freshly made up nuc 48 hours minimum so fliers to leave before feeding (Hooper says 6 days).
  8. Reduce entrance to one bee space if necessary
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10
Q

List the good management practices that support good apiary hygiene

Long answer Quarantine practice

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A
  1. Colony quarantine
    1. Avoid moving combs/bees/equipment from one colony to another
    2. Mark super frames and boxes and return to same colony after extraction
    3. Return wet supers to original colony
  2. Apiary quarantine
    1. Avoid moving combs/bees/equipment between apiaries
  3. Isolation apiaries
    1. Move all known infected colonies and those though to be at risk to an single colony under licence from NBI
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11
Q

Describe briefly a method for dealing with old brood boxes and frames which have been removed. 4

A
  1. All scrapings must be collected and burnt
  2. Flame/scorch inside the box with a blowtorch, paying close attention to crevices and corners
  3. Frames. if in good condition, cut out wax and burn it, scrape and scrub frames in hot soda solution - 1kg soda/ 5l water - rinse and dry, OR steam.
  4. DO NOT flame frames - fire risk
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12
Q

How to clean polystyrene brood box 4

A
  1. Scrape off any excess wax or propolis
  2. Soak the whole hive in washing soda solution (1kg to 5 litres of water) with a dash of washing up liquid. Scrub clean using marigolds and PPE.
  3. Sterilise with bleach.
  4. Rinse and air dry
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13
Q

How to clean other kit etc queen excluders 2

A
  1. Scrape and scorch or steam wire excluders
  2. Freeze and scrape plastic excluders
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14
Q

Define drifting 1

A

Drifting is when bees which leave one colony and join another

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15
Q

What are the dangers of drifting 5

A
  1. Spread of disease
  2. Weakens colonies that loose significant numbers of bees this way
  3. Potential overcrowding in recipient colony
  4. Conducive to robbing
  5. Queen loss when flying for mating
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16
Q

Drifting prevention tips 3+4 supplementaries

A
  1. Space hives at least 3’ apart so the wind does not gust them into the wrong entrance
  2. If two hives on a stand, point them in different directions
  3. Make it easy for bees to find their own entrances. EG
    1. Entrance colours
    2. Discreet landmarks
    3. Avoid repeated patterns
    4. Arrange hives in a circle with colonies facing outwards
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17
Q

Robbing prevention 8

A
  1. Keep kit well maintained and bee-tight
  2. Open hives for minimum time and keep cover boards over supers while inspecting brood.
  3. Feed all colonies in the apiary in the evening after bees have finished flying
  4. Avoid spillages and leaky feeders. Dilute spilt feed with water immediately
  5. Never let honey drop from supers without cleaning it up
  6. Return wet supers in the evening and do not leave supers/frames out for cleaning
  7. Leave a freshly made up nuc 48 hours minimum so fliers to leave before feeding (Hooper says 6 days).
  8. Reduce entrance to one bee space if necessary
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18
Q

Once robbing has started, what to do 6+3

A
  1. If wasps are about, put out wasp traps. Seek and destroy wasp nest.
  2. Reduce entrance size
    1. Close holes/gaps with foam
    2. Close down to 1 bee space with a block of wood
    3. Temporarily stuff entrance with green grass
  3. Close off OMF to reduce smells
  4. Create a tunnel entrance by placing a piece of pipe about two inches long at the entrance to help guards
  5. Put a board/piece of glass in front of entrance to confuse robbers
  6. Move colony being robbed away 3 miles but leave a comb with a small amount of honey for robbers. They will think they have finished. If a hive is robbed out, leave it in position. Moving it will cause bees to seek out other nearby hives to attack.
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19
Q

What are the possible consequences of robbing 4

A
  1. Spreading disease
  2. Loss of bees through fights to death
  3. Starvation
  4. Nasty, aggressive bees
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20
Q

When is robbing is likely to be a problem 3

A
  1. Late July/August
  2. Cessation of a major honey flow
  3. When supers are removed
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21
Q

How often should you change comb 1

A

Ideally every two years. At least every three years

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22
Q

Why replace comb 8

A
  1. Build up of pathogens in wax
  2. Wax impregnated with chemicals from varroa treatment, which could cause resistance in varroa
  3. Wax can retain insecticides from environment
  4. Curtails moth infestation (feed on pupae skins)
  5. Cells get smaller with layers of propolis
  6. Makes morecomb available for brood rearing.
  7. Excessive amounts of or inconveniently placed drone comb
  8. Drawing new comb helps in preventing swarming (young bees are busy drawing out foundation)
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23
Q

Give three methods of replacing comb 3

A
  1. Gradual replacement
  2. Bailey comb change
  3. Shook swarm
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24
Q

How do you replace frames gradually? 4

A
  1. Aim to replace 4 frames a year
  2. During the year move older comb to edge of box and add new foundation to outside of brood nest.
  3. Do not break up brood nest.
  4. Cut out and burn old comb. Boil frames in washing soda and reuse.
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25
Q

Describe a method of changing a complete box of frames for a strong colony keeping brood 6 with supplementaries

A
  1. Bailey Frame Change for STRONG colony
    1. The bees are moved onto clean comb over 28 days
    2. Pro. None of the brood is lost.
    3. Con. Nurse bees continue walk on dirty comb
    4. Do in spring, when colony expanding (adapt for a weak/nosema colony)
  2. Week 1.
    1. Place a new brood box clean foundation over existing brood box giving queen access to both boxes.
    2. Supers above queen excluder as normal.
    3. Do NOT feed through supers. If no flow, clear and remove supers, and feed the bees 1:1 syrup.
  3. Week 2.
    1. Ensure queen is in upper brood box and laying; if not, move her up her frame and put her in the middle of the clean box.
    2. Between the two brood boxes place a second queen excluder, then an eke with an entrance facing the same way, confining queen to clean brood box.
    3. Close the lower entrance with foam and tape.
    4. The foragers will return through the top entrance.
    5. Only the nurse bees to walk on the dirty comb.
  4. Week 3. Check the lower brood box for queen cells and remove them all.
  5. Week 4. Remove old brood box (everything should have emerged), shaking out bees out into clean brood box, give the hive a new floor, add supers as necessary and close up.
  6. Cut out and burn old comb. Steam brood box, empty frames, queen excluder and eke.
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26
Q

A colony fails to build up in the spring and severe Nosema is confirmed. What remedial action should be taken by the beekeeper to return this colony to good health. 10

A

Clean combs are essential. With a weak colony, perform an ADAPTED Bailey frame change as follows:

  1. Remove unoccupied peripheral brood combs without disturbing the brood nest.
  2. Remove the frame with the queen (leaving, let’s say, 3 frames of brood). Insert dummy boards tight to each side of remaining frames
  3. Place queen excluder, eke with entrance over old box,
  4. Place clean brood box with Queen on her frame + 2 drawn combs right above brood frames below.
  5. Pack with dummy boards close up and contain warmth.
  6. Close the bottom entrance and feed in a contact feeder in small quantities to draw out comb
  7. As soon as Queen moves off the dirty frame in the new box, move it down below and replace with another frame of drawn comb.
  8. Build up frames gradually
  9. As the bees emerge from dirty box, remove empty brood frames and close up with dummy boards.
  10. After 21 days remove whole dirty box, eke and queen excluder. Place clean box on clean OMF
  11. Cut out and burn the old comb. Scorch the queen excluder and dirty brood box. Boil the old brood frames in washing soda solution 1kg:5l.
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27
Q

Describe a method of changing a complete box of frames immediately. You can lose the brood 13

A
  1. Shook swarm on a STRONG colony
    1. The whole colony is shaken from dirty combs onto fresh foundation in a clean hive. The brood is sacrificed, along with any varroa in cells.
    2. Only suitable for strong colonies. Not on a colony with nosema
    3. Do in late spring/early summer so bees have time to draw out comb, forage and prepare for winter.
    4. Pro: Colony gets a dramatic boost: many diseases, inc EFB, chalk brood and varroa in cells are cleaned out.
    5. Con: You lose all the brood
  2. Move old hive to one side and place clean floor on original site with a QE on top to prevent the queen absconding until there is brood. Add a clean brood box with fresh foundation. Remove 3-4 frames.
  3. In old box, find the queen, cage her and keep her safe.
  4. Remove each frame in turn, and shake it sharply into gap to dislodge the bees, brushing all bees off with a handful of grass.
  5. Place empty frames in a spare box and cover to prevent flying bees landing on them.
  6. Knock any bees in the original box, floor and cover into the clean box.
  7. Replace empty frames very gently to avoid squishing bees.
  8. Release the queen into the colony via the top bars and cover with a crown board
  9. Add a rapid feeder in the eke with 1:1 sugar syrup to help the bees draw out the foundation.
  10. Replace the roof.
  11. When the queen has started laying, remove the QE from the bottom
  12. Continue to feed as necessary until most of foundation is drawn.
  13. Consider varroa treatment.
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28
Q

Describe healthy brood 8

A
  1. Concentric circeles of brood of the same age
  2. Single eggs laid in base of cell
  3. Pearly white, C-shaped, segmented larvae lying in a bed of milky brood food
  4. Larvae of same age/size together
  5. Biscuits colour, dry, slightly convex, cappings without perforations
  6. Even brood pattern (wall to wall apart from wires), few empty cells
  7. Ring of stored pollen around brood
  8. Signs of stored honey above pollen and brood
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29
Q

How to inspect frames for health 5

A
  1. Take a spare cover board and matchsticks
  2. Placd supers over upturned roof with cover board
  3. Cover open brood with dummy board
  4. If see Queen, cage her and keep her safe.
  5. Identify what is on frame – stores/brood/both
  6. Remove outside frames of stores from box; glance at it for deformed bees (eg deformed wing virus) or stunted drones (drone layer).
  7. Shake bees off brood into gap - to NOT bang box
  8. Know what healthy brood looks like, and identify anything that does not conform to this
  9. Hold frame at an angle to see scales.
  10. Any pepper pot appearance -> suspicious -> examine for scale
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30
Q

Name the import regulations 1

A

The Trade in Animals and related Products Regulations 2011

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31
Q

Who should beekeepers legally inform if they suspect their colonies have foul brood 1

A

The National Bee Unit via the Regional Bee Inspector

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32
Q

Other than EU, what countries can you import bees from and why 4

What does EU include? 1

A
  1. Countries where AFB, tropilaelaps and SHB are notifiable diseases and pests and there is an inspectorate to supervise
  2. New Zealand
  3. Australia
  4. Argentina

EU includes IoMan and Channel Islands

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33
Q

What is the full name of the law controlling foul brood diseases and exotic pests. 1

A

Bee Diseases and Pests Control (England) Order 2006 amended 2010

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34
Q

If AFB/EFB is suspected/diagnosed - law involved and main actions 8

A
  1. Notifiable disease under Bee Diseases & Pests Control Order (England) 2006
  2. Notify The Animal and Plant Agency’s National Bee Unit if suspicious and follow their instructions precisely.
  3. Place apiary and kit under self-imposed standstill
    1. Bee inspector will
    2. Inspect visually
    3. Use lateral flow device
  4. Later confirm test in laboratory
  5. Diagnosis -> Standstill order confirmed by RBI until lifted in writing by RBI
  6. AFB: Colony destruction by RBI
  7. EFB: Colony destruction/antibiotics/shook swarm at discretion of RBI
  8. Beekeeper MAY NOT administer antibiotics
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35
Q

Outline the key points of the Trade in Animals Regulations 2011 - import from EU 9

A
  1. Queens +up to 20 attendants from EU, NZ, Australia, Argentina
  2. Packages from NZ + EU only
  3. Apiary must be at least 100km from SHB/tropilaelaps infected area
  4. From hives tested for AFB in the last 30 days
  5. In a AFB-free area/30 days since prohibition and all hives within 3km confirmed free of AFB
  6. New packaging, cages and food inspected immediately prior to despatch and free from contact with disease/pests
  7. Accompanied by a completed, signed health certificate valid for 10 days, which the consignee must keep for three years.
  8. Health certificate must have a unique number and be completed and signed by an authorised person
  9. Notify the NBU 24 hours in advance via Import Notification button on Bee Base
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36
Q

Outline the key points of the Trade in Animals Regulations 2011 - import from third country 8

A
  1. IMPORTATION from 3rd country ie non EU): Bees must come in through an approved Border Inspection Post at Manchester, Gatwick or Heathrow airport
  2. Give BIP one working day’s notice
  3. From apiary is supervised and controlled by a competent authority
  4. When consignment unloaded, consignee must present it + documents to BIP to inspect.
  5. The BIP will issue a Common Veterinary Entry Document if bees healthy; they will keep the health certificate.
  6. If bees fail to get a CVED, consignee will be served notice to isolate and slaughter the bees according instructions in the notice.
  7. Tx queens into new cages before introduction
  8. Send attendant bees and packaging to NBU within 5 workings days in breathable containers
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37
Q

Describe colony destruction and clean up AFB/EFB 9

A
  1. Seal all openings except entrance which is reduced to 50mm
  2. Place gauze over feed holes.
  3. After dark, block entrance securely
  4. Pour in 1/2 pint of petrol through feed hole and leave for 10 mins.
  5. Dig 1m3 hole and burn all bees, frames, combs and quilts.
  6. Scrape hive parts free of and then burn wax and propolis
  7. Scorch hive with blow torch especially corners
  8. Disinfect all appliances, tools and clothes in 1/2kg washing soda, 1/4kg bleaching powder, 4.5l of hot water, rinse and dry
  9. Get certificate of destruction for BDI claim.
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38
Q

Describe the actions of a bee inspector in an apiary after diagnosing AFB (or EFB). 7

A
  1. Upon diagnosing either foul brood disease, the inspector will issue a standstill notice prohibiting the removal of any hives, bees or equipment from the apiary, which the beekeeper signs.
  2. The inspector will also serve a notice to the beekeeper requiring the treatment (in the case of EFB) or destruction (in the case of AFB or severe EFB) of any bees, combs and products from the hive, and the destruction or treatment of any debris, appliances or other things liable to spread the disease.
  3. In these notices, the inspector will include a description of the method of destruction or treatment, the date by which these must take place and may also specify that the treatment must be carried out in the presence of an authorised person, such as himself.
  4. The Inspector may then supervise, or authorise supervision by another party, the destruction of the colony(ies) in the case of AFB or severe EFB, which will involve the beekeeper digging a pit, killing the bees and burning the bees and combs.
  5. In the case of EFB, the Inspector may personally administer any antibiotic treatment (oxytetracycline hydrocholoride) – the beekeeper may not self-administer – and/or supervise a shook swarm
  6. The inspectors signs the destruction certificate to substantiate an insurance claim on the Bee Disease Insurance.
  7. After 6 weeks, the inspector will return to confirm the apiary is free from disease before revoking the standstill order in writing.
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39
Q

What are the signs of AFB? 6

A

This looks healthy but if I were looking for AFB, I would be looking for:

  • Uneven brood pattern - pepperpot - queen won’t lay in cells with scales
  • Perforated cappings - raggedy holes on edge of capping
  • Pupae turning yellow to brown, proboscis out
  • Match stick rope 1-2”
  • Larvae dry up to dark scale at the bottom of the cells
  • Scales reflect light and won’t come out.
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40
Q

Describe the impact of AFB in colony 9

A
  1. Nurse bees pick up the spores and infect larvae through brood food.
    1. larva under 24-hours larva req ten of spores to die
    2. 3-day larva req millions of spores to die
    3. Pupae die of scepticemia
  2. Impact is loss of brood; colony may recover from <100 infected larvae, not if >100
  3. Slow to build up, but once enough cells are infected, pupae die faster than queen can lay new eggs, so colony dies out.
  4. Queen won’t lay in cells with scales - so pepperpot exacerbated
  5. Weakened colonies target for robbers, so spreads disease.
  6. Spores in black scale, > house bees try to remove, and become infected
  7. Spores survive up to 50+ years (Gregory 31) heat /disinfectant/ desiccation and get everywhere inc honey.
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41
Q

Describe the lifecycle of AFB 7

A
  1. Life cycle 10-15 days (Yate 187)
  2. Spores ingested in larval food
    1. Larvae up to 24 hrs succumb with just 10 spores
    2. Larvae 3+ days need millions
  3. Germinate in gut producing vegetative cells (do not multiply)
  4. Upon sealing, vegetative cells penetrate gut wall into haemolymph, where they multiply (Yates 188)
  5. Sporulation (dormant form) enables bacteria to survive harsh conditions until ingested. Infective 35+ years and resistant to heat, desiccation and disinfectant
  6. Death by septicaemia. Pupa melts, thickens and dries to a scale with proboscis protruding from scale to cell centre, a mass of bacterial spores
  7. As HB try to clean the cell for more eggs, they recycle toe spores around the colony. When they become nurse bees, they contaminate food with AFB
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42
Q

Demonstrate how to hold frames with suspected AFB

A
  1. Take out frames of stores to make space.
  2. Clear frames of bees: Fingers on sides of frame, thumbs over top, shake hard into gap without knocking box
  3. Know what looks normal and look for the unusual: poor brood pattern, gaps, abnormal larvae and dodgy cappings (remove to investigate)
  4. Tilt frame to look for reflections on scales.
  5. If sus, check with a match stick for rope, then burn in smoker
  6. Photograph unusuals
  7. If matchstick test test positive, close hive up, reduce entrance to one bee space.
  8. Contact SBI
  9. Wash gloves
  10. Impose a standstill
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43
Q

What is the treatment or management for AFB in the UK? 2

A
  1. Compulsory destruction of infected colonies under supervision of Bee Inspector.
  2. The colony will be destroyed after dark, when all the flying bees have returned
  3. The bees and combs burned and buried in 1m deep pit
  4. Hives and appliances can be disinfected by scorching with a blow lamp
  5. Gloves, overalls, footwear and smoker is washed thoroughly in washing soda.
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44
Q

Differences between when each EFB and AFB become evident 3

A
  1. Both of brood - no symptoms in adults
  2. EFB before capped- bacteriaum
  3. AFB after capping - spore forming bacterium – v resilient
  4. Possible to have both on same comb.
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45
Q

What are the main ways AFB/EFB are spread and how is it spread within hive. 7

A
  1. The Beekeeper cross contaminating thro honey, kit, frames
  2. Robbing, drifting, swarming
  3. Migratory beekeeping
  4. Purchase of infected bees
  5. Adults not affected. Larvae infected through brood food by nurse bees
  6. AFB: Infected scales have millions of spores which infects house bees’ mouth parts as they clean. These ar tx by trophillaxis to nurse bees, to larvae in brood food, to adults by trophillaxis and to honey. No impact on adults.
  7. EFB if a larvae is removed before pupation the infection is removed with it. If larva pupates, it defaecates in cells which house bees later clean out and thus tx bacteria to larvae via brood food and to adults by trophillaxis. No impact on adults.
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46
Q

Explain why the visual evidence of EFB infection is likely to vary throughout the inspection season. 6

A
  1. Impossible to spot EFB when there is little brood. The house bees remove the infected larvae quickly with their package of EFB spoors sealed inside, leaving just a pepperpot brood.
  2. In spring, more brood that adult bees, and the nurse bees may only just be able to keep up with demand for brood food.
  3. So only healthy larva to survive and pupate. The infected larvae die of starvation and become visible to the beekeeper.
  4. When there is plenty of food for both larvae and bacteria, larvae may survive, perpetuating the disease.
  5. The house bees still recognise infected larvae and remove them, leaving pepperpot brood pattern but no evidence of cause.
  6. As the bees clean out the dead and dying larvae, the clinical signs of the disease disappear and the levels of bacteria are reduced.
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47
Q

What are the signs of EFB 9

A
  1. Best time to spot it is in spring build up (may/June)
  2. Visible in larva - uncapped cells but easily confused with other brood abnormalities
  3. Large larvae (3-5 days from capping) lose segmentation, contort and ‘melt’; pearly white to yellow to light brown-green
  4. Dies at an unnatural attitude, twisted spirally around walls or stretched out lengthways
  5. Confused with sacbrood, PMS
  6. Pull white gutted larva apart - bacteria are white lumps/chains (contents shd be golden brown)
  7. Death by starvation
  8. Dead larva usually QUICKLY removed in one piece so hard to spot
  9. Decomposes rapidly to scale, is easily removed.
  10. Pepperpot - dead larva are either seen or there are just empty cells present
  11. EFB LFD
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48
Q

Describe the impact of EFB in colony 5

A
  1. Nurse bees carry spores on mandibles coz previous cleaning duties.
  2. Larvae starve/survive; Survivors spread disease
  3. Bacteria sealed in until pupation when hind gut connects with ventriculus and the pupa voids into cell.
  4. Pupal defecations contaminates mouth parts of house bees when cell cleaning, who later contaminate brood food as nurses
  5. Can fluctuate in colony as larva only die if on short rations
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49
Q

Describe the lifecycle of EFB 6

A
  1. The larva ingests the bacterial spores in brood food from infected nurse bees
  2. Germinate in the gut and multiply between the peritrophic membrane and the larval food
  3. Bacteria eats larval food in stomach and it starves to death in 4-5 days and is removed. Disease contained
  4. Secondary infections can smell
  5. Or the larva is fed enough and survives to defecate into the bottom of the cell after the 5th moult (disease spread)
  6. The faeces will contain spores that the young house bees clean out, infecting their mandibles. Can survive 3 year in old comb.
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50
Q

Demo how to hold frames with suspected EFB

A
  1. Take out frames of stores to make space.
  2. Clear frames of bees: Fingers on sides of frame, thumbs over top, shake hard into gap without knocking box
  3. Know what looks normal and look for the unusual: poor brood pattern, gaps, abnormal larvae
  4. Photograph unusuals
  5. Contact SBI
  6. Wash gloves
  7. Impose a standstill
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51
Q

What is the correct course of action if EFB is suspected and describe the possible treatments? 6

A
  1. Notify the National Bee Unit and place the apiary and all equipment on a self-imposed standstill
  2. Upon diagnosis, the regional bee inspector will issue a formal standstill notice, which the beekeeper signs.
  3. The beekeeper then follows the inspector’s instructions implicitly.
  4. Severe - inspector may order the destruction, burning and burial of the bees and combs, which he will supervise.
  5. Mild - the colony may be treated with antibiotics (Oxytetracycline hydrochloride) and/or shook swarm
  6. You cannot move bees until the standstill order has been revoked in writing after a second visit.
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52
Q

What antibiotic, how it works, best time to administer and what else will help 6

A
  1. Oxytetracycline hydrochloride
  2. A bacteriostat that curtails ability of bacteria to reproduce so enabling colony’s natural disease control mechanisms to overcome disease
  3. It does not cure EFB but supresses it
  4. Best time to administer is when there are no symptoms ie few affected larvae - larvae that survive defecate and continue cycle
  5. Combine with a shook swarm
  6. Do NOT use honey for humans.
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53
Q

For each treatment (destruction; antibiotics; shook swarm; SS+AB) describe the possible outcome for the colony and for other colonies in the same apiary and nearby

A
  1. The disease should be contained whatever the action, and the inspector will decide which course of action is most likely to given him this outcome.
  2. In the case of destruction, the bees in that colony will all die and there will be no spread of the disease providing the beekeeper has adequately scorched and disinfected all their equipment.
  3. The inspector will return after 6 weeks to retest remaining colonies are free from EFB before lifting the standstill order in writing.
  4. In the case of antibiotics, the least effective time to administer them is when the symptoms are showing. Oxytetracycline hydrochloride is a bacteriostat and curtails the ability of the bacteria to reproduce, enabling the colony’s natural disease control mechanisms to overcome the disease. This treatment is only effective when the level of bacterial infection is low – it is the larvae who survive that continue the cycle of infection, putting at risk all the bees in the area through drifting, robbing and swarming.
  5. In the case of a shook swarm, this removes infective bacterial in the combs, but the surviving bees will still be carriers – EFB may be endemic – and may still spread the disease through drifting, robbing and swarming.
  6. Antibiotic treatment + shook swarm will remove the infective bacteria from the combs and reduce the likelihood of EFB, present in the adult bees, spreading the disease through drifting, robbing and swarming.
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54
Q

What is sac brood

A

Common viral disease affecting brood which rarely causes measurable harm

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55
Q

What does sacbrood look like on frame and how larvae die 7

A
  1. Found in capped cells - chewed like AFB
  2. Infected larva change from pearly white to pale yellow
  3. Prevents pupa shedding 5th larval skin - fluids accumulate under skin to give it a sac-like appearance
  4. Death just before pupation with larva on its back: chinese slippers
  5. Adult bees eventually uncap them
  6. The scales forms as dead larvae dry out but are easy to remove
  7. Infection continues via cell cleaning and larval feeding
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56
Q

What is the impact of sacbrood on colony 1

A

Can shorten adult lives: stop feeding larvae, become foragers earlier and collect v little pollen

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57
Q

How is brood infected in sacbrood virus 1

A

Nurse bees infect larvae when they feed larvae with infected brood food.

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58
Q

How are nurse bees infected with sacbrood virus 2

A
  1. Nurse bees get it from contaminated
    1. water,
    2. pollen
    3. nectar
    4. cleaning out larval remains
  2. Virus viable for 4 weeks in larval remains, pollen or honey
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59
Q

Treatment of sacbrood 2

A
  1. Usually clears up on its own or Requeen
  2. Combs can be reused as virus only viable for four weeks
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60
Q

What type of pathogen is chalk brood? 1

A

Fungus

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61
Q

What does chalk brood affect 1

A

Chalk down death after capping

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62
Q

When is chalk brood most likely to flare up and why 2

A
  1. Typically flares up in Spring when colonies are expanding
  2. If there are spores in the hive, and larvae are mildly chilled to 30˚C, brood becomes more susceptible
  3. Spores infect the brood from contaminated worker mouth parts and germinate in the hind-gut of the larva
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63
Q

How long is chalk brood infective 1

A

Condition endemic and spores infective for 3+ years

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64
Q

Chalk brood signs 5

A
  1. Affects sealed brood - perforated cappings
  2. Mummified white larvae with mouth parts forming characteristic protuberance in centre. Often take on hexagonal shape of cell before shrinking, at which point bees removed them.
  3. Mummies on floor out outside hive; easily shaken out, leaving pepperpot
  4. Chalky mummy turns grey to blacks as fungus sporulates
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65
Q

Chalk brood lifecycle 6

A
  1. Larva ingests spores it with its food.
  2. Needs COOL to germinate 30˚C, and CO2 of hindgut
  3. So on pupation the spores germinate in hindgut.
  4. Hyphae (threads) grow through gut wall, body and cuticle to produce a mycelium, a swollen mass of fluffy white fungus with small yellow lump where head used to be.
  5. Mummy turns from white>grey>black.
  6. Dark mummies produce vast numbers of sticky, resistant spores which remain infective for 3+ years.
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66
Q

How to avoid chalkbrood 7

A

Avoid

  1. Making up queen mating nucs in little boxes with too few bees;
  2. Chilling brood as we inspect, esp on cold, wet windy days
  3. Dividing colonies leaving too few bees to cover brood;
  4. Spreading brood early in season
  5. Over-stimulating brood rearing in spring -> too much brood, not enough HB
  6. Transferring combs from infected colonies.
  7. Damp apiary sites
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67
Q

Chalk brood treatment 3

A
  1. Move onto clean comb with shook swarm/bailey frame change.
  2. Requeen - some strains may be more resistant than others
  3. Minimise stress
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68
Q

Impact of Chalkbrood on colony 3

A
  1. Rarely fatal to colony
  2. Can depress honey yield
  3. Colonies produce fewer drones because they are on extremities
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69
Q

Causes of chilled brood 3

A
  1. Lack of bees (eg during spring build up or bees lost to poisoning) to cover brood, combined with spring temperature fluctuations
  2. Starvation - bees clack energy to keep cluster temperature up
  3. Beekeeper mishandling - spreading brood, leaving brood nest exposed for a long time (eg prolonged inspection at ambient below 14˚C).
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70
Q

Signs of chilled brood 1 and knock-on effect 1

A
  1. Brood of all ages turns grey or shiny black, usually at edges of brood nest from where bees withdraw when forming a cluster
  2. Mild chilling (to 30˚C) will increase susceptibility to chalkbrood
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71
Q

Bald brood causes 2

A
  1. Wax moth activity - Workers uncap pupae and tidy up cappings leaving characteristic rims.
  2. Queen problems
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72
Q

Addled brood Signs 4 + treatment 1

A
  1. Cappings similar to AFB
  2. Late-stage death of pupae about to emerge
  3. Abdomen underdeveloped in relation to head and thorax
  4. May be caused by unspecified genetic faults of queen - requeen with unrelated strain
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73
Q

You see pepperpot brood pattern. What are the possible causes 9

A
  1. EFB
  2. AFB
  3. Chalkbrood
  4. Stonebrood
  5. Sacbrood
  6. Addled brood
  7. PMS
  8. Starvation
  9. Diploid drones
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74
Q

What is stonebrood 1

What can it infect? 1

A
  1. Common soil- and air-bourne fungi;
  2. Can infect other species inc birds and breathing problems in humans, so take care when destroying combs infected by stonebrood
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75
Q

Stonebrooad lifecycle 5

A
  1. Simlar to chalk brood: Usually larva ingests spores it with its food, which germinate, produce hyphae, which grow through the pupa to form a yellow mycelium.
  2. Larva die after capping
  3. Mycellium turns green when spores form.
  4. BUT Can attack larva from cuticle inwards.
  5. Some adults affected and abdomens become hard.
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76
Q

Demonstrate how to take a sable of bees from comb for adult bee diseases. 3

A
  1. Open a large matchbox half way and place face down over
    1. outside frames of the brood – ie middle aged bees
    2. brood – ie young bees
  2. slide matchbox closed slowly.
  3. Freeze for 48 hours.
77
Q

Signs of positive identification of nosema 6

A
  1. The colony fails to build up in spring
  2. The are steaks of diarrhoea on frames and combs
  3. Microscopic investigation (grinding the abdomens of 30 bees in 10ml of water and mounting some goo on a slide at x400 magnification) will reveal nosema spores which look like small grains of rice
  4. Pulling apart a bee will reveal the ventriculus.
    1. A healthy bee’s looks straw brown with distinctive constrictions.
    2. Infected bee’s is white, swollen and the constrictions are obscured.
  5. Faecal material examination. Collect faeces of bees on clear glass placed placed near the entrance. Scrape off the deposit and mix it with a drop of water and prepare a wet mount from the resulting suspension.
  6. Do the same with the Queen by trapping her in a petri dish for about a hour. Queen faces appear as clear colouress liquid which can then be transferred to a microscope slide and covered with a cover slip.
78
Q

Describe the Nosema life cycle 6

A
  1. A fungus ingested via infected faeces as HB clean nest as they are cleaned up.
  2. Nosema infects epithelial cells of ventriculus - fires a hollow tube at target cell and microsporidian contents pass through tube into host cell.
  3. Multiplies over five days until cells are packed with spores.
  4. Cell ruptures, shedding spores into gut to be excreted, starting another round of infection, particularly when bees confined (eg in winter).
  5. Dysentery associated with N apis and prolonged confinement leads to defecation in hive, prolonging the infection.
79
Q

What are the spread vectors for nosema 3

A
  1. From infected to non-infected bees through contaminated water/food.
  2. Through trophillaxis
  3. Cleaning contaminated combs
80
Q

What is the impact of nosema on a colony 6

A
  1. Sickness not apparent but lifespan halved and honey production down.
  2. Epithelial cell function and enzyme production disrupted/cease so cannot digest protein.
  3. HPG do not develop so cannot feed brood so becomes forager earlier.
  4. Winter bees cannot lay down fat bodies.
  5. Queen may stop laying/die/be superseded. BCV may result if queen larvae feed N Apis.
  6. Increase of water in rectum leads to dysentery which makes N apis worse; in winter because bees void in hive
81
Q

How does summer affect nosema apis 2

A
  1. Infections tend to clear up because bees void away from the colony.
  2. Confinement makes it worse - eg when migrating/bad weather
82
Q

How does winter affect nosema 3

A
  1. NA causes severe problems in winter: dysentery voided in hive because of cold causes more bees infected
  2. Longevity of autumn bees shorter, as not enough fat bodies.
  3. Even if bees survive, they do not have developed HPF to produce brood food, causing spring dwindle.
83
Q

What treatments for nosema are currently available in the UK 5

A
  1. No medical treatments
  2. Thymol fed in winer syrup is said to make a difference
  3. Adapted Bailey frame change for a weak hive.
  4. Requeen susceptible colonies with queens from more tolerant stocks.
  5. Good husbandry - maintain stong, well fed colonies
84
Q

Nosema ceranae: differences with apis 7

A
  1. Spores fewer and more slender than apis
  2. No seasonal variation
  3. No dysentery
  4. Compromises immune system by providing entry point for viruses and bacteria
  5. Slower build up but continual increase, regardless of season, means ultimately higher levels of infection
  6. Also spread in pollen as it is moistened with nectar from bee’s crop so infects very young bees
  7. Apis damaged by heat; ceranae damaged by freezing
85
Q

Describe acarine appearance 3

A
  1. Tiny mite 150x65um (arachnida)
  2. male is smaller
  3. req microscope x 40
86
Q

How can you positively identify presence of acarine 6

A
  1. Dissect bees to inspect the large prothoracic trachea
  2. Pin bee legs upwards onto cork
  3. Remove head and chitinous collar’ at the front of the thorax to expose prothoracic tracheae x40 magnification
  4. Mites present: tracheae brown to black
  5. Mites not present: tracheae creamy white
  6. Inspect 30 bees for 95% confidence if just 10% of colony is affected
87
Q

Acarine impact on bees 4

A
  1. NO VISIBLE SIGNS
  2. Affects the honey bee’s capacity to breathe, resulting in weakened and sick honey bees, reduced lifespan, though infected queens can live for years
  3. Population drop, slow spring development, bees crawling on the ground
  4. No chemical control but thymol varroa control seems to reduce it
88
Q

Describe acarine life cycle 10

A
  1. Gravid female enter a young bee’s (under 9 days) tracheae via first thoracic spiracles
  2. Pierces the tracheal cuticle and sucks haemolymph
  3. They lay 5-7 eggs
  4. These hatch after 3-4 days > larva > nymphs > adults
  5. Males take 11-12 days to fully develop; females 14-15 days.
  6. Mate in tracheae.
  7. Gravid females leave in search of new hosts
  8. Hangs on to a hair by hind legs waving forelegs in air until a young bee (<9 day days) passes, then latches on.
  9. Vibrations from wings and puffs of air draw it to first thoracic spiracle
  10. They can only survive for about 2 hours phoretically.
89
Q

Outline Acarine treatment 3

A
  1. Selective breeding : buckfast bees resistant; New Zealand bees apparently susceptible
  2. Apiguard as been shown to work well in several countries
  3. Menthol crystals have been used successfully in N America but high temperatures are required and effects variable
90
Q

Impact of varroa on colony 5

A
  1. Spring collapse - Early deaths of older bees before there are enough younger bees to take on their roles > Colony breakdown
  2. You get viral symptoms in bees and brood
  3. Can trigger previously harmless viruses
  4. Bees get unrelated diseases due to weakened state of colony and supressed bee immune response.
  5. Bees may abscond, invading other colonies (with phoretic mites)
91
Q

Describe signs of varroosis 5+3

A
  1. Maybe none for a long time
  2. Abnormal brood development - eg DWV
  3. Dramatic population losses
  4. Underweight bees on emergence
  5. Parasitic mite syndrome/varoosis can look similar to AFB
    1. Sunken and chewed cappings
    2. White/yellow larvae slumped in the bottom or side of the cell.
  6. Dries to removable scale
92
Q

Impact of varroa on bees 5

A
  1. Can be present with no effects until levels build up
  2. Shortens life leading to major population losses
  3. Makes bees more susceptible to other diseases
    1. Mites activate viruses already present
    2. Mites may carry and transmit viruses
  4. Only non-parasitised autumn-born bees are likely to survive till spring.
  5. Workers with several mites likely to suffer from PMS and die.
93
Q

Signs of parasitic mite syndrome 7

A
  1. Chewed/sunken cappings similar to AFB
  2. Pepperpot brood pattern
  3. Dead untended brood
  4. Larva slumped on lower wall with varroa feeding on them
  5. Larvae also spiral up the cell wall or coil in a c-shape at the opening
  6. Larvae are white or yellow but not coffee with milk
  7. Dry to a scale. Unlike AFB, scale can easily be removed. No matchstick rope
94
Q

Describe the varroa life cycle 12

A
  1. Female varroa rides on honey bees on phoretic stage, feeding on haemolymph between ventral abdominal segments
  2. Brood pheromones indicate the larva is ready to be sealed, gravid females enter brood cell and hide in the brood food, breathing through a peritreme
  3. 4-hours after sealing, she emerges from brood food, pierces larval cuticle and feeds on its haemolymph, gaining weight rapidly
  4. After 60-70 hours she lays one unfertilised egg, a male, on the side of the cell.
  5. Thereafter, every 30 or so hours she lays a fertilised female egg on the side of the cell – a total of 4-5 eggs
  6. The egg develop fast and hatch, and pass through two juvenile stages before becoming adults
  7. Juvenile mandibles are soft so they feed at hole created by mother
  8. Egg to adult male 5-6 days and he mates with his mature sisters; Egg to adult female is 6-7 days.
  9. Male and immature females die in the cell.
  10. Bee emerges with mother and av 1.72-2 larvae, 2-3 drone brood
  11. Female can reproduce up to 4 times,
  12. Live 2-3 months in summer, up to 5 months (phoretically) in winter.
95
Q

Suggest why the population of Varroa increases continuously in a honeybee colony? 3

A
  1. Each female varroa can have 3-4 brood cycles
  2. producing an average of 1-45-1.72 female mites per worker cell and 2-3 per drone cell
  3. Apis mellifera cannot reduce the population without outside intervention
96
Q

Suggest why Varroosis has spread so quickly throughout the UK 6

A
  1. A mellifera has no natural defence against varroa
  2. Varroa has built up resistance to certain treatments
  3. Can survive the winter in the phoretic stage on hosts
  4. Beekeeper can spread it - uniting and migrating bees, sharing brood comb etc
  5. Bees tx the mite when they drift, rob, swarm, and on drones
  6. Colony collapse leads to mite invasion as bees seek new homes
97
Q

Describe a varroa 6

A
  1. 1.6mm wide x 1.1mm long shaped like a crab
  2. males smaller and live out lives in brood cells
  3. flattened body
  4. reddish brown
  5. 8 legs
  6. Males smaller and never leave cells after mating with sisters.
98
Q

List three ways to detect varroa

A
  1. Use OMF
  2. Uncap drone cells.
  3. Sugar roll
99
Q

Describe use of OMF to detect varroa 3

A
  1. Monitor mite falls over a week and get a per-day average
  2. This method is very sensitive and capable of detecting very few mites, does not disturb the colony.
  3. It does encourage wax moths, takes several days and requires extra equipment.
100
Q

Describe drone uncapping to detect varroa 7

A
  1. Drone pheromone acts as kairomone attracting female mites:
  2. 100 uncapped cells with uncapping fork at pink eye stage by running the fork through the tops of the comb and lifting out the drones in a single action.
  3. Varroa can easily be seen against the pale bodies of the drones.
  4. Repeat for at least 100 drones.
  5. If there are more than 5-10% of drone pupae are affected, the infestation is serious and colony collapse may occur before the end of the season.
  6. Results are approximate and you may not detect a very light infestation.
  7. The methods is quick and easy and can be done on routine inspections, giving an instant measure of infestation levels.
101
Q

Describe sugar roll to detect varroa 4

A
  1. Take 300 bees from brood nest (to represent the colony) with jar and mesh lid and roll in handful of icing sugar for 2 mins
  2. Set jar aside in shade for 2 mins and then shake sugar (and mites) out through mesh into shallow dish or water over a white surface.
  3. Repeat rolling and shaking twice more then release bees at front of hive to return
  4. 5 mites = 500 phoretics in colony = 1000 in total
102
Q

How often should you monitor for varroa and when

A
  1. At least 4x season
  2. Early spring
  3. After spring honey flow
  4. Honey harvesting time
  5. Late autumn
103
Q

Name the viruses associated with Varroa

A
  1. Varroa destructor virus 1.
  2. Deformed wing virus.
  3. Cloudy wing virus.
  4. Kakugo virus.
  5. Kashmir bee virus.
  6. Israeli acute paralysis virus.
  7. Slow bee paralysis virus.
  8. Acute bee paralysis virus.
  9. and some say: Chronic Bee paralysis virus 1
  10. plus 2
104
Q

Name the viruses associated with Nosema

A
  1. Bee Virus Y
  2. BQCV
  3. Filamentous virus
105
Q

Name the viruses associated with Amoeba

A
  1. Bee Virus X
106
Q

06 ways to reduce impact of viruses 6

A
  1. Keep varroa pop low
  2. Test for nosema in autumn
  3. Use resistant queens
  4. Avoid moving bees - inhibits their natural controls
  5. Keep no more than 10 colonies per apiary
  6. Disinfect by scorching or acetic acid. Viruses cannot survive in dead colonies.
107
Q

Black Queen Cell Virus: What is is associated with, what are its symptoms and transmission vectors 5

A
  1. Associates: Nosema apis
  2. Q larvae infected through infected royal jelly
  3. Q cells become dark/black and Q pupae die
  4. Virus remains viable in larval remains, honey or pollen for up to 4 weeks.
  5. TX by drifting, robbing, contaminated water, equipment and comb
108
Q

Bee Virus X: what is it associated with and what are its smmptoms

A
  1. Assoc with Malpighamoeba millificiae
  2. Assoc with deaths of colonies in spring.
  3. Shortens bee’s life.
109
Q

Bee Virus Y: what is it associated with and what are its symptoms

A
  1. Assoc Nosema apis -
  2. Infects adult bees but no visible signs
  3. May worsen N apis OR N apis may weaken gut leading to easier entry.
110
Q

Describe the impact of Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus 1 and what is is associated with (11)

A
  1. Assoc with Varroa
  2. More common in bees than type 2
  3. Abnormal trembling motion of adult bees’ wings
  4. Wings may be spread or dislocated (k-wing).
  5. Paralysis of adult bees’ bodies
  6. Adult bees are unable to fly so often found crawling in large numbers on the ground
  7. Bloated abdomens due to build up of fluid in honey sac
  8. This can lead to dysentery-like symptoms;
  9. Sick bees die in a few days
  10. Can lead to sudden collapse of colony.
  11. Heavily infected colonies may collapse, particularly seen at the height of the season
111
Q

Describe the impact of Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus 2 (6)

A
  1. Assoc with varroa
  2. Bees hairless and appear shiny and black.
  3. They look greasy in bright light
  4. Can fly at first and then become trembly and lose ability to fly
  5. Other bees aggressive, nibbling them and preventing them returning to hive
  6. Die.
112
Q

What are the causea of chromic Bee paralysis virus 6

A
  1. Not yet associated with Varroa
  2. May be endemic in many colonies with no symptoms until the colony is stressed
  3. Infect older bees more frequently and foragers are often found to have a higher virus burden
  4. Outbreaks at the peak of spring and summer.
  5. In laboratory experiments, direct contact with infected individuals causes spread of the virus, body hairs are rubbed away through repeated contact and, as a result, the virus is able to penetrate the cuticle and establish infection.
  6. The virus is also known to spread through faeces of infected bees
113
Q

CBPV treatment - Official plus Robert Carpenter Turner’s advice 7

A
  1. Reduce overcrowding by adding brood boxes or supers, thus decreasing viral transmission by reducing bee to bee contact.
  2. Reducing the general bee population in a geog area may prevent food shortages acting stress to colonies.
  3. Isolate affected colonies to help contain the disease.
  4. Feed colonies especially if there is no nectar flow, or if colonies are confined due to bad weather.
  5. Adjust hive positions to reduce drifting, and narrow the entrance to reduce robbing
  6. Good hygiene is crucial.
  7. Find and cage queen. Shake whole colony out over hedge 100m away, high into the air and return the hive and brush off EVERY bee. Return hive to stand, run in queen. Only healthy bees have the strength to fly home.
114
Q

Cloudy Wing virus: What is is associated with and what are its symptoms 3

A
  1. Assoc with varroa but may be airborne
  2. 15% of UK colonies are affected
  3. Causes wings to lose transparency.
  4. Bees soon die.
115
Q

Deformed Wing Virus. What is it associated with and what are its symptoms 5

A
  1. Assoc with Varroa and multiply in the mite
  2. Deformed wings, which are not always apparent.
  3. Stunted bodies.
  4. Bees can’t fly
  5. Doesn’t kill bee so is endemic.
116
Q

Describe filamentous virus 3

A
  1. Assoc with Nosema apis.
  2. Multiplies in fat bodies and ovarian tissue of adults workers
  3. Causes haemolymph to become milky in appearance.
117
Q

Israeli acute bee paralysis virus 2

A
  1. Related to Acute Bee Paralysis Virus and associated with varroa
  2. Linked with colony collapse disorder in US (in 96% of CCD cols) - not sole cause of CCD.
118
Q

Kashmir bee virus

A

Varroa + Kashmir Bee Virus leads to rapid decline of the colony with infected bees cashing in their chips in a few days

119
Q

All about sacbrood virus in brood 8

A
  1. Found in capped cells - chewed like AFB
  2. Nurse bees get it from contaminated water, pollen/nectar or cleaning out larval remains
  3. Nurse bees infect larvae when they feed larvae with infected brood food.
  4. Prevents pupa shedding 5th larval skin - Fluids accumulating under skin give it a sac-like appearance
  5. Infected larva change from pearly white to pale yellow
  6. Death occurs just before pupation with larva streatched on on its back.
  7. Larva remains rigid, swells and larval head sticks up
  8. The scales formed as dead larvae dry out ar brittle but easy to remove
    9.
120
Q

Sacbrood virus impact on adults

A
  1. Can shorten adult lives: start foraging earlier; stop feeding larvae; collect v little pollen
  2. Usually clears up on its own or requeen
  3. Virus viable for 4 weeks in larval remains, pollen or honey
121
Q

Slow bee paralysis virus 5

A
  1. Varroa destructor
  2. By injection from varroa
  3. Death in 12 days
  4. Kills adults and larvae
  5. May cause colony collapse late in a year, even after varroa has been destroyed.
122
Q

Signs of starvation 7

A
  1. Bees are moribund
  2. Queen stops laying – watch for gaps, eg June gap when there is little pollen coming in
  3. Heads in cells
  4. Abandoned larvae – drone larvae first
  5. Bees dropping off frames
  6. Bees dead on floor
  7. Bees abscond
123
Q

When are the main starvation danger points 5

A
  1. Spring when you have more brood than bees to cover them
  2. June gap
  3. Post harvest
  4. Winter – running out
  5. Winter – separation from stores
124
Q

What action should the beekeeper take to save starving bees 4

A
  1. Spray with a solution of 1:1 syrup. The bees cleaning action will give them energy
  2. Feed them bees 1:1 syrup in summer, fondant in winter
  3. Feed bees a pollen supplement/substitute if lack of pollen is the problem
  4. Feed bees adequately in autumn with 2:1 syrup - calculate what they have (1 x brood = 2.2kg) and subtract this from 20kg and feed balance.
125
Q

Give a recipe for a pollen substitute 4

A
  1. 75% fat free soya flour
  2. 25% dried brewer’s yeast
  3. 2:1 sugar syrup to moisten into a patty
  4. Place 250g over brood frames and squash between frames.
126
Q

Give a recipe for a pollen supplement 5

A
  1. 60% fat free soya flour
  2. 20% dried brewer’s yeast
  3. 20% pollen FROM OWN APIARY (caution: can transmit pathogens)
  4. 2:1 sugar syrup to moisten into a patty
  5. Place 250g over brood frames and squash between frames.
127
Q

What crops likely to be affected by poisoning 9

A
  1. Oil seed rape
  2. Field beans
  3. Fruit
  4. Weed poisoning
  5. Pesticides (fly though)
  6. Wheat – fly through
  7. Oats – fly through
  8. Linseed
  9. Sugar beet
128
Q

Describe the ways farms apply poison and how bees can be poisoned 3 plus supplementaries

A
  1. Three methods of spraying
    1. Fixed wing plane
    2. Helicopter
    3. Tractor
    4. OR seed impregnated
  2. Bee can be poisoned:
    1. By direct contact (flying through the spray)
    2. By eating nectar or pollen that has been sprayed
    3. By inhaling vapours
  3. Bees can be caught
    1. Working ON a crop that is sprayed
    2. Working on flowering weeds IN a crop that is sprayed
    3. Flying OVER a crop that is being sprayed (vapours)
    4. Wind DRIFTING spray to a hive or patch of forage
129
Q

What advance action should you take when notice of poisoning crops is given 7 plus supplementaries

A
  1. Participate in a spray liaison scheme
  2. Collaborate with farmers in 3 mile radius – encourage spraying before 8am, after 8pm.
  3. Gather info - What is being sprayed, where, when, with what
  4. If the apiary is in the crop - mark them clearly
  5. Move colonies - impractical with a large apiary
  6. Partially close up the hive - some bees may get poisoned
    1. Drape loosely with a wet sheet
    2. Partially cover the entrance with loose grass or straw which may be enough to keep bees in the hive while allowing them to draw air into the hive (remove when danger passed)
  7. Fully close up the hives - danger of over heating
    1. Provide additional supers with combs to allow bees to disperse
    2. Provide water in a rapid feeder for cooling by evaporation
    3. If possible, use a travel screen and off set the lid to provide a through draft.
    4. Shade from the sun if possible
130
Q

What are the signs of poisoning

A
  1. Heaps of dead bees outside hive
  2. Bees spinning on their packs
  3. NONE. Make bees never make it home
131
Q

What action to take to save bees when spray damage suspected 3

A
  1. Feed the bees well which 1:1 syrup which will dilute the effect of toxins in the honey sac
  2. Ventilate the hive to disperse the toxins in the hive
  3. Reduce entrance in badly affected colonies to prevent robbing
132
Q

What action to take to report when spray damage suspected 5

A
  1. Collect and label 3 samples of 200 bees (jam jar) per hive; freeze.
  2. Take dated photos of the dead bees, the hives, the crop and its state of flower
  3. Create a report with the details of the numbers of colonies and bees affected, the time and date of the spraying, the details of what the farmer was spraying and the name and contact details of any witnesses.
  4. Inform the Regional Bee Inspector/the local association spray liaison officer
  5. Only send samples to the NBU if instructed, and follow the instructions for packaging and sending the samples
133
Q

Explain how BeeConnected works

A
  1. BeeConnected – a voluntary initiation supported by the Crop Protection Association
  2. A website bringing farmers and beekeepers together, and keeping beekeepers notified when a neighbouring farmer is applying insecticides to their crops.
  3. You can sign up, give your location and request email alerts of spraying up to 5km from hives.
134
Q

Explain how the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme works 1

A
  1. The Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme enquires into the death / illness from pesticide poisoning using veterinary examination and chemical analysis to try to determine the cause of death.
  2. (Also provides information to the regulator and enforces the correct use of pesticides.)
135
Q

Describe the effects pests can have on bees and comb

A
  1. Wax moth: bald brood and spread of disease through faeces. Greater wax moth: tunnel in wood to pupate. Lesser wax moth: frass may prevent brood emerging
    1. Keep bee tight hives
    2. Keep strong colonies
    3. Spray comb to be stored with certan
    4. Fumigate stored combs with 80% ethanoic acid.
    5. Don;’t leave varroa floors in unnecessarily.
  2. Wasps stead in late summer when their queen sto[ps laying and their brood no longer produces sweet sticky stuff. Leads to fighting, weakens colonies, and possibly starvation.
    1. Reduce entrance to one bee space.
    2. Put 3” hosepipe entrace into nucs
    3. Place glass/board in front of hives to confuse wasps
    4. Move bees 3 miles.
  3. Mice eat all, and their smell makes cluster move away so they can become spearated from stores leading to starvation.
    1. Mouse guard on in september to march.
  4. Woodpeckers make holes in hives and stop them being weatherproof, and eat larvae and bees
    1. Loose chicken wire around hive
  5. Badgers and other live stock knock bees over
    1. Tie down hives to stands with ratchet straps.
136
Q

How often to monitor for varroa

A
  1. At least 4x season
  2. Early spring
  3. After spring honey flow
  4. Honey harvesting time
  5. Late autumn
137
Q

Why monitor for varroa

A
  1. It’s not possible to eradicate V destructor – it is now endemic
  2. so monitoring allows the beekeeper to keep track of developments,
  3. to check what treatments have worked and how well,
  4. be aware the mite recovery period,
  5. to know when to retreat and to know if an invasion has taken place.
138
Q

Varoa detection methods

A
  1. Use OMF
    1. monitor mite falls over a week and get a per-day average
    2. This method is very sensitive and capable of detecting very few mites, does not disturb the colony.
    3. It does encourage wax moths, takes several days and requires extra equipment.
  2. Uncap drone cells.
    1. Drone pher acts as kairomone attracting female mites:
    2. 100 uncapped cells with uncapping fork at pink eye stage by running the fork through the tops of the comb and lifting out the drones in a single action.
    3. Varroa can easily be seen against the pale bodies of the drones.
    4. Repeat for at least 100 drones.
    5. If there are more than 5-10% of drone pupae are affected, the infestation is serious and colony collapse may occur before the end of the season.
    6. Results are approximate and you may not detect a very light infestation.
    7. The methods is quick and easy and can be done on routine inspections, giving an instant measure of infestation levels.
  3. Sugar roll.
    1. Take 300 bees from brood nest (to represent the colony) with jar and mesh lid and roll in handful of icing sugar for 2 mins
    2. Set jar aside in shade for 2 mins and then shake sugar (and mites) out through mesh into shalow dish or water over a white surface.
    3. Repeat rolling and shaking twice more then release bees at front of hive to return
    4. 5 mites = 500 phoretics in colony = 1000 in total
139
Q

When to take action with varroa 6

A
  1. Winter/spring 0.5 mites per day
  2. May 6 mites
  3. June 16 mites
  4. August 33 mites
  5. September 20 mites
  6. Most accurate with no brood/good sized nest
140
Q

How can you find out about approved veterinary medications and how should you use them? 3

A
  1. The NBU produces a booklet on varroa which lists the approved medications - but it not up to date with latest approved medications.
  2. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (online) lists ALL the approved medications.
  3. Only used approved medicines and follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely.
141
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa Amitraz

A
  1. Apivar, Apitraz
    1. Amitraz Plastic strips.
    2. Spring/summer.
    3. NO super withdrawal
    4. Contact/systemic.
142
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa: Apiguard

A
  1. apigGUARD.
    1. Thymol gel in packs.
    2. Spring/later summer 4-6 weeks.
    3. Evap contact, ingestion: close vents,
    4. Dep on temp
143
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa Api Life Var

A
  1. Api Life Var.
    1. Thymol eucalyptol, mentol and camphor, tablet.
    2. Autumn 3-4 weeks after harvest
    3. Evap: dep on temp
144
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa MAQS

A
  1. MAQS
    1. formic acid Pads
    2. Even in honey flow. spring/summer/autumn. Not above 30˚C, Down to 10˚C
    3. 7 days
    4. Evaporation.
    5. Can kill mites in sealed cells
145
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa Pyrethroids

A
  1. Bayvarol, Apistan:
    1. Pyrethroid strips
    2. spring/autumn.
    3. Check for resistence.
    4. Contact
146
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa Thymovar

A
  1. Thymovar
    1. Thymol Strips
    2. Late summer 2 treatments over 3-4 weeks.
    3. Evap: 20-25˚C not above 30˚C
147
Q

Authorised treatments for varroa winter

A
  1. Api-Bioxal, OxuVar, VarroMed, OxyBee
    1. oxalic acid solution.
    2. Winter in phoretic stage.
    3. Evap/contact.
148
Q

Discuss the impact of re-infestation of Varroa on the management 6

A
  1. A mellifera has no natural defence against varroa
  2. Varroa has built up resistance to certain treatments
  3. Can survive the winter in the phoretic stage on hosts
  4. Bees tx the mite when they drift, rob, swarm, and drones
  5. Colony collapse leads to mite invasion as bees seek new homes.
  6. Beekeeper can spread it - uniting and migrating bees, sharing brood comb etc.
149
Q

Suggest why the population of Varroa increases continuously in a honeybee colony? 2

A
  1. Each female varroa can have 3-4 brood cycles
  2. producing an average of 1.5 mites per worker cell and 2-3 per drone cell
  3. 100 mites produce 1000 miles in worker cells in 7 seven weeks
  4. 100 mites produce 5700 mites in drone cells in 7 seven weeks
  5. A mellifera cannot reduce this population without outside invervention.
150
Q

Why might a colony be strong at honey harvest and then collapse from varoosis? 6

A
  1. Number of bees declines nutuarally as autumn approaches, as does brood
  2. Mite numbers likely to be at their greatest and infect a greater proportion of the brood
  3. 1x mite results in very weak bee unable to carry out normal duties.
  4. Several mites lead to PMS
  5. Weakened colonies can be robbed so they end up short of food.
  6. Only 10% of the mite population will die when brood rearing stops, but bees are not broodless long enough for this to have an impact alone
151
Q

Discuss the impact of reinfestation on the timing of varroa control

A
  1. No single ideal time for treatment
  2. Usually late summer after harvest as prep for winter to protect last brood cycles that produce the young bees that are needed for overwintering.
  3. Delays may lead to winter bees carrying higher pathogenload > shorter life, dwindling, death of colonies even if VD controlled.
  4. Also common to treat in spring when monitoring suggests they bees ahve emerge from winter with a mite pop that will pose a serious risk before leate summer treatment.
  5. Some treatments reqquire broodlessness, some are temp dependent. Most require honey removal.
152
Q

Define IPM 4

A

A system of controlling varroa

  1. using a range of different biotec methods
  2. at different stages
  3. to keep varroa infestations below levels were they will cause significant trouble
  4. Monitoring so that treatment is not applied until critical thresholds are reached.
153
Q

List, with a brief description, methods that could be used as IPM to combat varroosis 9

A
  1. OMF with 5cm drop is said to give 14% reduction in varroa
  2. Use a bee gym positioned in the middle of the OMF to facilitate grooming.
  3. Sugar dusting. Dust a handful of icing sugar over the brood after every inspection with OMF open to promote additional grooming
  4. Drone brood removal. Insert a shallow frame about 2 frames in from the edge of the brood section; the bees will draw the bottom half out with drone brood. Remove when capped. Repeat.
  5. Queen comb trapping. The queen is trapped on a fresh frame of drawn brood comb every 9 days. When the brood in each of these is sealed (9 days after queen moved on) it can be removed and destroyed
  6. Artificial swarm to create an almost broodless break when bees can also be treated with oxalic acid.
  7. Trickle oxalic acid between the seams in winter when the colony is broodless/new swarm captured.
  8. MAQS laid over brood chamber in spring, summer, autumn containing 65% formic acid
  9. Use thymol gels after the honey harvest while the weather is still warm enough (15˚C by day) to evaporate the essential oils.
154
Q

IPM - give three reasons why IPM works 3

A

Three mite features enable IPM:

  1. Vulnerble at phoretic stage because exposed
    1. To chemicals treatments
    2. encouraging bees to groom
  2. Mites prefer drone brood
  3. If brood limited, mites use brood available
155
Q

IPM - drone culling

A
  1. Take a super frame w worker foundation and insert at edges of brood.
  2. Bees usually draw lower part with drone comb.
  3. Once brood sealed, it can be removed and destroyed.
  4. Return frame and repeat.
156
Q

IPM Queen trapping

how 3, pros 2, and cons 4

A
  1. Requires queen trap and three numbered frames each with clean drawn comb added as follows.
  2. The queen is trapped on a fresh frame of drawn brood comb every 9 days.
  3. When the brood in each of these is sealed (9 days after queen moved on) it can be removed and destroyed
  4. Pros:
    1. Gets rid of almost all mites in the colony
    2. without chemicals
  5. Cons:
    1. V labour intensive so only suitable for small no of hives
    2. Timing is crucial - the cycle of 9 days must be precise;
    3. not before nectar flow;
    4. not too late in summer or not enough bees will be reared for winter
157
Q

Varroa treament sugar dusting 4

A
  1. May remove a proportion of phoretic mites
  2. Should be done on every inspection
  3. Requires on open OMF with vaseline so mites can fall and be removed
  4. Use seive with handful of icing sugar
158
Q

IPM Adapted artificial Swarm

A
  1. Requires strong colony in swarm season and honey flow/ feeding.
  2. Removes high proportion of varroa
  3. Move parent colony to one side of original site 4m away
  4. In its place put, QE then clean brood and Queen on new drawn comb. Foragers return here. Remove QE once queen laying.
  5. After 9 days removed all but one QC in parent col. Protect QC with hair curler to stop virgin mating yet bees to care for her.
  6. After three weeks all brood in parent col will have hatched. TX two bait combs of unsealed brood from art swarm to parent. When capped, remove and destroy.
  7. Cull virgin queen and requeen.
  8. Kill old queen and unite.
159
Q

IPM and shook swarm

A
  1. Shook swarm in usual way and only phoretic varroa transferred.
  2. Treat with oxalic acid trickled.
160
Q

Discuss parasitic mite syndrome 8

(Bee health App)

A
  1. Colnies infest4ed with varroad exhibit a large array of Chewed/sunken cappings similar to AFB
  2. Pepperpot brood pattern
  3. Dead, untended brood - Larva slumped on lower wall with varroa feeding on them
  4. Larvae also spiral up the cell welall or coil in a c-shape at the opening
  5. Larvae are white/yellow but not milk-coffee
  6. Dry to a scale
  7. Unlike AFB, scale can easily be removed. Fail matchstick test
161
Q

Symptoms of PMS 10

(Bee health App)

A

Not all found at same time:

  1. spotty brood pattern
  2. Twisted/melted larvae in cells with 2-3 varroa mites feeding
  3. Larvae can be white, light brown/black
  4. Larvae can look like EFB/AFB and sacbrood but do not rope.
  5. Varroa on comb and in capped and uncapped cells
  6. Decreased adult population esp in spring as winter bees die early
  7. Bees with Deformed Wings
  8. Other viral infections manifesting - eg CBPV
  9. Colony collapse
  10. Colony breakdown and absconding
162
Q

Why mite varroa be resistant to treatment 2

A
  1. Resistance to pyrethroids arises because mites were exposed to low doses which allowed them to survive to breed resistant strains
  2. Or build up of chemicals in wax results in resistant strains.
163
Q

Give a way of detecting mite to resistence pyrethroids 9

A
  1. USA Beltsville Test
  2. Cut a strip of apistan (9x25mm) and staple to an index card. Place in a jar with strip facing inwards.
  3. Prepare a 2-3mm light metal mesh cover.
  4. Shake bees from 1-2 combs into a upturned roof and scoop out ¼ cup (about 150) and pour into jar
  5. Place a sugar cub in jar. Cover with mesh lid leave in dark place at room temp for 24 hours.
  6. Hit jar 3x with hand over white paper and count dislodged mites.
  7. Kill bees in freezer (1-4 hours). Count remaining mites
  8. Calculate the percentage mite kills. Less than 50% indicates you may have resistant mites.
  9. Discard results if total number of mites per jar is below 5.
164
Q

Varroa treatment after resistance detected 3

A
  1. Stop using resistant treatments
  2. Monitor mite pops
  3. Use IPM approaches
165
Q

Discuss methods of controlling wax moth 9

A
  1. Keep strong colonies
  2. Avoid cracked kit
  3. Remove moth larvae on comb
  4. Keep apiary tidy - don’t leave comb lying around as wax moth likes feeding on larval skins and pupal cases
  5. Don’t leave OMF monitoring tray in except when montioring
  6. Scorch boxes, esp corners, and stack comb over QE with newspaper between them to restrict movement between boxes.
  7. Fumigate with 80% acetic acid (150ml on a pad per box - vaseline on metals, seal boxes with tape, 7 days and then air)
  8. Spray with solution of Bacillus thuringiensis (trade name Certan), and leave to air dry before storing frames- kills WM larvae for one year - this does not harm bees so can be used in season.
  9. Heat combs to 46˚C for 1 hour
  10. Freeze combs to -0˚C for 5 hours
166
Q

What records on treatments are you obliged to keep when purchasing medicinal products 5

A
  1. The name of the product
  2. the batch number
  3. the date of acquisition
  4. the quantity acquired
  5. The name and address of supplier
167
Q

What records on treatments are you obliged to keep when administering medicinal products 5

A
  1. The name of the product
  2. Date of administration
  3. Quantity administered
  4. Withdrawal period
  5. Identity of the animal/hive number
168
Q

What records on treatments are you obliged to keep when disposing of medicinal products 5

A
  1. The date of disposal
  2. The quantity of product involved
  3. How and where it was disposed of.
169
Q

How long must you keep medical records 2

A
  1. Five years after administration,
  2. Even if the animal is no longer in your position - eg colony has died, been sold, split, swarmed or given away.
170
Q

Where can you get record keeping cards from

A

Download them from BeeBase

171
Q

Where can you get a list of authorise treatments for varroa and how many authorised treatments are there? 2

A

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate via Beebase - there are currently 15 authorised varroa treatments

172
Q

What is the name of the law on record keeping for bee treatments and who does it apply to 2

A
  1. The Vetinary Medicines Regulations 2014 (VMR)
  2. applies to keepers of food producing animals, including bees
173
Q

Demo understanding of Beebase 3 (3+3)

A
  1. BeeBase is the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) National Bee Unit website.
  2. It is designed for beekeepers and supports Defra, English, Welsh and Scottish Bee Health Programmes, which set out to protect and sustain our valuable national bee stocks.
  3. The website provides a wide range of apicultural information for beekeepers to help keep their colonies healthy and productive including
    1. info on NBU activities,
    2. honey bee related legislation,
    3. info on pests and diseases including
      1. their recognition and control,
      2. publications, advisory leaflets
      3. key contacts.
174
Q

List the New threats bee keeping 4

A
  1. Asian Hornet
  2. Tropilaelaps
  3. Small Hive Beetle
  4. Among others
175
Q

Describe how lateral flow devices are used as diagnostic tools in the field for both EFB and AFB 5

A
  1. Macerate suspect larva in a buffer solution for 20 seconds.
  2. Three drops into the LFD well, keeping the device horizontal.
  3. The sample flows across the solid substrate by capillary action over three minutes.
  4. It encounters lines of coloured reagent treated with a particular antibody.
  5. One line, negative; two lines, positive
176
Q

State the limitations of a lateral flow devices. 3

A
  1. The LFD is specific to one particular disease so separate tests for EFB and AFB.
  2. The LFD won’t show a positive result for a different disease, so if you are testing for AFB but EFB happens to be present instead, it will not show up.
  3. It may not show positive if a different strain of the disease has evolved.
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