Honey Hygiene

Question 1

What does ‘eusocial’ mean

Answer 1

Means they have a dependence on each other for survival, long term
Split-up roles such as reproductive activities (called casts)

Question 2

What 3 groups make up a bee colony and describe them

Answer 2

Queen - lay eggs
Drones - male, mate with the queen
Workers - female, do everything else

Question 3

How many days does each category take to emerge from their eggs (queen, drone, worker)

Answer 3

Queen - 16 days
Drone - 24 days
Worker - 21 days

Question 4

Describe the composition of honey

Answer 4

82% sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose)
17% water
1% other

Question 5

What pharmacological properties does honey have

Answer 5

Low Aw restricts microbial growth
H2O2 in some honeys
Antimicrobial bioactive components

Question 6

Name 4 active components of honey

Answer 6

Methylglyoxal (MGO)
Bee defensin-1
Melanoidins
Jellins

Question 7

What are the main risks of honey to humans

Answer 7

Botulism (Cl. botulinum)
Residues from chemicals/pesticides

Question 8

Name the pesticides which can be present in honey

Answer 8

Organophosphates
Organochlorines
Metals e.g. lead and cadmium

Question 9

Name the main pharmacological residues which are tested for in honey

Answer 9

Chloramphenicol
Streptomycin
Tetracyclines
Sulphonamides

Question 10

Name the 4 main notifiable diseases in bees

Answer 10

European Foul Brood
American Foul Brood
Tropilaelaps
Small hive beetle

Question 11

Name the 3 non-notifiable diseases that are problematic in bees

Answer 11

Varroa destructor - reportable
Nosema apis
Asian hornet

Question 12

How to deal with European Foul Brood

Answer 12

Need special permission from APHA to use antimicrobials
Shake out healthy larvae and then burn affected colony

Question 13

How to deal with American foul brood

Answer 13

Have to destroy the colony by burning, burn equipment
CANNOT use antimicrobials

Question 14

What test do you use to diagnose American foul brood

Answer 14

Ropiness test

Question 15

What is the effect of tropilaelaps mite on a colony

Answer 15

Causes abnormal brood development
Death of both bees and brood

Question 16

How does the small hive beetle affect a bee colony

Answer 16

Larvae eat eat, pollen, honey, bee brood and eggs
They contaminate the honey by defecting in it, causing it to ferment

Question 17

What effect does the varroa mite have on bees

Answer 17

Vector for the Deformed wing virus
Causes atrophy of wings => bees cannot fly

Question 18

Name the chemical treatments for the varroa mite (x4)

Answer 18

Thymol
Oxalic/formic acid - very effective
Tau Fluvalinate
Amitraz

Question 19

Name 2 physical treatments against the varroa mite

Answer 19

Dust with icing sugar - promotes worker bees to groom themselves, and mites drop off
Trap combs - breed drones to attract the mites, and then break off trap comb to burn