APIS Volume 8, Number 8, August 1990
In this issue:
- Contaminated Honey Incident
- Varroa Quiz
- Survey Results of Florida Beekeeping
CONTAMINATED HONEY
It was only a matter of time. The Boston Herald reported that honey from a specific outfit had been contaminated with fluvalinate, the active ingredient in Zoecon's Apistan (R) plastic strips. Taking this conclusion further, the newspaper then implied that the contamination came from the strips themselves. The facts do not bear this out, the Corporation says, in a packet of information sent to industry leaders. According to the Corporation, it would take some 96 strips placed into a colony all at once to reach contamination levels reported by the newspaper (1.14 parts per million). If used according to the label, Zoecon points out, honey cannot be contaminated using the strips.
There are a number of ways that honey might become contaminated with fluvalinate. This active ingredient, also marketed in other products to control insects on ornamentals or turf, may be applied to beehives in an . Alternatively, plastic Apistan strips can be left in the brood nest too long. It is not legal, nor wise, to leave the strips in a colony longer than listed on the label. Wax and honey contamination, as well as build up of resistant mite populations, are the likely outcomes of this practice. Experience in Israel, where fluvalinate impregnated in wooden strips are often used to control Varroa, indicates the material builds up in wax and possibly honey.
The result of this episode of contaminated honey and the attendant press coverage will be increased testing of product destined for the consumer market. The state of Florida has added fluvalinate to its honey testing protocol and this will probably be the case in other states as well. The message is clear: all misuse of fluvalinate (that includes at the present time, ANY USE EXCEPT Apistan strips applied ACCORDING TO THE LABEL accompanying the product) will be sought out by the authorities and is potentially damaging to the beekeeping industry.
VARROA IN FLORIDA
Conversation with bee inspectors around the state is now confirming what many have previously thought. Two kinds of beekeepers found infested with Varroa have emerged: those with healthy colonies (treated) and those with dead colonies (untreated). It is important to realize that once mites are detected, colonies can go rapidly downhill. Those who wait to treat often delay too long.
Varroa is so new that many beekeepers have yet to detect or see the results of the parasite. ENY127 provides detailed information on the mite. It is available electronically through both the IFAS computer network and FAIRS to county extension offices. Individual copies can also be obtained from me. In addition, the video "Varroa Mite Detection," VT-249 is also available to extension offices through the IFAS Media Library, Bldg. 116, Mowry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611, ph 904/392-2411. The video has no copyright and can be duplicated at will. I can also provide a copy if sent a blank tape (1/2" VHS).
If you suspect or find Varroa, the local bee inspector should be contacted for assistance. In order to use Apistan for Varroa control, the beekeeper must enter into a compliance agreement with the Apiary Bureau, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (see survey article elsewhere in this newsletter). Those currently employed as bee inspectors are listed in Hint for the Hive Number 104. Again, extension offices can find these names, addresses and phone numbers through FAIRS.
TESTING VARROA MITE CONTROL KNOWLEDGE
The July issue of The Speedy Bee contains an article taken from the Nebraska Honey Producers Association's newsletter, Nebraska Bee Tidings. The following 25 questions are a portion of the Apistan certification program administered by the Nebraska State Apiarist, Marion Ellis. The questions are considered the most important for beekeepers to know, if they are to prosper in the 1990s.
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.
1. Varroa mites feed on:
a. hive debris
b. adult bees
c. brood
d. pollen and honey
e. both b and c
2. Adult female varroa mites are:
a. white
b. black
c. reddish-brown
d. grey
3. How many legs do varroa mite have?
a. eight
b. six
c. four
d. two
4. How long after the introduction of a few varroa mites into an apiary will
it be before colonies are lost due to varroa infestation?
a. six weeks
b. six months
c. one year
d. three years
5. Varroa mites can spread on adult bees through:
a. drifting
b. robbing
c. purchasing infested packages and queens
d. all of the above
6. In brood, varroa mites are most likely to be found in:
a. unsealed larvae
b. capped worker pupae
c. capped drone pupae
d. none of the above; found on adult bees only
7. The bee louse is an insect that is rarely found on honey bees and causes
no harm to them. It is similar in size and color to the varroa mite.
How many legs does the bee louse have?
a. eight
b. six
c. four
d. two
8. Varroa mites are:
a. not visible to the naked eye
b. about the size of quarter
c. about the size of a penny
d. smaller than a BB but readily visible to
the naked eye
9. To ether-roll sample a colony for varroa, you:
a. spray ether in the entrance and roll the colony over
b. put a paper on the bottom board and spray ether over the top bars
c. spray ether into a jar of 300 to 400 bees; then shake and roll the
jar looking for mites on the sides of the jar
10. The only chemical currently registered for the
control of varroa mites is:
a. menthol
b. Apistan
c. amitraz
b. all of the above
11. Which of the following is a true statement?
a. Apistan is a fumigant and can be placed anywhere in the hive to
kill mites.
b. Apistan is a contact acaracide and must be placed where the bees
cluster on the strips to kill mites.
c. Apistan strips should be placed in a smoker and the bees smoked
heavily.
12. When handling Apistan strips, beekeepers should wear:
a. rubber or latex gloves
b. leather gloves
c. cotton gloves
d. no gloves are necessary
13. For best results, when treated with Apistan colonies should be:
a. well fed
b. raising brood
c. raising drones
d. broodless
14. Apistan strips should be applied by placing the strips as follows:
a. Laying the strips across the top bars
b. Tacking the strips to the entrance
c. Laying the strips on the bottom board
d. Suspending the strips with a nail through
the top between frames the bees are clus-
tered upon
15. The recommended treatment period for Varroa abatement (control) is:
a. 3 days
b. 7 days
c. 30 days
d. 60 days
16. The danger in leaving Apistan strips in for longer than the recommended
treatment period is:
a. the mites developing resistance to the treatment
b. the bees may be killed
c. the strips may turn green
d. the bees may eat the strips
17. Used strips should be disposed of by:
a. burning them in a trash barrel
b. placing used strips in a plastic bag, attaching a label identifying
the material, and taking the material to a sanitary landfill
c. taking the material to an EPA-approved highly toxic waste disposal
site
d. throwing them in the trash
18. Beekeepers applying Apistan under state department of agriculture
supervision must provide the Department with:
a. a list of the locations where the material
was used
b. the date the material was applied
c. the date strips were removed
d. all of the above
19. The penalty for using unregistered pesticides on honey bee colonies is:
a. a fine of $5,000 from the EPA for misuse
b. honey being ineligible for ASCS loan
c. honey being condemned and destroyed
d. all of the above
20. Colonies of honey bees may be treated with Apistan:
a. any time of year
b. only when surplus honey supers are not on
the hives
c. before removing surplus honey to assure that no mites are present
in the honey
d. only during the main honey flow
21. The waiting period required after Apistan treatment before surplus
honey supers can be put on is:
a. there is no waiting period
b. 3 days
c. 7 days
d. 30 days
22. Which of the following storage and disposal precautions apply to
Apistan strips:
a. Keep strips in the original unopened
package until ready to use
b. Do not store unused strips in anything but
the original package
c. Do not store strips near pesticides or other
chemical substances that could contami-
nate the strips and result in bee toxicity.
d. Do not store strips in direct sunlight.
e. All of the above
23. The Apistan strips approved for use on package bees are:
a. the same as the strips approved for use on
established colonies
b. weaker than the strips approved for use on
established and should not be used to treat
colonies
c. stronger than the strips approved for use
on established colonies and should be cut
in half
24. Female varroa mites overwinter:
a. in pollen cells
b. in hive debris
c. on adult bees
d. on beekeepers
e. all of the above
25. When hives containing brood are killed to abate varroa how long must
the brood combs be stored away from live bees to prevent them
from infesting colonies they are placed on?
a. 4 hours
b. 24 hours
c. 48 hours
d. 2 weeksSURVEY OF THE FLORIDA BEEKEEPING INDUSTRY
Mr. Laurence Cutts, Florida State Apiarist, polled the beekeeping industry last spring on a number of issues. Of 158 surveys sent out by the Apiary Bureau, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services, some 58 were returned.
The results were as follows:
Yes No
1. Do you consider Varroa mite a serious pest? 55 5*
2. Should the Department regulate Varroa mites? 47 10*#
3. Have you used Apistan to control Varroa mites? 50 8
4. Does Apistan control Varroa mites? 47 3*#
5. Do you support removal of Apistan for Varroa? 5 54*#
6. Do you consider American foulbrood (AFB) a serious
pest? 37 22*
7. Should the Department continue to regulate AFB? 47 10*#
* Surveys gave both yes and no answers.
# No responses on some surveys.The above responses will be used to help guide the Apiary Bureau's programs in the future. If you have comments or questions, contact Mr. Cutts, P.O. Box 1269, Gainesville, FL 32602, ph 904/372-3505, ext 128.
Malcolm T. Sanford
Bldg 970, Box 110620
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX: 904-392-0190
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~entweb/apis/apis.htm
INTERNET Address: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU
©1990 M.T. Sanford "All Rights Reserved
