APIS Volume 13, Number 2, February 1995
In this issue
- Frank Randall Dies
- Fluvalinate--Use it Right or Lose it!
- National Honey Board Evaluates Itself
FRANK RANDALL DIES
Florida beekeeping lost yet another committed leader with the death of Frank Randall in January. He served the industry in many ways over the last four decades, including the presidency and vice presidency of the Sioux Bee Honey Cooperative. Frank was an active member and sometimes officer of the South Florida Beekeepers Association, Central Florida Beekeepers Association, Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association and the Florida State Beekeepers Association. He also was a recently-appointed member of the National Honey Board and a long-time supporter of the American Beekeeping Federation.
Many knew Frank as the second-generation operator of Randall's Wax Works. Those of us in Florida also knew him as a person who would participate at almost any gathering of importance to the bee industry. He was especially active at meetings of the Honey Bee Technical Council of the Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Frank brought a wealth of knowledge about bees and beekeeping to industry concerns, and it was often used to advance deliberations toward successful conclusions. For his contributions to the apicultural industry, he was honored as the 1989 "Beekeeper of Year" by the Florida State Beekeepers Association and received an award with the same title in 1994 from the Sioux Bee Honey Association.
Frank was also active in other organizations, not intimately associated with beekeeping. He was a member of the Moore Haven, Glades County and Umatilla fire departments, the Glades County Hunt Club and a veteran of the National Guard.
Florida's bee industry will miss Frank Randall in many ways. He was truly one of the sunshine state's beekeeping icons. Fortunately, his legacy will live on in the Wax Works that bears his family's name. Frank's wife, Charlotte, along with the other Randalls of Umatilla, plan to continue providing the quality beeswax foundation that many have come to rely on, not only in the southeast, but all across in the United States.
FLUVALINATE--USE IT RIGHT OR LOSE IT!
It is now official! Resistance to fluvalinate, the active ingredient in Apistan (R), has been found in Varroa mites. This was published in the February 1995 issue of Bee Culture (Vol. 123, No. 2, pp. 80-81) in "9th International Congress of Acarology," by E. Sugden, K. Williams and D. Sammataro. According to these authors: "The most ominous report came from Dr. Roberto Nannelli of Italy. He has found areas where Varroa mites are over 90 percent fluvalinate-resistant, and his claims have been confirmed by German scientists."
Oscar Coindreau, representative of Sandoz Agro, the company that makes Apistan (R), also verified this report at the recent meeting of the American Beekeeping Federation in Austin, TX. He indicated that resistance was patchy in Italy, but in certain areas, Apistan (R) provided no control. And it doesn't take much resistance before Apistan (R) loses its effectiveness, according to Mr. Coindreau, because anything less than 99 percent control, is in reality, no control. That's because mite populations tend to bounce back so readily in populous bee colonies.
All investigators indicate that the cause of this resistance is not Apistan (R), but beekeepers' misuse of other formulations of fluvalinate. In Europe the product is called Klartan (R) and in the United States, Mavrik (R). All agree the use of these chemical products soaked into wooden strips, cardboard, paper towels, or in some cases, simply sprayed into colonies, is a certain recipe for developing resistant Varroa mites.
Although considered "ominous" in Europe, in the United States resistant mites mean disaster. That's because most other countries of the world have alternative treatments that are legal. According to the authors of the article: "In general, European scientists felt that the best way to slow development of resistance in the mites is to have at least two types of treatment which could be applied alternately." This advice is mirrored in many other situations where possible resistance in organisms to pesticides and antibiotics exists (see "When Bugs Fight Back," November 1994 APIS). It turns out that some European countries even have three Varroa mite treatments to turn to, rotating Apistan (R) with formic acid and amitraz.
In contrast to those in Europe, United States beekeepers have only one legal treatment, Apistan (R). The only other candidate treatment at the moment in the United States is formic acid. Although generally effective, there can be many complications in using this product, including, queen and worker loss even when applied correctly. It is also caustic, one reason it is not looked on favorably by regulatory officials. According to one German researcher, efforts need to be increased to develop a formic acid-based product that is safe and foolproof, and can be registered quickly.
The authors of the article, therefore, conclude: "It may not be a question of 'if' but only 'when and where' the first super-Varroa mites will show up in North America. This should serve a warning to all beekeepers to use control methods only as directed on their labels."
The best way to ensure killing as many mites as possible without developing super Varroa resistant to fluvalinate is to use Apistan (R) right and only once. This philosophy, along with proper application recommendations, was published in the fall 1994, Apiculture Newsletter, published by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Here is what the authors (G. Grant, and M. Nasr, in consultation with L. Goczan of Sandoz Agro Canada) say in their article "Apistan Strips - Use'em Right, Use'em once!":
"Apistan (R) is a plastic strip that contains a miticide, fluvalinate. Fluvalinate is a contact poison that kills Varroa mite. But Varroa mites must contact the right dose before they die.
"Fluvalinate does not mix with water, but it does mix well with oils and waxes. As bees walk over the strip, the fluvalinate moves into the oils found on the surface of their bodies. When bees contact each other in the hive, the miticide is passed on. In a matter of hours all the bees in the hive are covered with fluvalinate. Adult mites that contact these bees will be killed by the miticide.
"As fluvalinate is picked up from the surface of the strip the concentration drops. More fluvalinate then moves out from the center of the strip to the outside surface. The strip is designed to deliver the correct amount of miticide to the surface over the 42-day treatment period.
"Eventually most of the fluvalinate is removed from the strip -- the strip is spent. There is no longer enough miticide left in the strip to kill Varroa mites....
"Why a 42-day treatment period? Worker bees take 21 days to develop from egg to adult. Drones need up to 24 days to develop. By leaving the strips in the hive for 42 days or two worker bee generations, all adult mites and their matured offspring will be exposed to the miticide. Remember, the mite must contact the fluvalinate in order to be killed. Mites in capped brood cells escape exposure until they emerge from the cell with the adult bee.
"Why not leave strips in over winter? Because two potential problems might occur:
- Residues- fluvalinate mixes with oils and waxes. Leaving strips in over winter might result in a build up of residues in the wax.
- Resistance- mites are not equally susceptible to fluvalinate. Leaving mites in contact with spent strips may kill the most susceptible mites, leaving the more resistant mites to reproduce in their place."
"Use one (1) strip for every five (5) frames covered by bees in brood boxes. Some strong hives may need three strips, some weak hives will only need one. Place strips down between the frames so that they contact each side of the cluster. The average hive will likely need two.
"Can Apistan strips be reused? No, with one exception. There is no sure way of knowing if enough fluvalinate remains in a strip to guarantee that it will work a second time.
"The exception: If the strip was used once, only for three days to detect mites, and if the strip was then stored properly between use, you might reuse the strip. You might reuse it for either detecting mites for a 3-day period or for one 42-day treatment.
"Store strips in a cool, dry and dark location wrapped in aluminum foil in an air-tight bag. Avoid direct sunlight. Don't store strips near chemicals or pesticides. Don't store strips where they could contaminate food, feed or water.
"In Ontario, Apistan (R) is registered as a Schedule 3 pesticide. As with other 'homeowner' products, strips are approved for disposal in municipal landfills. Some municipalities have their own special requirements for disposal of Schedule 3 pesticides."
In the United States, the instructions on the label are the law. They must be followed, even if varying from what the authors say in the above article or other writings on the subject. In addition, when applying Apistan (R), or any registered chemical, the person must have in his possession a copy of the label.
Thus, when it comes to Apistan (R), the old adage, "use it or lose it," must be modified. If U.S. beekeepers are to maximize the utility of the one legal and effective treatment they have for Varroa, what many consider the most dangerous organism affecting beekeeping today, they must "use it right or lose it."
NATIONAL HONEY BOARD EVALUATES ITSELF
What do you get for your money? That's the question the National Honey Board (NHB) tried to answer at the recent American Beekeeping Federation convention in Austin, TX.
To set the stage, the executive director Bob Smith said, the Board's goal is to promote and maintain existing demand for honey and while increasing demand in selected markets. The NHB must not be crisis oriented, he said, but must focus on what it does best, long-range promotional efforts of honey. One indication of industry support, Mr. Smith concluded, is that the vast majority of handlers are assiduously collecting NHB assessments in a timely manner.
The NHB budget is about $3 million. Sherry Jennings the Board's industry relations director, provided an overview on how this money is being used. The vast majority is honey promotion (50%), followed by food technology (16%) and Foodservice (10%). Product research consumes six percent and crisis management four percent. table shows that most funds being expended in consumer promotion.
In keeping with its basic mission, the Board engages in a great many advertising projects throughout the year and has an excellent rapport with the press. There have been a couple of "Hints for Heloise" columns that featured honey, due to the efforts of Mary Humann, the Board's press relations officer. Any beekeeper can also request a honey sales kit from the Board, as well as brochures to help in local sales efforts. Contact the Board toll free at 800/553-7162.
Perhaps the most exciting area for the Board is the development of new products. Ms. Jennings discussed projects concerned with honey meats (poultry particularly), honey frozen deserts (yogurt), honey spreads, and honey beers. Several microbreweries have launched honey-based beer with good success, including Samuel Adams. Other research being supported by the Board, Ms. Jennings said, is concerned with honey and fat systems (peanut butter), honey and flavor enhancement, honey in microwaveable foods, and honey use in fat-free potato chips and frozen baking dough.
It is impossible to describe all the programs and initiatives described at the Austin meeting, but fortunately, the Board has published a brochure detailing many of them, along with thumbnail sketches and photos of all Board members. It is called "Building a Successful Future." This publication reveals the vitality of the Board's programs and makes excellent promotional material for those who ask where their assessments are going and how they are being spent. For a copy contact the Office of the American Beekeeping Federation, P.O. Box 1048, Jesup, GA 31545, ph 912/427-8447.
Copyright (c) M.T. Sanford 1995 "All Rights Reserved"
