Comparative testing of different methods for evaluation of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies

Dobrynin, Nikolay D.; Colombo, M.; Eördegh, Francesca Romana

doi:10.4081/jear.2011.323

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Some of them [24][25][26] evaluate level of mites by counting the dead mites on sticky-boards after treatment with acaricide. Others sample the natural mortality of mites to evaluate mite infestation [27]. None of these were suitable for the present study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce Varroa destructor Population

Liu

XinJian

Zhang

et al. 2020

Insects

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Varroa destructor is by far the most serious threat to the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. A screen bottom board, a cultural method for mite control, is a modified bottom board with a screen that allows mites to fall onto a sticky board, or the grass or soil below the screen. Whether or not a screen bottom board can reduce varroa significantly has been controversial. Most studies show a trend of lower varroa populations in colonies with these boards, but the results are usually not statistically significant. To understand whether the negative results have been due to small sample sizes, or because the board is actually ineffective, we conducted a meta-analysis with seven published studies with a total of 145 colonies. Meta-analysis showed that the confidence intervals of the combined effect sizes were negative with a Hedges’ g of −1.09 (SE 0.39, 95% CI −2.0 to −0.19, p < 0.01), which suggests that the varroa population in colonies with screen bottom boards is significantly lower compared to those with traditional wooden floors. We thus conclude that the screen bottom board does have a significantly negative impact on the varroa population and can be part of tool kits for mite control.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce Varroa destructor Population

Liu

XinJian

Zhang

et al. 2020

Insects

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“…Currently, the disease represents one of the most important problems of the world beekeeping and is attributed by the International Epizootic Bureau to the list "B" of quarantine diseases of bees along with American foulbrood and Acariosis. Therefore, Varroosis must be regularly controlled to predict colony loss [10]. The hemophagous honeybee mite V. destructor is still the greatest threat for apiculture.…”

Section: Va R R O a Mite Infestation In Honeybee Coloniesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virulence of Varroa destructor in Colonies of Honey Bee Apis mellifera

Ayoub¹

2020

Beekeeping - New Challenges

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Although Var r o a mite infestation of honeybee is widespread throughout the world, data about the level of infestation in the bees of our area are inadequate. Var r o a mite infestation was first detected in Iraq in the mid-1980s. A large investigation was carried out to determine Var r o a infestation level in the apiaries of Duhok Province, Northern Iraq. Otherwise, this study aimed to clarify the parasitic effect of the mite Varroa destructor on the mandibular and hypopharyngeal glands of Apis mellifera. A total of 1000 samples of adult workers of different ages from more than 20 separated apiaries were collected from August to the end of October 2013. Caped brood, drone and worker brood, from five apiaries were examined. A total of 450 newly emerged workers from three separated apiaries of the same area were collected during the late summer 2013. Effects of Var r o a infestation on mandibular glands and hypopharyngeal glands of newly emerged workers of honeybees were investigated. High level of the infestation was found in all apiaries of Dohuk region and may act as a risk factor to the bee health. Results showed significant differences in the size of hypopharyngeal gland acini of newly emerged workers infested with one to three mites compared to noninfested newly emerged workers, while only newly emerged workers infested with three mites showed significant differences in the size of mandibular glands as compared to noninfested newly emerged workers. Management strategies of the mid-and late summer treatment are necessary to keep the mite population at low levels before and during the period when the winter bees emerge. Considerable numbers of Var r o a mites can be controlled inside bee colonies without chemicals by removal of drone pupae or sometimes if necessary removing generations of worker pupae before emergence as adults. Using movable screened bottom boards in the opposite side of the hive entrance for the observation and counting naturally felled down Var r o a mites were very beneficial in this area during hot summer periods.

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“…Determining the level of Varroa infestation in adult bees can be performed by submerging adult bees in alcohol (75%) to dislodge the mites (World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), ,b,c). The use of soapy water is an effective and economical alternative to washing with alcohol for mite detection on adult bees (Dietemann et al., ; Dobrynin et al., ). However, this method may decrease the accuracy of the outcome due to possible variability in the temperature of water, soap type and concentration, so it is less suited for harmonisation than the alcohol method.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this method may decrease the accuracy of the outcome due to possible variability in the temperature of water, soap type and concentration, so it is less suited for harmonisation than the alcohol method. Using powdered sugar to dislodge the mites does not kill the bees and is an environmentally friendly technique, but is considered less precise than the alcohol/soapy water methods (Dobrynin et al., ; Flores et al., ).…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Varroa infestation level can also be assessed by inspecting large amounts of brood (World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), ,b,c; Dietemann et al., ). This method is not suitable for application in extensive field surveys because it can only be performed during the presence of brood and is resource consuming (Dobrynin et al., ). Moreover, it does not allow determination of the level of infestation during periods when the colonies are usually treated against Varroa (autumn and winter).…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the health status of managed honeybee colonies (HEALTHY-B): a toolbox to facilitate harmonised data collection

2016

EFSA Journal

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Tools are provided to assess the health status of managed honeybee colonies by facilitating further harmonisation of data collection and reporting, design of field surveys across the European Union (EU) and analysis of data on bee health. The toolbox is based on characteristics of a healthy managed honeybee colony: an adequate size, demographic structure and behaviour; an adequate production of bee products (both in relation to the annual life cycle of the colony and the geographical location); and provision of pollination services. The attributes 'queen presence and performance', 'demography of the colony', 'in-hive products' and 'disease, infection and infestation' could be directly measured in field conditions across the EU, whereas 'behaviour and physiology' is mainly assessed through experimental studies. Analysing the resource providing unit, in particular land cover/use, of a honeybee colony is very important when assessing its health status, but tools are currently lacking that could be used at apiary level in field surveys across the EU. Data on 'beekeeping management practices' and 'environmental drivers' can be collected via questionnaires and available databases, respectively. The capacity to provide pollination services is regarded as an indication of a healthy colony, but it is assessed only in relation to the provision of honey because technical limitations hamper the assessment of pollination as regulating service (e.g. to pollinate wild plants) in field surveys across the EU. Integrating multiple attributes of honeybee health, for instance, via a Health Status Index, is required to support a holistic assessment. Examples are provided on how the toolbox could be used by different stakeholders. Continued interaction between the Member State organisations, the EU Reference Laboratory and EFSA is required to further validate methods and facilitate the efficient use of precise and accurate bee health data that are collected by many initiatives throughout the EU.

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Comparative testing of different methods for evaluation of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce Varroa destructor Population

A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce Varroa destructor Population

Virulence of Varroa destructor in Colonies of Honey Bee Apis mellifera

Assessing the health status of managed honeybee colonies (HEALTHY-B): a toolbox to facilitate harmonised data collection

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