- Small Hive Beetle
- Bears
- Skunks
- Wasps
- Diseases
Diseases and Pests
A Field Guide to Honey Bees and their Maladies (Penn State University) - The key to protecting honey bee colonies from diseases, parasites, and other
harm-ful conditions is the ability to identify and deal with problems early.
This publication is designed to assist beekeepers in recog-nizing the symptoms
of common honey bee maladies. Some simple cultural controls are included here;
however, for a complete list and discussion of manage-ment tactics and
currently registered chemicals approved for the control of honey bee maladies,
see the MAAREC Web site, maarec.psu.edu.
Apinae - Bee Diseases and Pests from (World Organization or Animal Health)
Introductory note on bee diseases (version adopted in May 2013)
Chapter 3.2.1.
Acarapisosis of honey bees (infestation of honey bees with Acarapis woodi)
Chapter 3.2.2.
American foulbrood of honey bees (infection of honey bees with Paenibacillus larvae) (version adopted in May 2016)
Chapter 3.2.3.
European foulbrood of honey bees (infection of honey bees with Melissococcus plutonius) (version adopted in May 2016)
Chapter 3.2.4.
Nosemosis of honey bees (version adopted in May 2013)
Chapter 3.2.5.
Infestation with Aethina tumida (small hive beetle) (version adopted in May 2018)
Chapter 3.2.6.
Infestation of honey bees with Tropilaelaps spp. (version adopted in May 2018)
Chapter 3.2.7.
Varroosis of honey bees (infestation of honey bees with Varroa spp.) (version adopted in May 2021)
Pests
Introduction to Varroa Mites and Integrated Pest Management from the Honey Bee Health Coalition
Varroa Population Dynamics from the UoG Honey Bee Research Centre
Tools for Varroa Management: A guide to effective varroa sampling and control
Every honey bee colony in the continental United States and Canada either has Varroa mites today or will have them within several months. Varroa mite infestation represents one of the greatest threats to honey bee health, honey production, and pollination services. When honey bee colonies are untreated
or treated ineffectively colonies can fail and beekeepers can incur major
economic losses, and, ultimately, agricultural food production may be impacted.
In addition, colonies with Varroa are a source of mites that can spread to other
colonies, even in other apiaries, through drifting, robbing, and absconding
activity of bees. All beekeepers should remain vigilant to detect high
Varroa mite levels and be prepared to take timely action in order to reduce mite
loads. Effective mite control will reduce colony losses and avoid potential
spread of infectious disease among colonies. This Guide will explain
practical, effective methods that beekeepers can use to measure Varroa mite
infestations in their hives and select appropriate control methods. This guide
is produced by the
Honey Bee Health Coalition.Scientific Beekeeping (Randy Oliver) Varroa Management
Biology and Control of Varroa Destructor (University of Hohenheim)
Sampling Colonies for Varroa Destructor by G. Reuter and M. Spivak (U. of Minnesota)
Alternative Strategies for Control of Varroa Mites in Europe (Apimondia)
Aspects of Varroa Reproduction as possible new control method by D. Anderson (Australian Government)
Varroa Management Decision Tool. This tool will walk you through the decisions you need to make to
determine how best to manage varroa mites. The guide is produced by the
Honey Bee Health Coalition. "We’ve formed the Honey Bee Health Coalition to bring together
beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses,
conservation groups, manufacturers, and consumer brands to improve the health
of honey bees in general and specifically around production agriculture. We’re
taking collaborative action to improve honey bee health by addressing multiple
factors influencing bee health, including hive pests and disease, forage and
nutrition, and exposure to crop pesticides." Click
here
to access the tool.
Mite-A-Thon "Mite-A-Thon is a tri-national effort to collect mite
infestation data and to visualize Varroa infestations in honey bee colonies
across North America within a two week window. All beekeepers can participate,
creating a rich distribution of sampling sites in Canada, the United States,
and Mexico. Their Varroa monitoring data will be uploaded to
www.mitecheck.com." (from the
Pollinator Partnership)
Varroa Mite Management Videos
Testing
Powdered Sugar Shake and Alcohol Wash (Honey Bee Health Coalition)
Varroa Sticky Boards (UoG Honey Bee Research Centre)
4 minute alcohol wash mite test by Randy Oliver
Randy Oliver's Varroa Model for determining mite population dynamics to help in creating a mite management strategy.
Treatment
How to use Apivar (HBHC)
How to use Formic Acid (HBHC)
How to use HopGuard (HBHC)
How to use Oxalic Acid (HBHC)
Drone Brood Removal (HBHC)
Honey Bee Health Coalition bee club presentation (powerpoint)
*HBHC = Honey Bee Health Coalition
James Ellis at the National Honey
Show
The beetle is indigenous to Africa, where it is considered a minor pest of
honey bees, and until recently was thought to be restricted to that continent.
However, in 1998 it was detected in Florida and it is now widespread in the
USA. It is called the small hive beetle to distinguish it from other minor
pests of bee hives in Africa, known as large hive beetles. At the time of
writing, the SHB is not thought to be present in the UK. The beetle can
multiply to huge numbers within infested colonies where it eats brood,
destroys combs and if uncontrolled ultimately destroys them. The resulting
economic impact on the beekeeping industry in the USA has been severe. Within
two years of its discovery, at least 20,000 colonies were destroyed by the
beetle, costing many millions of dollars. It has also been found in Manitoba,
Canada where it arrived with beeswax imported from the USA. In October 2002,
it was found in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The economic
consequences to the beekeeping industry in Australia are likely to be
extremely serious, jeopardising bee exports, pollination services and honey
production. Normally they move down into the hive to get away from the light
It is not known how the beetle reached either the USA or Australia, although
in the USA shipping is considered the most likely route. By the time the
beetle was detected in both countries it was already well established. The
potential implications for European apiculture are enormous, as we must now
assume that the SHB could spread to Europe and that it is likely to prove as
harmful here as in Australia and the USA. Package bees and honey bee colonies
are the principal means of spread, but it could also be transmitted
inadvertently and unnoticed through swarms in shipping or air cargo, or in
consignments of fruit, unrefined wax and used beekeeping equipment. Beekeeper
vigilance must be heightened following the discovery of the SHB in Australia.
In the future, keeping an eye out for the beetle needs to become a routine
part of colony management in the UK.
Small Hive Beetle Videos
Small Hive Beetle Barrier by Jeff Williard
Tracheal Mites
Wax Moth
Wax Moth and it's Control (Australian Government)Protection of Honey Combs from Moth Damage (Swiss Bee Research Centre)
Florid Fly
Mosquitoes
The heavy-duty straps and the heavy rocks were no match for the bear. This
time he got the queen too and so many bees that there's nothing left. The bees
did give a good fight as seen in the video and the bear had to retreat a few
times, but it is all done. (Avner Skolnik)
A properly constructed electric fence is safe for people and pets and
has proven to be effective at deterring bears from apiaries (beehives), fruit trees, gardens, livestock
pens, rabbit hutches, garbage containers, dog kennels, chicken coups, compost piles, storage sheds, along
with numerous other uses. There is an abundant variety of applications and effective fencing designs
for deterring bears. Design, construction and proper maintenance will determine the effectiveness of
your electric fence. Safety is always a concern when using electrified equipment. Modern
electric fence energizers have been shown to be safe for humans, animals and vegetation. The pulse rate
of a modern energizer is so quick that they cannot generate enough heat to start vegetation on fire.
While touching an electrified fence is unpleasant, modern energizers are safe to use around pets and
children.
How to install an electric fence (Defenders of Wildlife)
Bear Fence Test (NOLS)
*For us in North America the best control of Wasps is to catch the
overwintered Queens in spring. The newly mated queens are the only
members of the wasp colony to survive the winter. You can also, dressed
in your beekeeping protective gear, drown an in-ground nest or bag a hanging
nest early in the morning (when most of the wasps are in the nest) and
submerge it in water. No toxins are required in these means of disposing
of the nests or in traps described below. When using traps our wasps
tend to be more attracted to protein early in the season (they are feeding
their brood) and sugar from late summer to fall. Add vinegar to the
sugar solution in your traps to deter the bees. To help protect our hives we
reduce our entrances in late summer when the wasps leave their nests to forage
so that the hive is easier to defend. If the wasps gain entrance to the
hive a
robber screen
is a useful defense.
"Yellowjackets are usually considered beneficial insects because they kill
many pest insects and feed them to their larvae. However, some species,
such as the western yellowjacket (Paravespula pensylvanica), the common
yellowjacket (P. vulgaris), and the German yellowjacket (P. germanica), can
attack honeybee adults and larvae. A typical yellowjacket worker is
about 1 / 2 -inch long. Coloration is yellow and black or white and
black. Yellowjackets have annual colonies. Inseminated queens overwinter in
protected locations. They emerge from late March through May, select a nest
site, and build a small paper nest in which they lay their eggs.
Yellowjacket species build nests below the soil in mouse burrows or in similar
sites, also between walls or in the attics of houses. Worker yellowjackets
rear and feed the brood and also forage for food. The queen remains inside the
nest laying eggs. Colonies expand rapidly and may total up to 5,000 workers
when maximum size is attained in August or September. In the fall, inseminated
queens seek sheltered spots for overwintering. Yellowjackets eat bee
brood, rob honey, and sometimes kill the queen or the colony. Weak colonies
are especially susceptible. In general, yellowjackets become pests of
honeybees in late summer through fall and are more serious pests in dry
years."
The easiest DIY wasp trap to make is to cut the top off of a plastic bottle
or jug and place the inverted top into the bottom (A picture of the trap to
the right). You can secure the union with tape and hang away from the
hives. You should clean and replace the bait at least once per week.
The bait receptacle is not necessary. This DIY project is described in
detail in the video below.
Skunks
Skunks can be a problem for beekeepers though they are usually not a
major threat and fairly easy to deter (like most issues a bigger threat to weaker colonies). They are nocturnal visitors and evidence of their presence can be
detected in ground scraping in front of the entrance, scraping on the
bottom board or lower super, agitated bees, shrinking population, holes
(they like to dig for grubs) and scat containing bee carcasses (Evidence of skunks in the beeyard - Ian Steppler) . The skunks may be a benefit to you and your bees by digging up
and preying on wasp nests and rodents (that may winter in the hive).
Their M.O. (modus operandi) is to scratch on the hive to bring bees out to
investigate which they eat as they exit the hive. A small percentage
of skunks will scratch on the hive and eat the bees as they settle on the
ground unable to navigate in the dark (lower bee fatality - Skunk feeding on ground bees (Frederick Dunn)).
There are several methods of skunk defense.
Raising the hive (12 inches or more) forces the skunk to stand leaving
their belly exposed to stinging. This method is effective.
In the video above Ian Steppler found placing the hives on pallets
effective. If possible raising it high enough makes the hive
inaccessible. Raising a hive that high is not a practical solution
for most. Another method is placing a 2-4 inch wide board over the
hive entrance. This method prevents the skunk eating all the bees
exiting the hive. The bees not caught will commence
stinging. Chicken wire (rolled or surrounding) around the entrance
prevents the skunk eating them as they exit. A carpet tack board
or bear board under the hive entrance makes for an uncomfortable
stance. If you have an electric fence lowering the bottom wire (or
adding) is effective and if you have few hives a fence buried at least a
foot deep can be effective (they love to dig).
Solar powered motion detectors
may work if you have the money, the sun and are not annoyed by the sound
or flashing light. I have found store bought
animal repellent
works on squirrels and rats for me. It is supposed to work on
skunks. The concept is that it replicates the smell of a predator
(i.e. coyote urine). There are several d.i.y recipes for deterrent
sprays using pepper, urine, vinegar and ammonia and citrus (D.I.Y Recipes). While they can be a nuisance and washing a skunked dog is a
pain a mother skunk followed by a string of baby skunks is pretty
cute.
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| Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association |
Skunk Behavior in the Bee Yard (Mark Headings, Ohio State University)
Bee Informed Partnership Identification of Honey Bee Diseases
Nosema
Foulbroods
Identifying American Foul Brood (NSW DPI Agriculture)
AFB Holst Milk Test Randy Oliver NY Bee Wellness
Chalkbrood
Deformed Wing Virus
Dysentery
CCD
Pathogen Webs in Collapsing Honey Bee Colonies (N.C. State, U. of Maryland,
U.S.D.A)
"On-site" Replication of CCD (Harvard, Worcester County B.A.)
Medications and Stress
Essential Oils
Brief Beekeeping guide to Essential Oils (Wikibooks)
The Use of Essential Oils to Control Varroa Jacobsoni (Swiss Apiculture Institute)
Essential Oils and the Beekeeping Industry's Survival by Ross Conrad
Feeding Essential Oils in Syrup and Liquid Protein to Control Varroa (IBRA)
The Use of Essential Oils to Control Varroa Jacobsoni (Swiss Apiculture Institute)
Essential Oils and the Beekeeping Industry's Survival by Ross Conrad
Feeding Essential Oils in Syrup and Liquid Protein to Control Varroa (IBRA)
General
Why should parasite resistance be costly? (U.C. Santa Barbara and U.
of Vermont)
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