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Honey Bee Supplies
Varroa Mite
Varroa destructor (Varroa mite) is an external parasitic mite that attacks the honey bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The disease caused by the mites is called varroosis.
The Varroa mite can only reproduce in a honey bee colony. It attaches to the body of the bee and weakens the bee by sucking fat bodies. In this process, RNA viruses such as the deformed wing virus (DWV) spread to bees. A significant mite infestation will lead to the death of a honey bee colony, usually in the late autumn through early spring. The Varroa mite is the parasite with the most pronounced economic impact on the beekeeping industry. Varroa is considered to be one of multiple stress factors-contributing to the higher levels of bee losses around the world.
There are multiple ways to treat and fight against the Varroa--THIS IS SERIOUS--Beekeepers must take measures to prevent varroa from destroying they hives.
Hive Beetle
The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is a beekeeping pest.[1] It is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, but has spread to many other locations, including North America, Australia, and the Philippines.
The small hive beetle can be a destructive pest of honey bee colonies, causing damage to comb, stored honey and pollen. If a beetle infestation is sufficiently heavy, they may cause bees to abandon their hive. Its presence can also be a marker in the diagnosis of Colony Collapse Disorder for honey-bees. The beetles can also be a pest of stored combs, and honey (in the comb) awaiting extraction. Beetle larvae may tunnel through combs of honey, feeding and defecating, causing discoloration and fermentation of the honey.
American Foul Brood
American foulbrood (AFB) is a fatal bacterial disease of honey bee brood caused by the spore forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. It is not a stress related disease and can infect the strongest to the weakest colony in an apiary. Infected brood usually die at the pre-pupal or pupal stage. Heavy infections can affect most of the brood, severely weakening the colony and eventually killing it. The disease is not able to be cured, meaning that destruction of infected colonies and hives or irradiation of infected material is the only way to manage AFB.
Although AFB is not highly contagious, bacterial spores can easily be spread between hives and apiaries through beekeeping practices such as through the exchange of equipment and movement of infected combs. Adult bees are not affected by AFB but can spread spores within and between infected and clean hives through robbing and drifting.
AFB spores can remain viable for over 50 years and are very resistant to freezing and high temperatures. Therefore, the only way to manage the disease is to stop infections from occurring through adopting beekeeping best management practices, and if an AFB outbreak does occur, quickly dealing with it before additional colonies become infected.
European Foul Brood
European foulbrood (EFB) is a brood disease caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius. EFB was first detected in Australia in the late 1970s.
Larvae of all ages are susceptible to infection and become infected after ingesting food contaminated with the bacteria. The bacterium then multiples in the mid-gut of the larvae and competes for larval food, resulting in the larvae dying of starvation. EFB is characterised by patchy brood with uncapped brood cells where the dead or dying larvae appear curled upwards, and are brown or yellow, making the larvae appear to be ‘molten’ in the cell.
The incidence of EFB is generally higher when the colony is under stress, which may be caused by hive movement, climatic conditions such as cool and wet weather conditions, or poor nutrition. Heavy infestations will affect a large percentage of the brood, weakening the colony over time, and possibly leading to the death of the colony.
Chalk Brood
Chalkbrood disease is caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. The fungus rarely kills infected colonies but can weaken it and lead to reduced honey yields and susceptibility to other bee pests and diseases.
Young infected larvae do not usually show signs of disease but will die upon being sealed in their cells as pupae. Worker bees will uncap the cells of dead larvae, making mummies clearly visible, before sometimes removing the mummified larvae and depositing them on the hive floor or at the entrance to the hive.
Chalkbrood disease and its incidence is generally higher when a colony is subject to temperature changes, particularly cooler weather, or other sources of stress.
Wax Moths
There are two species of wax moth, the Greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) and the Lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella). Both species eat beeswax, particularly unprocessed wax, pollen, remains of larval honey bees, honey bee cocoon silk and enclosed honey bee faeces found on walls of brood cells.
Both species are pests of active hives; however they will usually take advantage of already diseased or declining honey bee colonies and will therefore indicate to some other underlying problem(s) with the colony. Both Greater and Lesser wax moth will more commonly cause damage to unattended combs in storage, especially in areas that are dark, warm and poorly ventilated.