Varroatosis is one of the most common and unpleasant diseases of bees. It is called by the Varroa destructor mite. This arthropod parasitizes on bees, drones, uterus, larvae and pupae, feeding on their blood. As a result, insects weaken and eventually die.
The appearance of the tick
Only female Varroa destructor parasitize on bees. Male individuals do no harm to insects. Fertilizing the female, they die immediately. Outwardly, the tick of varroa resembles a small crab (1.1 mm) of brown color. The female of this parasite has a piercing-sucking mouth apparatus. With it, she punctures the bee's chitinous cover and begins to suck out blood (hemolymph). The tick of this species reproduces very quickly, laying eggs about 0.5 mm in size.
Infection methods
To date, almost all apiaries have families infected with this dangerous parasite. Varroatosis of bees can be transmitted in several ways:
- when buying new families in dysfunctional households;
- through thief bees;
- through the uterus with retinue;
- through bee packages;
- through wandering bees.
How does the disease manifest
The danger of varroatosis, among other things, lies in the fact that it is difficult to detect at the initial stage. The Varroa destructor mite, as already mentioned, is very small. Therefore, it is difficult to notice parasites in the event that they have not yet expanded too much. With a more serious lesion, bee varroatosis can be determined by the behavior of the insects themselves. They collect nectar less actively and at the same time become much more aggressive and restless. In addition, their life span is also shortened.
If the beekeeper does not take measures to rid the bees of the tick, the disease will go to a deeper stage. At the same time, an extremely weakened motley brood begins to appear in the hive. Among other things, a large number of ugly small bees can testify to advanced varroatosis. Some individuals from infected hives, for example, do not have wings. Another sign of the disease is the shortened abdomen of bees. Varroatosis enters the final stage in the 3-4th year after infection.
Effects
Appropriate measures should be started immediately after the bee varroatosis is detected. The signs of this disease, therefore, are primarily the restless behavior of insects and the appearance of ugly individuals in the hive. What are the consequences of Varroa destructor infection?
The most unpleasant consequence of this disease is, of course, a significant decrease in bee productivity. In addition, in the fall, a sick family may not form a cube. In winter, weakened infected bees usually die of hunger. Sometimes it happens that irritated insects, on the contrary, actively attack the food. As a result, in the spring they die due to diarrhea.
How does the disease develop
Once in the hive, the female tick penetrates the cell of the honeycomb with a larva. After the bees seal it, it begins to actively eat. In this case, the tick lays several eggs, from which new females and one male subsequently emerge. After about a week, the latter fertilizes his sisters and dies. The female founder and new parasites leave the cell after opening and after 4 days begin a new oviposition.
The greatest number of parasites infected with varroatosis is observed in the drone brood (7-15 times more than in the bee). The female lifespan in summer is about 3 months, in winter - 9.
How to determine the presence of a tick in the hive
Since Varroa destructor is very common and usually causes tremendous damage to the apiary, only timely diagnosis of infection can guarantee the success of activities such as beekeeping. In spring, beehives must be inspected. This will reduce the damage caused by the tick to a minimum. Particular attention when inspecting should be paid to brood. You should also make sure that the bees behave in the usual way, and that there are no dead individuals in the hive itself. The wings of insects should be whole, healthy. The presence of bites may indicate infection.
In addition to the hive itself, you need to examine the space next to it. Bees usually throw out infected, severely weakened larvae and pupae.
How can a beehive get rid of a tick
Bee varroatosis is treated in many ways. All methods can be divided into three large groups. Most often, beekeepers use various kinds of special chemicals to rid the hive of the tick. But among beekeepers there are also supporters of environmentally friendly methods. Such beekeepers treat varroatosis with natural natural remedies. There are also mechanical methods for removing parasites. For example, sometimes they get rid of ticks by placing bees in a special heat chamber for 15 minutes (at a temperature of about 47 degrees). However, this method is very laborious, and therefore rarely used. Also, beekeepers sometimes carve out drone brood from hives . After all, it contains the largest number of ticks.
Use of chemicals
Like any other bee disease, varroatosis is often treated using various kinds of purchased drugs. Of the special tools of this group, beekeepers usually use:
- peritroids (Apifit, Apistan, Fumisan);
- bromopropylates ("Folbeks");
- formanins ("Bipin", "Anitraz", "Tactin").
You can purchase all these funds in a specialized store "Products for beekeepers" or through the Internet. One and the same drug can not be used in the apiary for several years in a row. This leads to the appearance of a new tick mutation that is resistant to this particular agent. Experienced beekeepers advise using the following treatment regimen in an apiary:
- In the beginning and middle of summer, use natural remedies.
- In August, apply Fumisan or Apifit.
- In autumn, use Bipin or Tactin.
Treatment of varroatosis in the spring is usually carried out using Apifit (1 plate per 3 cells).
It is especially difficult to get rid of a beehive from a tick before wintering. The fact is that at this time the females penetrate into the bee tergites, where they remain until spring. Therefore, the chemicals used simply do not have any effect on them. Therefore, in the fall, before conducting the treatment with "Bipin" or "Tactin", you should use 20% tincture of mint. The smell of this herb mites really do not like. Therefore, they are activated and leave the tergites. In this case, parasites fall under the influence of already the main drugs.
"Bipin" for bees: instructions for use
This drug, belonging to the group of formanins, is used by beekeepers more often than other formulations to combat varroatosis. Therefore, we will further consider what it is and how it is used. The main active ingredient of Bipin is amitraz - a special poison that acts destructively on ticks. This product is supplied in ampoules and is a yellowish liquid with an unpleasant odor (like naphthalene).
How to use Bipin for bees? Instructions for use are extremely simple. For processing, an aqueous solution of the agent is used. The latter is prepared by stirring one ampoule (0.5 ml) in a liter of pure water. Processing is carried out by fine-jet irrigation of the "streets" of the hive (10 ml per one) twice with an interval of a week.
Natural remedies
Like almost any other disease of bees, varroatosis can be treated not only using chemistry, but also with various kinds of natural compounds. From natural, safe means to rid the hive of ticks, the following can be used:
- formic and oxalic acids;
- various kinds of oil (dill, fir);
- medicinal herbs.
In sugar, which is laid in the hive before wintering, experts advise adding a natural remedy CAS 81, which is a decoction of wormwood and pine buds. After the bees eat it, their blood becomes bitter. As a result, the mites simply refuse to eat it.
The use of oils
This method is considered quite effective, but at the same time labor-intensive. Oils for the treatment of bees can be used different. Beekeepers can use, for example, fir cedar, pine, etc. Very often insects are treated, for example, with refined vegetable oil mixed with a few drops of camphor or dill. This composition can be really very useful in a business like beekeeping. In spring, insects should be sprayed with this oil mixture, having previously pulled out the frames, using a special spray. Processing must be performed twice with an interval of 10 days. The third time the oil is used already in the fall, after the end of the honey collection, spending about 2 g of the drug per frame.
For the treatment of varroatosis, you can also give bees in the spring top dressing with dill oil mixed in it. Sometimes beekeepers also heat the latter in a special chamber and send its pairs to the hive with the help of a car pump.
Top dressing with oil is very simple. For this, among other things, you need a little syrup (for example, from jam). 10-15 parts of dill oil are mixed with 85-90 parts of petroleum jelly. Then add 2-3 ml of syrup. The resulting product is applied evenly on 2 sheets of paper. Next, one of them is laid on the bottom of the hive (with the treatment layer up), and the second is placed on top of the frames. Dill oil can be purchased at the store or made independently. In the latter case, 300 g of seeds are crushed. Then they are poured with sunflower oil and insisted for a week, stirring constantly. The finished product is filtered through several times folded gauze.
Use of oxalic acid
This tool is always available in stores "Products for beekeepers" and is used by beekeepers very widely. Oxalic acid is used mainly for spraying. In this case, the framework is removed from the hives. A 2% solution in boiled water is prepared from the acid itself. It should be spent 10-12 ml of funds per frame. It is necessary to carry out processing at a temperature not lower than 16 degrees. Spray several times during the season (3-4). In autumn, treatment is done after pumping out honey and before laying fertilizing. When using oxalic acid, ticks begin to fall off already on the 10-12th day. Processing is carried out in dry weather. Oxalic acid cannot be used for too long. When using this tool for more than six consecutive years, parasites develop resistance.
Oxalic acid can be used not only for spraying, but also for fumigation of the hive in pairs. In this case, as with dill oil, a special chamber and pump are used.
Using herbs
Like any other bee disease, varroatosis can be treated with herbs. All sorts of infusions and decoctions are used if they want to maintain the ecological purity of honey. However, the beekeeper, who decided to use natural remedies, should keep in mind that they are significantly inferior to chemical preparations in efficiency (by 50%).
Treatment of bees for ticks can be carried out using, for example, such means as:
- A decoction of motherwort, chamomile and calendula (boil for 50 minutes). The finished liquid is mixed with sugar syrup and the bees are fed with the resulting composition. Such a decoction is usually used in the fall.
- Infusion of 50 g of capsicum in 0.5 l of boiled water. A little sugar syrup should be added to such a burning liquid. This tool is used as top dressing in the spring.
- Branches of bird cherry. They are simply laid out in frames. Instead of bird cherry, you can try to bite the tick with a chopped thyme.
- Coniferous flour. It is sprayed in the spring, at a time when there are few broods in the hive.
Using these funds is quite difficult, but it is still possible to get rid of a disease such as varroatosis of bees. Herbal treatment, however, should still be carried out in combination with chemical preparations. This will get rid of the tick as quickly as possible.
Heat treatment
Treating bees for varroatosis using this technique can be very effective. Heat treatment is an environmentally friendly, but at the same time rather labor-intensive technique. Perform this procedure usually in the fall. It is produced as follows:
- In the lower notch 10 puffs of smoke from the smokers are fed.
- The summers are closed, and the hive itself is brought into the room, the air temperature in which is slightly higher than on the street (but not more than 12 degrees).
- Frames are taken out of the hive.
- Bees, along with the uterus, are shaken off into the cassette through the funnel.
- The cassette is closing. Bees need to be kept in it for 15 minutes.
- The cassette is recorded in a hot bath. The air temperature in the room should be stable and kept at 47 degrees.
During processing, the cassette should be rotated and shaken, preventing the bees from stumbling into a ball. After 15 minutes, the bees are taken out of the bath. In the room where the hive was left, the cassette should be kept for another 15 minutes. Next, insects are poured back onto the frames and set last in the hive. After the bees calm down, the lower notch is opened by 8 cm. After an hour, it is reduced to the size required at this time of year.
If necessary, the treatment of bees from varroatosis in the bath is carried out a second time in the spring. Perform it at this time five days after the first flyby.
Prevention
Like many other bee diseases, it’s quite difficult to cure varroatosis. It is much easier to try to prevent ticks from entering the hive. Prevention may include the following activities:
- installation of a special anti-varroatous bottom in the hives;
- cleaning in the apiary (removal of excess grass, debris, discarded brood, etc.);
- the use of special drugs (for example, means "Timol");
- installation in beehives with wax frames;
- the union of weak families, etc.
Prevention of varroatosis should be carried out in apiaries necessarily. In addition, the beekeeper should make sure that the bees do not become infected with any kind of concomitant diseases transmitted by the tick.
Virus Prevention
Sucking blood, the tick of Varroa destructor greatly weakens the bee, as a result of which it loses its vitality and eventually dies. However, this is not the only harm inflicted by this parasite. So, for example, deformities in bees appear primarily due to the fact that females of Varroa destructor infect them with various kinds of harmful microorganisms. This may be, for example, a wing deformity virus or acute paralysis.
Prevention of this kind of disease consists primarily in taking measures to increase the immunity of bees. Very often, apiary owners use for this purpose, for example, top dressing with coniferous infusion. Also, good reviews as a means of increasing immunity are available about the drug "Endoglukin."
Output
As you can see, bee varroatosis is a very serious disease. Measures to destroy the tick should be taken when the first signs of infection appear. Otherwise, the beekeeper will not only face enormous losses associated with a strong decrease in bee productivity. If the disease is started, families can be completely lost.