We have all been subjected to some hefty fall and "winter losses" this past year. The reality is that most of these losses were do to varroa and associated viruses that they carry; not necessarily the traditional winter loss do to starvation and cold. The following article has one of the best descriptions of the varroa/virus issue I have seen lately.
http://articles.extension.org/pages/71172/honey-bee-viruses-the-deadly-varroa-mite-associates
Embedded in the article is a link to a 17 page BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES plan to counteract the mites and viruses. This plan is aimed primarily at commercial beekeepers whose livelihood is dependent on getting their bees to survive year after year. Here is the link to the BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
http://articles.extension.org/mediawiki/files/8/8a/BMPs_with_CAP.pdf
After you have read and digested this you should be thinking how you might modify your personal bee management plan. Things to think about are: Improved Bee Genetics, multiple applications of varroacides (spring, summer and fall), and possibly intentional splits to periodically break the mite cycle.
READER COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED
No comments:
Post a Comment