Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Development, 16-17 16 September 2016, Rome, Italy
BIO-MECHANICAL CONTROL IN BEEKEEPING: SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE HONEY BEES DECLINE WORLDWIDE. A MINI-REVIEW. HONEYBEE COLONY LOSSES: A GLOBAL CHALLENGE. The World honey bee (HB) stocks are experiencing a dramatic decline due to an uncontrollable increasing of colony losses, especially in winter. Several causes have been evocated for explaining this phenomenon. Varroa mite (VM), an HBs’ ectoparasite, seems to be one of the main threats of the HB survivorship. Young honey bee parasitized by a VM specimen
Varroa destructor (magnified)
Acaricides may help beekeepers for controlling the in-hive VM population, but two main side-effects, raising of resistance and honey contamination, suggest caution in using them. Other treatments with organic acids (i.e. oxalic or formic) and/or plant-derived molecules (thymole) exhibit a limited potential against the VM, may affect the HB and are labour intensive. More environmentally-sound, no chemical-based strategies exploiting the VM-to-HB relationships exist. These methods are sometimes called “bio-mechanical control” or “bio-techniques” and are hereafter summarized. The pros- and cons- are described.
Pier Paolo Danieli Dept. of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE) University of Tuscia
[email protected]
ABSTRACT:
DRONE COMB TRAPPING The
THERE
IS A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE BEES’ DECLINE WORLDWIDE. IN THE LAST DECADES, SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE DEPICTED A DRAMATIC SCENARIO SUGGESTING THAT HONEY BEES (APIS MELLIFERA L.) AND BEEKEEPING ARE AT RISK AND, WITH THEM, THE ECOLOGICAL SERVICES THAT MANAGED AS WELL AS WILD BEES RETURN TO ECOSYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE AGRA-ECOSYSTEMS. AMONG THE CONCEIVABLE CAUSES, THE PARASITIC MITE VARROA DESTRUCTOR ANDERSON & TRUEMAN, IS BELIEVED TO BE A FACTOR STRONGLY RELATED TO THE LOSSES OF HONEY BEE COLONY IN MANY COUNTRIES. THE CHEMICAL FIGHT AGAINST THIS BEE PARASITE IS SHOWING A YEAR-AFTER-YEAR, DECREASING EFFICACY DUE TO THE RAISING OF RESISTANCE PHENOMENA BY THE MITE. OTHER MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND STRATEGIES, SUCH AS THE USE OF ORGANIC ACIDS OR ESSENTIAL OILS, ARE LABOUR INTENSIVE AND, IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, TOO EXPENSIVE AND UNSAFE TO BE ADOPTED BY BEEKEEPERS, ESPECIALLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. BIOMECHANICAL METHODS ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE IN PRINCIPLE AS NO TOXIC SUBSTANCES ARE REQUIRED AND MAY BE ADOPTED BY BEEKEEPERS SAFELY. HOWEVER, SOME DEVELOPED BIOMECHANICAL METHODS MAY BE LABOUR INTENSIVE AND COSTS MAY DISCOURAGE BEEKEEPERS TO PERFORM THEM ROUTINELY. THE PROS- AND CONSREGARDING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF EXISTING BIOMECHANICAL METHODS FOR CONTRASTING VARROA MITE INFESTATIONS OF HONEYBEE COLONIES ARE SUMMARIZED IN THIS MINI-REVIEW.
Key words: Honeybee, Honeybee Varroa mite, colony losses, biomechanical control. control 4th ICSD 2016 Poster Number
VM reproduces more efficiently in HB male (drones) than in female brood. For this reason, specifically designed frames (such as the Campero’s frame[1]) are put in hives and the drone brood culled regularly. This method may reduce the VM population up to 25%[2] but it is quite invasive and time expensive.
Drone brood trapping through the Campero’s frame.
SpazioMussi™ combspacer (a) compared to the conventional one (b). a)
385 mm b)
SPAZIOMUSSI™ (SM) Varroa infestation may be contrasted by HB trough grooming behaviour. It is believed that conventional hives do not allow for HB to express fully this trait.[3] For this reason, SM contemplates a wider space between combs than usual. Even though there are not enough supporting data, this approach sounds easy and cheap. The Author is currently involved in a two-year trial. The results will be published soon.
ICE SUGAR DASTING To enhance the grooming behavior against VM, the HBs can be dusted with powdered sugar. An application of ice sugar (40 g/hive) increases 10-times the daily VM drop.[4] As a drawback, it needs costly sugar and time. References will be made available from the Author upon request. [1-4]
