Bees for Development
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Bees can suffer from diseases, pests or other problems that can either kill them or make them unproductive. This subject section will concentrate on the problems, pests, parasites, predators and diseases of the two main hive bee species, Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. These honey bees have been widely researched, their diseases and difficulties are best known and they are of significant economic importance. These honey bees can be kept as managed species by people for financial benefit because they live in predictable, long term colonies while the value of their pollination services for natural systems and agricultural and other crops often has an even greater value than the honey the bees produce.
Animals can only be productive when they are healthy and in good condition so it is important for beekeepers to be able to recognise the various threats to bees and to know how to overcome different problems if they are to collect a good crop of honey.
Bee diseases have been around as long as the bees themselves.A bee colony has many features which make it an ideal place for bacteria and fungi to breed. There are many thousands of individuals crowded together and the centre of the honey bee's nest is kept at a warm, constant temperature even when outside temperatures are very high or low, while the practice of food sharing that helps the bees to communicate, can also, quickly spread infection. It is a tribute to the sophistication of the honey bees' behavioural, immune and chemical systems that they are sick so rarely.
Image Primo Masotti maso101@libero.it
As well as diseases, other pests and predators affect the survival of bees and the practices of beekeepers should prevent predation and invasion of the hives by pests. Beekeepers can also aid the welfare of the bees with observant husbandry, vigorous queens and plenty of forage. Also helpful in disease control is planning apiary layouts to minimise robbing and drifting bees as well as selecting strains of bees less susceptible to disease.
Diseases and pests are not the only problem that bees face. Habitat loss, cultural change and pollution are all serious threats to the survival of all types of bees.
List of Articles available on this topic (81):
Title | Author |
A Preliminary Investigation on the Overwintering of Small Mites (tropilaelaps clareae) | Wang J, Wei-Hua Zhang, Min Hong, Shao-Ting Yang, Zhe-Hong Wu |
A radical solution; Varroa damage | Bleasdale, J. |
A Report on the Discovery of Malpighamoeba mellificae in the Chinese Bee Apis cerana cerana, and its Prevention and Cure | Wang J D, and 4 others |
A Study on | Wang J D, Zhang W H, Ren G K, Lin D, |
A world without bees | Benjamin, A. McCallum, B. |
Abstract Proceedings: 11th Asian Apicultural Association Conference, ApiExpo & Workshop | Asian Apicultural Assocaition |
Acaride (pyrethroid) resistance in Varroa destructor | Martin S.J. |
American Foul Brood: Part 2 | Gregory, P. |
American foulbrood in sub-saharan Africa | Robbins, H. |
An evluation of ARS russian honey bees in combination with other methods for the control of Varroa mites | Rinderer, T.E., De Guzman, L.I., Delatte, G.T. and Harper, C. |
Anatomy of the Honey Bee | Snodgrass, R E |
Bee death in the USA: is the honey bee in danger? | Ritter, W. |
Bee Death in the USA: is the honey bee in danger? | Ritter, W. |
Bee disease- impending threat and challenge to Indian beekeeping | Chhuneja, P.K., Garcha, S. and Gatoria, G.S. |
Bee Health: the Revitalizing Power of Propolis, Royal Jelly and Pollen | Walji, H. |
Beekeeping issues: Varroa control | Elzen, P.J. |
Beekeeping issues: Varroa control: thresholds for treatment | Elzen, P.J. |
Bees for Wealth and Health: Wambui finds out | DFID |
Bees in the City | Benjamin A. & McCallum B. |
Bees rising from the ashes? | Mengesha, A. |
Bienen gesund Erhalten: Krankheiten vorbeugen, erkennen und behandeln | Ritter, Wolfgang |
Chalk Brood in Ethiopia | Rundassa, D.B. |
Colony Collapse Disorder | Elllis, J. |
Comment controler la loque americaine sans antibiotique | Van Eaton, Cliff |
Comparison of two thymol-based Acaricides, API LIFE VAR and Apiguard, for the control of Varroa mite | Melathopoulos, A.P., Gates, J. |
Control of Varroa destructor | Aston, D. |
Controlling American foul brood without antibiotics | Eaton, C.V. |
Deformed wing virus in bees and Varroa destructor | Coffey, M. |
Diet effects on honeybee immunocompetence | Alaux, C., Ducloz, F., Crauser, D. and Le Conte, Y. |
Diseases of Bees: their Signs, Causes and Treatment | Betts, Annie D |
Diseases of Honeybees: sub regional training seminar | World Organisation for Animal Health OiE |
Food grade mineral oil (FGMO) as an alternative treatment for honey bee mites | Rodriguez, P.P. |
Fungal Varroa control? | Waring, C. |
Having Healthy Bees: An Integrated Approach | McMullan, J. |
Hazards of pesticides to bees | Belzunces, L.P., Pelissier, C. & Lewis, G.B. |
Health and the Honeybee | Mraz, C. |
Honey Bee - Brood Diseases | Hansen, H |
Honey bee biology: Adjusting to Varroa mites | Mangum, W. |
Honey bee biology: experiementing with integrated pest managment for Varroa control | Mangum, W. |
Honey bee biology: Varroa mites: some historical perspectives | Mangum, W. |
Honey Bee Pests, Predators and Diseases | Morse, R ed |
Honeybee Diseases and Pests | Scott-Dupree, C. |
Honeybee Pests, Predators, and Diseases | Morse, R.A. & Nowogrodzki |
Imported Russian honey bees: quarantine and initial selection for Varroa resistance | Harris, J., Rinderer, T., Kuznetsov, V., Danka, R., Delatte, G. and de Guzman, L. |
Incarceration of small hive beetles | Ellis, J.D. |
Integrated pest management combined with mite resistant queens to combat Acaride-resistant varroa | Noel, B., Amarin, J. and Kovacs, A. |
Integrated pest management in beekeeping | Aston, D. |
Is there a pot of honey at the end of the rainbow? An iridescent virus linked to colony collapse disorder | Highfield, A. |
Kashmir bee virus in British Columbia | Harman, A. |
keep Bees without Fuss or Chemicals | Bleasdale, J. |
La Varroase Des Abeilles mellieres - Varroasis of the Honey Bee | FAO |
Living with resistant mites - part II | Dod, J. |
Manual de Apicultura para Ambientes Subtropicales: Una Propuesta de: \'La Red de Escuelas del Noroeste Argentina (NOA)\' | Dini, C. & Bedascarrasbure, E. |
Mexican beekeeping seminar, part II | Sanford, M.T. |
Mite control products affect honey bee queens | Sheppard, S. |
More about food grade mineral oil (FGMO) for mite control | Rodriguez, P.P. |
Natural antibiotic found in honey | Bradbear, N., Martin, P. & Wainwright, D. |
Natural Beekeeping with the Warre Hive | Heaf, D. |
Natural Plant Products as Pesticides | Berger, A. & Mugoya, C.F. |
Nature Wars. People vs Pests | Winston, M.L. |
New Varroa control product to be launched in the United Kingdom | Kemp, G. |
Oxalic acid treatment by trickling against Varroa destructor: recommendations for use in central Europe and under tremperate for honey bee mites | Charriere, J.D., Imdorf, A. |
Parasites of the honeybee | Coffey, M.F. |
Practical Manual on Beekeeping | Gupta, JK; Sharma, HK; Thakur, RK. |
Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us? | Siegel, T. & Betz, J. |
Queen trapping - a bio-technical method of Varroa control | Ball, R. |
Silent Spring in Northern Europe? | Svensson, B. |
The BBKA Guide to Beekeeping | Davis, I. & Cullum-Kenyon, R. |
The honey guide and the badger | Harper, R. |
The National Bee Keeping Training and Extension Manual | Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries |
The Robber Flies and Bee-killers of China (Diptera : Asilidae) | Brimley, S. W. |
The spread and control of American Foulbrood | Hansen, H. & Brodsgaard, C.J. |
Thymol versus pyrethroids | Waite, R. |
Training in Malta | Ball, R |
Use of sucrose octanoate esters to control the parasitic honey bee mite Varroa destructor | Sheppard, W.S., Gardner, M., Hasher, S., Kahkonan, B., Meixner, M.D. and Strange, J.P. |
Using oxalic acid | Gant, B. |
Varroa control with fungal pathogens | Kanga, L.H.B. |
Varroa control: Thymol over-frame evaporator for treating varroa | Dewis, J.E. |
Varroa in New Zealand: South Island update | Munn, P. |
Why the bees are dying | Graf, J. |
Workshop on medicines for bees - report of meeting December 2009 | European Medicines Agency |