Abstract
In 2 experiments bee colonies in southern France were treated with conidia of a Beauveria bassiana isolate collected from Varroa mites in the region. Objectives were to evaluate treatment effect on colony weight, adult bee mass, and capped brood and honey, and on Varroa fall onto sticky boards. Treatments included conidia formulated with either wax powder or wheat flour, flour alone, or control. Treatment did not affect colony health. Colonies treated with conidia and wax powder had higher mite fall compared to controls while those treated with conidia and wheat flour did not. The proportion fallen, infected mites in both conidia treatments was higher than controls for up to a week. Higher mite fall and infection rates were observed in treated hives in the 2nd, smaller experiment. The relationships between dosage and proportion fallen, infected mites, and between ambient temperature and infection duration, were examined. Future experiments will explore Varroa control using conidia.
Zusammenfassung
In zwei Experimenten wurden Honigbienenvölker in Südfrankreich mit Konidiensporen eines aus Varroamilben der Region gesammelten Isolates behandelt. Ziel war die Erfassung der Auswirkung der Behandlung auf das Gewicht der Völker, das Gesamtgewicht an adulten Bienen, auf die verdeckelte Brut und auf die Honigmenge, sowie auf den Totenfall von Varroamilben auf klebrige Bodeneinlagen. Die Behandlungen umfassten Formulierungen von Konidiensporen entweder mit Wachspulver oder mit Weizenmehl, sowie Weizenmehl alleine und unbehandelte Kontrollvölker. Die Behandlungen hatten keinen Einfluss auf die Gesundheit der Bienenvölker. Die mit Konidiensporen und Wachspulver behandelten Völker hatten einen höheren Milbentotenfall als die Kontrollvölker, bei den mit Konidiensporen und Weizenmehl behandelten Völkern war dies nicht der Fall. Der Anteil an infizierten Milben im Totenfall war bei beiden Behandlungen mit Konidiensporen über den Zeitraum von etwa einer Woche höher als bei den Kontrollen. Ein erhöhter Milbentotenfall und erhöhte Infektionsraten wurden auch in dem zweiten, kleineren Experiment gefunden. Die Beziehung zwischen der Dosierung und dem Anteil infizierter Milben im Totenfall und zwischen der Umgebungstemperatur und der Infektionsdauer wurden untersucht. Zukünftige Experimente sollen die Möglichkeit einer Behandlung der Varroose mittels Konidiensporen untersuchen.
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Meikle, W.G., Mercadier, G., Holst, N. et al. Impact of a treatment of Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycota: Hyphomycetes) on honeybee (Apis mellifera) colony health and on Varroa destructor mites (Acari: Varroidae). Apidologie 39, 247–259 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2007057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2007057