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Svenska Information on the parasite that attacks bees
Varroa destructor is a particular parasitic mite that attaches itself to the body of bees. As we will discover in the following article, Varroa is a very common problem within colonies that can develop and proliferate really quickly if the appropriate intervention techniques are not known.
In more severe cases of infestation they can lead to the death of entire swarms. It is important that beekeepers are very careful to manage this problem in order to safeguard the health of bees and of the entire farm.
What does Varroa entail
As already mentioned, varroa is a parasite that develops on the body of bees . Being a non self-sufficient mite, this small parasite uses bees to survive. When the mite attaches itself to the bee's body, it is able to take a substance called hemolymph directly from the affected insect.
The bees that suffer this attack find themselves very weakened. Hemolymph is a substance that circulates within the organism of bees and makes their survival possible. Depriving a bee of this substance causes numerous damage to its health and in some cases, death.
When the female mite manages to settle in a brood cell, she even manages to develop together with the larva, giving birth to an already sick bee. When the cells are capped, the mite lays eggs that grow in a synchronized manner with the bee.
Varroa, in addition to weakening bees, is also able to transmit numerous viral agents to the insect that are dangerous for its survival.
When infestation develops: periods at risk
Usually the periods most at risk for varroa infestation are the months of March / April. The critical periods in fact concern the end of autumn and the beginning of spring.
Anti-Varroa Treatment
As regards the anti-varroa treatment , there are very different techniques based on the type of beekeeping applied. In cases of organic beekeeping, the use of treatments that are as natural as possible is envisaged. In conventional beekeeping, the most used treatments are those based on formic acid and based on oxalic acid .
The national reference center for beekeeping of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of the Venezie continues, every year, to update the recommended treatment methods. The document establishes which are the authorized veterinary drugs and the beekeeping technique to be adopted for the containment of Varroa destructor .
The Ministry of Health has established two intervention periods. It is advisable to perform 2 treatments a year respectively in the summer and in the period between autumn and winter.
In summer, when the brood is present in the hive, the degree of infestation of the varroa colonies can even double every month precisely because varroa develops inside the cells and proliferates together with the new bees that will be born. It is advisable to carry out the treatment no later than mid-August.
In the autumn-winter period, the mites are located on adult bees and are not protected inside the sealed cells. Consequently, they are more exposed to the action of acaricides and it is very important to intervene with the treatment.
Acting too late would cause irreversible damage that would lead to the death of all bees .
Beekeeping technique
There are some beekeeping techniques that can reduce the level of infestation. Among these we find:
- Drone brood removal;
- Blocking of the brood and confinement of the queen bee;
- Production of artificial swarms or cores.
Managing the Varroa infestation
Varroase involves the depopulation of the family , mutilations and complications (bees with deformed wings) and parasites on the larvae. The treatments include formic acid and oxalic acid. To obtain results, only authorized veterinary drugs should be used.
To monitor the state of infestation, there are techniques that allow us to understand to what extent varroa is developing within the swarms. Specifically, we tend to use the classic drawer, where, following the fall of the parasite, it is possible to verify how serious the disease actually is.
By doing the mathematical calculation on the number of varroa fallen and the number of bees collected, we arrive at the percentage of infestations that is present on bees at that time inside the hive.
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