Al-mite-y task to save honey bees

10:41am Tuesday 27th June 2006

Beekeepers have been battling the varroa mite, which "devastates" the bees. But it has become immune to pesticides used to control it. ALISON WHITE finds out more.

FIGHTING the varroa mite has become routine for people who keep honey bees.

The parasite was first discovered in England in 1992 and has since spread to infest colonies across the UK.

Mites suck the blood of the bees, weakening them, and also spread viruses.

Bees also become more prone to catching infections in their weakened state, promoting fears about the potential effect of winter viruses.

If measures are not taken to tackle the infestation, colonies eventually die out.

In the past 12 months it has emerged the strain of varroa mite immune to treatments previously used has been found in hives across Kent.

Kent Beekeepers' Association general secretary John Hendrie says tackling the problem has become far more difficult and time-consuming.

And he says the effect on businesses which rely on honey production is "worrying".

Chemical-treated strips were put into hives to kill the mite.

But, as these are no longer effective, beekeepers are desperately trying to fight the problem using a manual method.

Mr Hendrie says combs containing baby bees, which attract the mites, are removed and burnt.

The remaining colony is shaken onto a new comb in a bid to "start again".

But if too many mites remain in the hive they can overpower the whole colony.

Associations across the country, under umbrella group The British Beekeepers' Association, are lobbying the Government to licence other treatments and make them available, according to Mr Hendrie.

Dartford Beekeepers' Association apiary manager Peter Fry says the method currently being used is a very labour-intensive way of trying to tackle the problem.

He says it becomes impractical when dealing with more than 20 hives.

The association breeds bees at its 14 hives on a site in Tredegar Allotments, near Marcet Road, Dartford.

Mating the bees has become more difficult as the mite takes its toll on stocks.

Mr Fry says "It has had a devastating and drastic effect on everybody. It's affecting every single beekeeper.

"We had the golden bullet with the strip method but now there is resistance in Kent."

But Mr Fry, of King Edward Avenue, Dartford, remains optimisitic about the future of beekeeping.

He argues the mite has been present in other countries for far longer than it has been found in England and ways of tackling the problem have been found.

The 50-year-old argues the fight against the mite has actually enhanced the experience of beekeeping.

He said: "It's made it more challenging and more interesting. People have managed it in all parts of the world. There is no reason why beekeepers in this country can't."

PARASITE FACTS

• THE varroa mite was originally confined to the Asian honey bee but spread in recent decades to the European honey bee.

• Mites feed on both adult bees and the brood (baby bees).

• Beekeepers no longer have to report finding the varroa mite under UK bee health legislation.

• Varroa mites cannot be completely eradicated. But beekeepers can keep productive stocks by monitoring infestation and using control methods to make sure the level of mites is not harmful.

• Sometimes it is not apparent the colony is infested until it is heavily under the influence of the mite.