Acarapidosis of bees

Acarapidosis of bees is one of the most insidious and destructive diseases that can be encountered in the apiary. It is almost impossible to diagnose in time with the naked eye and very difficult to cure. Most often, the disease is detected too late, which leads to the death of the bee family, and even the whole apiary.

What is acarapidosis in bees

Acarapidosis is a disease of the respiratory tract of bees. The causative agent of the disease is a tracheal mite, the peak of activity of which falls on the end of February – beginning of March, when bee colonies are weakened after wintering. Wandering drones and bees act as carriers of the parasite. Also, infection often occurs after replacement of the uterus.

After the female tick gets inside the insect, she begins to lay eggs. In a matter of days, the hatched offspring fills the respiratory tract, as a result of which the bee begins to suffocate. The result of infection is the death of the insect. When the bee dies, the tick moves to another victim. So, the disease gradually spreads to the whole family through the contact of insects with each other.

The spread of the disease is most intense during the winter months, when the bees huddle together to keep warm. This is especially noticeable in the north, where winters are long.

Symptoms of acarapidosis in bees

It is difficult to detect acarapidosis, and yet it does not seem impossible. It is enough to carefully observe the bees for some time. The first signs of the disease are the following changes in the appearance and behavior of insects:

• bees do not fly, but clumsily climb around the apiary, now and then jumping convulsively;
• bees huddle together on the ground;
• insect wings look like someone deliberately spread them apart;
• the abdomen of insects may be enlarged.

In addition, after infection of the hive with acarapidosis, the walls of the house were worn out in the spring.

Life cycle of the tracheal mite

The entire life cycle of a tick is 40 days. There are 3 times more females in the population. One female lays up to 10 eggs. Development and fertilization occurs in the respiratory tract. Fertilized females emerge from the trachea, and upon close contact of the host bee with another bee, they pass to it. In one insect there can be up to 150 mites.

After the death of the bee, the parasites leave its body and pass on to young healthy insects.

The photo below shows the trachea of ​​a bee clogged with mites with acarapidosis.

Why do bees crawl on the ground and cannot take off

One of the most obvious symptoms of acarapidosis is when the bees suddenly stop flying, instead crawling on the ground.

With the onset of cold weather, fertilized female ticks leave the trachea and move to the area where the wings are attached to the body of the bee. The fact is that chitin at the junction of the wings is softer than in other areas, and therefore more attractive to the parasite. The female mite feeds on it in winter, which leads to wing opening in bees, a developmental pathology in which the symmetry of the wings is disturbed. Because of this, the bees cannot fold them, and therefore they quickly fall, without really getting off the ground, and begin to crawl randomly around the apiary.

Difficulties in diagnosing

The complexity of diagnosing lies primarily in the fact that the tick is not visible to the naked eye. To do this, it is necessary to examine the bees in a microscope with multiple magnification. For this reason, the spread of acarapidosis most often occurs imperceptibly. Ticks can parasitize the apiary for several years before the hive owner notices something is wrong.

Before starting treatment, you need to make sure that this is really acarapidosis. To do this, you will have to collect at least 40-50 winged insects for examination in the laboratory.

The collected samples are carefully placed in a plastic bag and taken to specialists. If the laboratory determines that this is indeed acarapidosis, it is necessary to collect another batch of bees for re-checking, only this time all the hives will have to be bypassed.

If the laboratory confirms the diagnosis, quarantine is imposed on the apiary. Then begin the treatment of hives.

Treatment of acarapidosis of bees

Acarapidosis is classified as a chronic disease of bees. Due to the fact that the tick practically does not leave the body of the bee, it is very difficult to cure the disease – the parasite cannot be treated with contact substances, and those drugs that can penetrate the tick through the lymph are not strong enough. Therefore, volatile gaseous agents are used in the fight against acarapidosis. They cause the death of the tick, however, it is impossible to remove the parasite from the bodies of insects. This leads to the fact that the corpses of ticks clog the respiratory system of bees and, as a result, infected individuals die from lack of oxygen.

Thus, it is impossible to cure bees from acarapidosis in the full sense of the word. Treatment involves the instantaneous or gradual destruction of diseased insects before the tick passes to healthy bees.

How to treat

Sick colonies are treated with pharmaceutical preparations in the summer, from mid-June to August, in the evening hours – at this time the bees return to the hives. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to remove 2 frames from the edge of the bee houses for better access to insects.

The following agents and chemicals have proven themselves best in the fight against acarapidosis:

• fir oil;
• “Ted Ted”;
• “Ant”;
• “Akarasan”;
• “Polisan”;
• “Varroadez”;
• “Beep”;
• “Methyl salicylate”;
• “Tedion”;
• “Folbex”.
• “Nitrobenzene”;
• “Ethersulfonate”;
• “Ethyl dichlorobenzilate”.

All these drugs differ in the strength of the effect on the parasite and the duration of treatment. In most cases, several treatments of the apiary will be required to completely destroy the tick.

Against acarapidosis, bees are treated as follows:

1. Fir oil. Of the variety of oils based on fir with various flavored additives, it is recommended to opt for ordinary essential fir oil. This is a strongly smelling product that the tick does not tolerate – the death of the pest occurs almost instantly. At the same time, the rich coniferous smell does not affect healthy bees. Before treating the hive with oil, it is covered with a film. The upper notch is closed completely, the lower one is left slightly ajar. Then a piece of gauze is dipped in oil and placed on the frame. The recommended dosage is 1 ml per hive. Number of treatments: 3 times every 5 days.
2. “Ted Ted”. This is a chemical preparation, which includes amitraz. Release form: thin impregnated cords. The cords are laid out on a flat surface and set on fire, after which they are placed inside the hive. The lace holder must be fireproof. Number of treatments: 6 times in 5-6 days. The advantages of the drug include the degradability of the substance and harmlessness to bees.
3. “Ant” is a formic acid product, as the name suggests. The preparation is absolutely harmless to bees. One package is enough for 5-8 hives. The contents are laid out in the center of the hives on the frames. At the same time, the notches are not closed – processing with “Ant” implies the presence of good air circulation in the house. Number of treatments: 3 times in 7 days. The disadvantage of the drug is that it is detrimental to queen bees.
4. “Akarasan” is a special plate that is placed inside the hives and set on fire. Number of treatments: 6 times in 7 days.
5. “Polisan” also available in the form of small plates. The processing method is the same, but the number of treatments is much less: only 2 times a day. This is one of the fastest ways to treat acarapidosis in bees with pharmaceutical products.
6. “Varroadez” – Another drug in the form of strips. They are impregnated with a composition based on coriander oil, which has a detrimental effect on the tick. Two strips are enough for an average of 10 frames. For small families, 1 strip is enough. After placing the strips inside the hives, they are left there for a month.
7. “Beeping” – a drug that is used to treat the apiary with the help of a smoker. It is necessary to drop 3-4 drops of the substance into the smoker, after which smoke is let into the hive. The treatment is continued for 2 to 4 minutes. To destroy the tick, you must repeat the procedure 6-7 times a day.
8. “Ethersulfonate”, “Ethyldichlorobenzilate” and “Folbex” are presented in the form of impregnated cardboard strips. These strips must be fixed on a wire and set on fire, after which they are carefully brought into the hive. “Ethersulfonate” is left in the house for 3 hours. “Ethyldichlorobenzilate” affects the tick more intensively – it is enough to hold it inside for only 1 hour. Folbex is taken out in half an hour. “Ethersulfonate” is used at intervals of 10 times a day. “Ethyldichlorobenzilate” and “Folbeks” are placed every 7 days 8 times in a row.
9. “Tedion” released in the form of tablets. It is also set on fire before being placed in the hive. The drug is sold together with a special plate, on which a tablet is placed immediately before ignition, so as not to damage the house. Processing time: 5-6 hours.

All treatments, regardless of the chosen remedy, are best done in the evening, but in good weather. In conditions of high humidity, the hives are poorly ventilated, which can affect the health of the bees.

In the spring months, the apiary is processed after the flight is over. In autumn, it is recommended to first remove the honey, and only then proceed to treatment. In no case should hives be processed less than 5 days before honey collection, as some substances can accumulate in the waste products of bees.

The fight against acarapidosis stretches for several weeks. Immediately after the last treatment, it is necessary to take the bees back to the laboratory for examination. The study is also carried out twice, as well as the first time. Only after acarapidosis is not detected 2 times in a row, the veterinarian removes the quarantine.

How to treat

Fumigation of bees with acaricidal preparations is considered one of the most effective ways to combat acarapidosis. Processing is carried out according to the following rules:

1. The hives are fumigated at an air temperature not lower than +16°C. This condition is mandatory – otherwise all the smoke will settle to the bottom of the house.
2. Each gap before fumigation must be sealed with a special putty, purchased or made independently, or with scraps of paper.
3. The frames must be slightly moved apart, as the smoke excites the bees, and they begin to rush around the hive restlessly.
4. When fumigating during the summer months, the bees should be supplied with sufficient water.
5. The dosage is calculated strictly according to the instructions for the substance. An overdose can lead to instant family death.
6. The impregnated plates are first gently ignited and then extinguished. After that, the plates are hung in the hives.
7. Before fumigating the hive, the entrance must be closed in most cases. On the other hand, the instructions for a number of tools indicate that this cannot be done.
8. The optimal fumigation time is late evening or early morning.
9. After treatments, it is necessary to collect the bodies of dead bees in a timely manner. Those collected by the special are subsequently burned.

Methods for treating acarapidosis may be different, but one condition applies to all variations of apiary processing – the uterus will have to be replaced. 80% of individuals after leaving the hive in the spring will not return back, while the uterus does not leave the apiary. She can pass the tick on to offspring and thus renew the epidemic.

Preventive measures

Treatment of acarapidosis is a long process and far from always being successful. Therefore, it is important to make every effort to prevent the defeat of the apiary by this disease.

Prevention of this dangerous disease involves following a few simple rules:

1. The apiary is recommended to be installed in open sunny areas. You can not place the hives in the lowlands, where moisture accumulates and dampness appears.
2. Layers and queens must be purchased exclusively from nurseries that can provide a guarantee that their bees are not sick with acarapidosis.
3. If outbreaks of acarapidosis have already occurred in the region, it would be useful to treat bee families every year in the spring with any of the pharmaceutical preparations.
4. If at least one family has become infected with acarapidosis, all the rest should be treated, even if they do not show symptoms of the disease.
5. After decontamination of the combs and the hive of the infected family, it is necessary to withstand 10-15 days. Only then can you use them again.

You can learn more about how to strengthen the immunity of bees in the apiary from the video below:

Conclusion

Acarapidosis of bees is able, under certain conditions, to mow down entire families, quickly move on to others. This is one of the most dangerous bee diseases that are difficult to treat. In the initial stages, defeating the disease is not so difficult, but in most cases, the infection is detected too late, when all that remains is to destroy the diseased bee colonies. That is why it is so important from time to time to carry out preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of infection with acarapidosis to a minimum.