C2-Lancast«r Farming, Saturday, April 6,1985 Bee mites may be in Pa, Pennsylvania beekeepers must take protective measures to keep the honey bee tracheal mite from spreading throughout the state’s hives, a Penn State entomologist says. “Scientists must come up with better sampling techniques, better control strategies and better methods of detection so beekeepers know exactly where they stand,” says Clarence Collison. “If they get high in festation levels, beekeepers will likely suffer increased winter losses. This has the potential to be a serious problem." Honey bee tracheal mites are internal parasites that survive in the breathing tubes of adult bees. They feed on the host’s blood until maturity, and then migrate to other bees. “The mite is an added stress to the bee,” Collison explains. “It’s greatest impact is under high infestation levels at times, when the colony is already exposed to stress, such as winter con finement.” After the initial American outbreak in Texas last July, tracheal mite infestations were confirmed in ten states. A national survey was commissioned, and Pennsylvania examined 47 sam ples of 100 bees each in compliance with the effort. No mites were found in Pennsylvania samples. One month after the samples were taken, however, tracheal mites were found in Pennsylvania LOCAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES 23c per word 3 00 minimum charge Use This Handy Chart To Figure Your Cost Words 1 Issue 3 Issues 13 or Less 3 00 7 20 14 3 22 7 73 15 3 45 8 28 16 3 68 8 83 17 3 91 9 38 18 4 14 9 94 19 4 37 10 49 20 4 60 1104 KEYED ADS (ads with answer coming to a Box Number, do Lancaster Farming). $2 00 ad ditional Ads running 3 or more consecutive times With no change billed at 20 per cent discount. This newspaper will not be responsible for more than one incorrect inser tion of any advertisement Lancaster Farming P O. Box 366 Lititz, PA 17543 717-394-3047 or Lititz 717-626-1164 Mon . Tues , Wed . Sam to 5 p m Thurs & Fn 7am tospm FARM EQUIPMENT ViHP NH gas ennne on original truck. NHfeedmill original 128 W Maple. Dallastown 17313. 717 244-3602. New Bush Hog 3 bar high clearance. 8 or 10 tooth chisel plow. $1,095. or $1,250,717-548-2676 SALE 20' B rill ton Trans port harrow and 20' 3 pc. packer, pair, $1,600, Good Adams Co 717-624-2419. Surplus Equipment, as new condition. Rhino mo del 200, heavy duty double offset disc, 26 f ’ blades, 10' cut; McCurdy rolling harrow. 13’; Pres surized Wick bar 4 row wide; Brillnn 16' crow foot packer: Frink 8' snowplow; Bush Hog heavy duty 9' rotary mower. Calf Sheaffer eve nings. 301-778-0185 bees m a commercial operation sent to Florida for wintering. “This means the mites are probably already in Pennsylvania, but weren’t detected in the sur vey,” Collison says. “Random sampling in Pennsylvania hasn’t confirmed its presence, but the mite probably will be found. In festations have been confirmed in New York and Ohio. ’ ’ Northern beekeepers depend on southern bee breeders and queen bee suppliers. Some of the nor thern infestations can be traced back to queen and packaged bee sales and migratory beekeeping. Infestation can be controlled, Collison adds, if the mite situation encourages northern beekeepers to winter their bees on location. “Pennsylvania beekeepers will have to produce more of their own queens. They’ll have to split more of their colonies, and rely less on shipments from the South,” he says. “I think that’s what it will amount to.” Colhson’s main contention is not the spread of the disease, but the attention generated by the spread of the disease. Infestations are difficult to measure because mites are found at very low levels. “There are two schools,” he points out. “One says the mite is a serious problem at any infestation level, and something must be done. The other says infestation has been here for some time, and unless infestation levels reach 30 percent or more, we’ll just have to live with it.” WATER THAT WONT Ritchie Fountains deliver. Even in the dead of winter they are out there working You're not. Weatherproof You bet they are Heating systems and efficient insulation keep water ice-free .just set the Watt Watcher™ ther mostat for minimal energy use. Big-throated, non-stick plastic valves keep water gushing in Each of your cows get all the water they need to promote peak production Ritchie Fountains are tough, too. Quality-built with rugged heavy galvanized steel and CD-50 expoxy finish to stand up to weather and barnlot abuse. IB 539 Falling Spring Road ■ P.0.80x 219 J Chambersburg, PA 17201-0219 Phone 717-263-9111 I I 1 Ryder supply Since the mite find, Florida has been placed under bee quarantine by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Colbson doesn’t think the quarantine will be on for long. “The purpose (of the quaran tine) is to keep the mite within Florida,” he says. “I think the industry has already come to the conclusion that it’s going to be impossible to eradicate it. “Right now, it looks like the infestation is the worst in Florida. But Florida officials have looked harder for the mite than any other state. The harder a state looks for mitPQ rrrpnfnr 31*0 ** ** A LESSON WELL LEARNED... LANCASTER FARMING'S CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS! Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 Why take chances on anything less than a red and yellow Ritchie Fountain? Call your Ritchie dealer for water that won't quit. chances of finding it. It’s just a matter of tune until we find it in Pennsylvania colonies.” Until then, Pennsylvania will take other protective measures. The state’s Department of Agriculture released a statement this week on the shipment of bees both in and out of Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania is prepared to accept bees which have been in spected in their states according to proposed guidelines. The state is also prepared to do the required sampling so bees can move from Pennsylvania to other states that Not*'* «e 9 Vo “ , 6 pisP l^ yVito* 1 * UIT h sv siern rl entW < aV ed , ion'’" U " ,nt"P'- 1 ’ iKifO^oii »'° v,two-" aV ,i-co"’ p ,',e IV>" Held "° And '' v '*^o tra ' loJt <r> ,ei and'Record' t |eal«- '°„ *>£ vC n OP datC BOLJ'^ 3 nd ° tber ever be<° r e a nd ta rte d ** Son ->& > h ;"> <r> * e cla.rV lie r v ear^ ed g~Lnra-\nn/7T3 sales and service pN N K \ NS 501 E Woods Dr _| I II ll l\ II l\\ CU Lititz, PA 17543 FARM SERVICE (7i7)626 nsi • • Service On All Brands r«C accept these guidelines.” Collison belives that individual states might bow out of writing their own bee shipping regulations because “pandemonium could break out if every state developed its own rules and regulations.” “But if the federal government chooses not to get involved, and I suspect that that will happen, then states must accept the certificates of other states,” he adds. “It must be a national effort, at least. Since it’s been found in ten states, we can bet it’s fairly well spread already.” We Have A La Installed Unit You Can See Operation On Farm- Call For Details! • 24 Hour Emergency Service
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