A32-L«nostw Farming, Saturday, December 2,1989
Penn State Entomologists Study Mite-Infesting Bee Colonies
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Pennsylvania’s honey
bees are under attack - not from
killer bees, but from a parasite that
is wreaking havoc in the state’s
honey bee industry, according to
two Penn State researchers.
“In a survey of Pennsylvania
beekeepers and honey bee colo
nies, we found widespread evi
dence of tracheal mite infesta
tion,” says Dr. Edwin G. Rajotte,
assistant professor of entomology.
First discovered in the United
States in 1984, the tracheal mite
has “spread like wildfire,” says
Maryann Tomasko, instructor of
entomology and project associate.
The microscopic parasite has
caused some beekeepers losses of
50 percent or more of their honey
bee colonies in a single winter.
Normal losses following winter
run about 10 percent, she adds.
The mite is a threat* to honey
production and pollination of
crops nationwide, because it
debilitates and eventually kills the
bees it infests. The value of the
crops pollinated by honey bees
exceeds $2O billion nationally. In
1985, the value of increased yield
and quality achieved through pol
lination by honey bees alone
amounted to nearly $9.3 billion.
In Pennsylvania, there are
approximately 8,000 registered
beekeepers and about 75,000 hon
ey bee colonies, Tomasko notes.
TTie industry produced $1.4 mil
lion worth of honey in 1988, and it
also provided pollination services
for a wide variety of fruits and
crops in Pennsylvania and else
where. Approximately 6,000 Pen
nsylvania honey bee colonies are
used for pollination purposes and
honey production outside the
state, she adds.
Honey bees are critical to Pen
nsylvania’s apple industry in par
ticular, Rajotte said. Pennsylvania
ranks fifth nationally in apple
production.
To ensure the survival of the
state’s honey bee industry, the
researchers are completing a
survey of tracheal mite infestation
funded by a $46,000 grant from
the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture and continuing their
research with an additional
$50,000 grant from PDA.
The new project runs through
Dec. 30,1990, and involves deve
loping an efficient method for
TejOJ Dr^ eR
quic-cush’n bumper hitch
A NEW WORKING BUMPER WITH STYLE AND CLASS!
• S*vn firm...on* tr|> to drhralraln with 4* spring
hookupl No running back and cushion (or* and aftl
forth, .twinging, *xt*ndabl*
towbar tor wldact hookup
rang*l
• Take* ")*rk" out of towing...
cushion springs mlnimlza (urg*
...saves your bark!
• R*due** Mr*** on comp tot*
tegular modal . Standard and heavy-duty
qule-cu*h'n* • 1 units for 2-wh**l and
4-wh**l tklv* full slz*
, " pickup trucks and h*«vy
duly ■stubby units tor
straight trucks.
For fuithssr Information s** your ttoalsr or cal or writ*:
DM INC.* • RT. 10S E • BOX K • GOOOHELO, IL (1742
PH. SOMM-2253
too Storsr Drtw~| V **
1 1 r
determining the infection rate and
an effective treatment delivery
system. The information will be
incorporated into a computerized
expert system called “Bee Aware”
to assist beekeepers.
The tracheal mite is a tiny,
insect-like creature similar to a
spider. It enters the breathing
tubes, or trachea, through holes
along the sides of the honey bee’s
body which are used for breathing.
It attaches itself to the wall of the
breathing tubes and takes nutrients
from the bee’s blood, Rajotte
explained.
“The mites debilitate bees and,
because bees live,together in colo
nies, spread easily through the col
ony. They are present in the col
ony year round, but are most
devastating in winter, when no
new bees are being produced,” he
said.
Current methods for detecting
the presence of mites are time
consuming, involving the dissec
tion of many bees and a lengthy
laboratory procedure. Since the
mites spread rapidly, quick diag-
• No part* to break or wssr
out..all stool with r*movsbl*
t ga. lac*... no poly parts)
• V*r**tlllly...mounl* on ful
slzo 2WO or 4WD pickups to
pul grain wagons, hors*
traitors, *le.
nosis is essential to save a colony, time can be ineffective or taint the
Tomasko says. honey.
The only treatment available is “Menthol is a short-term
menthol. When menthol crystals answer to a long-term problem,”
are placed in a colony, they vapor- Tomasko says,
ize creating a gas that acts as a Rajotte adds. “When our
fumigant The gas kills the mites, research is complete, we will have
although exactly how the futnig- a very specialized system that
ant works is not known. Timing of offers' advice on discovering
the menthol treatment also is cru- mites, sizing up the rate of infesta
cial, since applying it at the wrong don and managing the pest”
Hay, Straw Directory Available
ALLENTOWN (Lehigh Co.) its quality, the amount for sale, who needs several hundred tons of
A new directory of southeast- and whether it’s tested for nutri- hay or straw will also find many
cm Pennsylvaniafotage produc- ents 01 able to Ixs delivered. Total- sources of exactly what they want
era is now available free from the “8 all entries, the amount of hay Nurserymen and mushroom pro-
Lehigh County Extension Office listed exceeds 8,300 tons and duccre will see listings for mulch
for those in the market for all straw over 1,250 tons. hay. he explained,
types of hay and straw.
. The Southeastern Pennsylvania
Forage Directory contains 69 far
mers in Lehigh, Northampton,
Berks, Bucks, and Montgomery
counties who are selling from
1989 yields. The booklet lists the
name, address, phone, and the for
age offered. The producers have
described in detail the type of hay.
JOHNSON’S CORNER MARKET
On Their New Two-Story Farm Market Facility
• 1,950 Sq. Ft.
Sales Area
• 750 Sq. Ft.
Exterior
Display Area
• 2,000 Sq. Ft.
2nd Floor
Storage Area
AGRI — INO- The Construction Professionals
- tv/.vxvv^v.vi : :-.v.v.v,v, ■v.\\VlAV.'.'.v.:. , .v. , .-.~.'. /. . .v.v.v.
Serving The Agricultural Industry For Over 20 Years
Thanks and Congratulations
BUILT BY
R.D. 4, Ephrata, PA 17522 • (717) 354-4271
“Buyers will find what they’re
after quickly with this directory,”
said Jeff Patton, Extension Agent-
Marketing. “If they have a few or
many horses to feed tins winter,
they’ll see farmers with quality
grass hay who sell in all amounts.
The dairy or beef cattle farmer
to
Medford, NJ
Until this method is developed,
beekeepers who want to identify
the presence of tracheal mites in
their colonies should send bees to:
James Steinhauer, Chief Apiary
Inspector, Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Agriculture, 2301 N.|
Cameron St., Harrisburg, PA*
17110-9408, or to USDA Benefi
cial Insects Lab, BARC-East,
Beltsville. MD 20705.
The forage directory is avail
able free from the extension
offices of the five southeastern
Pennsylvania counties covered.
The Lehigh Extension Office is at
4184 Domey Park Road, Allen
town, PA 18104 or call (215)%
391-9840.
• Post Frame
Construction |
• Shingle Roof
• Reverse Board
& Batten
Siding
Let Our Experience
Work For You
For Ail Your
Farm Building Needs,
Large Or Small