[With formic acid dispensers against Varroa jacobsoni]
1997
Charriere, J.-D. | Imdorf, A. | Fluri, P. (Eidg. Forschungsanstalt fuer Milchwirtschaft (FAM), Liebefeld (Switzerland))
The propagation from southern Europe of varroa mites resistant to the main conventional acaracides leads to an increased interest in alternative varroa control methods. Formic acid treatments have been efficiently used for varroa control, but the treatments were accompanied by some difficulties which impeded its wider use. Until now it has been impossible to regulate the formic acid evaporation rate and adapt it to the varying treatment conditions. For that purpose we developed an inexpensive formic acid dispenser for easy, long term treatments. The knowledge, accumulated with laboratory and field trials during the past two years with more than 600 bee colonies allows us now to make recommendations for the use of the dispenser in Switzerland. It is possible to regulate the formic acid evaporation rate and thus use the dispenser for different climatic conditions and hive systems. This can be done by an easy modification of the evaporation surface of the dispenser. Compared with the previously used short term treatment (5-6 applications per year), the use of this dispenser is much less labour-intensive. On average 95 percent of the varroa could be removed from the bee colonies with two applications, which represents a good treatment success. however, biotechnological measures in spring for the reduction of the varroa population and infestation control in October have to be combined with the treatments to keep varroa mites under control. Provided the dispenser is not applied during harvest periods, no residue problems in honey should arise. Since this year this special dispenser is on the market and can be used by Swiss beekeepers for varroa control
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