Daphne Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I just heard on the news that Defra's National Bee Unit & Aberdeen Uni have been researching varroa and have found a way of injecting mites with a 'self-destruct' something or other which causes them to die (sorry for the rubbish description ) Realising they can't expect beekeepers to go round injecting varroa mites they've developed a way of putting the active ingredient into autumn/winter/spring feed so the bees take it down and spread it about. The item I heard didn't say when this might be available commercially. But potentially good news beeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I heard half of this on R4'Today' programme, I was cleaning my teeth so I missed most of it! Good news - let's hope this is something that will be available soon to back-garden bee keepers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 (edited) available soon Unfortunately not, depending on what a person understands as 'soon'. They have found a possible method to do the deed but do not as yet, have any bullets or a delivery system. It may take 5-10 years(?), but that could be construed as 'soon' compared to 'not at all'. I think spraying the bees (or the mites, rather) is the more likely introductory method than trying to get complex nucleotides into the varroa via a bee digestive system. Regards, RAB Edited December 23, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Bee Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 A good breakthrough. Probably 5+/10+ years away but will be effective when it arrives. Crack on the scientists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Oh I hope so. It'll be just in time so that we can concentrate on dealing with SHB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Bee Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 And the monster hornet on its way through France....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 Yes I read about those in the BBKA newsletter. We already have hornets in our gardens - last year my co-beek neighbour found a nest in his, about 200 ft from the hives. They are quite scary enough up close and personal in my conservatory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 We already have hornets in our gardens - last year my co-beek neighbour found a nest in his, about 200 ft from the hives. I don't think these are the hornets from hell though I might be wrong. I have seen hornets here in the UK for years but the ones being reported in France are the Asian Hornet, a different animal altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 No - they aren't the same, although given I live near the place where the pesky French last successfully invaded England...who knows! I'm going to pay more attention to them this year, just to double check, the superhornet is distinctly coloured according to the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I'm hoping the Cumbrian weather will keep them at bay. There are some really awful video's on youtube of hornets eating bees. On the other hand, you could always eat them http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/wildchina/flash/video.shtml?wildchina4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
