THE PROGRAM RIGA, 2018 - Nordic-Baltic Apicultural Research Symposium Nordic-Baltic Bee Council meeting Nordic-Baltic Beekeepers Advisers meeting ...
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Nordic-Baltic Apicultural Research Symposium
Nordic-Baltic Bee Council meeting
Nordic-Baltic Beekeepers Advisers meeting
RIGA, 2018
Wednesday 24th to Friday 26th January
THE PROGRAM
1
Meeting Venue
The Park Inn by Radisson Riga Valdemara Hotel
Address: Krogus iela 1, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia
Accommodation will be arranged in the same Park Inn by Radisson Riga Valdemara Hotel
Transportation from and to the airport:
We recommend – the easiest way – by TAXI. The distance is 7 km and it takes about 10
minutes, and it costs about EUR 8,00.
Another option – the bus Nr 22 – 16 minutes, EUR 2,00 /pers, (ticket in bus), 8th bus stop
named “Slokas iela” (on small street on a back side of the hotel).
Taxi Bus stop
Airport
2
Nordic-Baltic Beekeepers Advisers meeting
Wednesday, 24.01.2018
Agenda of the meeting
11.30-12.00 Coffee
12.00-14.00 Advisers meeting
14.00-15.00 LUNCH
15.00-18.00 Advisers meeting
18.00 DINNER
Participants
Preben Kristiansen preben.kristiansen@biodlarna.se
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen lotta.fabricius@apinordica.se
Karina Karlsson karina.karlsson@biodlarna.se
Hannu Luukinen hannu@hannuluukinen.fi
Stanislav Jas stanislav.jas@hunaja.net
Maritta Martikkala marittamarti@gmail.com
Eeva-Liisa Korpela eeva-liisa.korpela@hunaja.net
Bjorn Dahle bjorn.dahle@norbi.no
Aleksander Kilk aleksander.kilk@ttu.ee
Aivar Raudmets mesindusprogramm@gmail.com
Ole Kilpinen olek@biavl.dk
Flemming Vejsnæs fv@biavl.dk
Roma Maciene maciener@gmail.com
Valters Brusbārdis valters@strops.lv
Juris Šteiselis juris.steiselis@strops.lv
3Nordic-Baltic Apicultural Research Symposium
Nordic-Baltic Bee Council meeting
Agenda of the meeting
Thursday, 25.01.2018
9.00-10.00 Registration and coffee
10.00-10.05 Minutes of information
10.05-10.25 Notes from the history of the Nordic-Baltic Bee Council and
the Nordic-Baltic Bee Research Symposium
Asger Søgaard Jørgensen, Danish Beekeepers Association
10.25-10.45 Bee-Extension - knowledge transfer and development for sustainable
beekeeping, Smartbees
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
10.45-11.05 Smartbees: main results after 3 years
Bjorn Dahle, Norwegian Beekeepers Association
11.05-11.25 The Danish network of surveillance apiaries
Ole Kilpinen, Danish Beekeepers Association
11.25-11.45 The new bee disease application and update on www.myhivelog.org
Flemming Vejsnæs, Danish Beekeepers Association
11.45-12.00 Apitherapy development in Latvia
Jānis Šnikvalds, Latvian Beekeepers Association
12.00-13.00 LUNCH
13.00-14.00 Transfer to the OGRE TECHNICAL SCHOOL
414.00-14.20 Beneficial microorganisms and honeybees: colony level effects of lactic acid
bacterial supplements
Eva Forsgren, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology,
14.20-14.40 Honeybee lactic acid bacteria as potential measure of bacterial diseases in
insect production systems
Annette Bruun Jensen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences,
University of Copenhagen
14.40-15.00 Nosematosis in Estonian apiaries: persistence over years and species
distribution
Sigmar Naudi, Estonian University of Life Sciences
15.00-15.20 Vaccination of honeybees against microbial diseases
Dalial Freitak, PrimeBEE, Helsinki University, Finland, Norwegian University
of Life Sciences, Norway
15.20-15.40 Bee health, pathogens and neonicotinoids: What is real and what is not?
Joachim de Miranda, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Honeybee
Research Group
15.40-16.00 COFFEE BREAK
16.00-16.20 Residues of pesticides and Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Danish honey
Asger Søgaard Jørgensen, Danish Beekeepers Association
16.20-16.40 Pollinate Sweden - a network for collaboration, knowledge dissemination
and development
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
16.40-17.00 Importance of honey bee in pollination of buckwheat
Maritta Martikkala, Finnish Beekeepers Association
17.00-17.30 Presenting the summary of beekeeping advisors’ discussions
Flemming Vejsnæs, Danish Beekeepers Association
17.30-18.00 COFFEE BREAK
18.00-18.15 An insight into the history. The beekeeping school at Vecbebri manor.
Wide spectrum Ogre Technical school
Ilze Brante, Ogre technical school, director
18.15-19.00 NBBC meeting
18.15-19.00 Guided tour through the Ogre Technical school
19.00-21.00 DINNER
21.00-22.00 Transfer to the HOTEL
5Friday, 26.01.2018
9.00-9.05 Minutes of information
9.05-9.25 A comparative study of resistance/tolerance mechanisms in Norwegian
and Swedish Varroa destructor surviving Apis mellifera populations
Julia Celine Cuypers, Norwegian Beekeepers Association
9.25-9.45 Tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have lost their effectiveness in varroa
treatment. Alternatives needed
Risto Raimets, Estonian University of Life Sciences
9.45-10.05 The VSH project in Sweden
Karina Karlsson, Swedish Beekeepers Association
10.05-10.25 Varroa resistance mechanisms in a Norwegian population of honeybees
Bjorn Dahle Norwegian Beekeepers Association, Norwegian University of Life
Science
10.25-10.45 COFFEE BREAK
10.45-11.05 BeeScanning
Björn Lagerman, beescanning.com, project leader
11.05-11.25 Varroa sensitive hygiene
Jonny Ulvtorp, Swedish Professional Beekeepers
11.25-11.45 Beeswax contamination and adulteration
Preben Kristiansen, Swedish Beekeepers Association
11.45-12.05 More efficient beeswax recovery
Karina Karlsson, Swedish Beekeepers Association
12.05-13.00 LUNCH
13.00-13.20 Developing the operation of Association - Some new ideas
Hannu Luukinen, Finnish Beekeepers Association, Chairman
13.20-13.40 SICAMM meeting in Finland summer 2018
Stanislav Jas, Finnish Beekeepers Association
13.40-14.00 Towards better queens in Finland
Maritta Martikkala, Finnish Beekeepers Association
14.00-14.20 ICYB-International Centre for Young Beekeepers - what is it?
Roma Maciene, Lithuanian Beekeepers Association
14.20-14.40 Bee-calender. Labeling of imported honey
Lasse Hellander, Swedish Beekeepers Association
14.40-15.30 Closing session Country's and association's overview
15.30-16.00 COFFEE AND GOODBYE
6ABSTRACTS
Notes from the history of the Nordic-Baltic Bee Council and the Nordic-
Baltic Bee Research Symposium.
Asger Søgaard Jørgensen
Danish Beekeepers Association
asj@biavl.dk
Aleksander Kilk has several times asked me, as one of the persons who has participated in
the activities of the Nordic-Baltic Bee Council for a long time to make some notes on the
history of this association.
I will make a short presentation on this at the meeting, and the Danish Beekeepers
Association will prepare a virtual file with some documents from the history. I do hope other
active people will contribute with more information to this file.
My presentation will give some information on the following headlines.
How did it all start?
How did it develop over time.
Some highlights from the history.
May be a few recommendations for the future from your nestor.
7Bee-Extension
– knowledge transfer and development for sustainable beekeeping, Smartbees
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
One of the missions in the European project Smartbees is to produce an extension tool-box
to be used by extensionists, trainers, educators and advisors within European apiculture.
This web-based tool box will support communicators working with beekeeping to:
a) find best practice and checklist helping them to develop the methods used in
extension, including strategic communication
b) better understand how to adapt the activities to the needs and pre-conditions of the
target groups
c) access some concrete tools, methods and strategies to support the development of
locally, regionally or nationally adapted communication strategies for improved
sustainability of European apiculture
d) get some insights into the theories and models supporting today’s development of
new extension tools and methods
The web-based extension tool-box builds on the broad work which has been conducted over
the last decades in the scientific fields of agricultural extension, advisory services and
environmental communication. We have suggested approaches and methods which we
believe are valuable to support a more sustainable management of resilient bee-populations
across Europe. A sustainable apicultural sector depends on our ability to communicate, learn
and innovate within this field based on the scientific and technological developments.
8Smartbees: main results after 3 years
Bjørn Dahle,
Norwegian Beekeepers Association
In Smartbees researchers and companies from eleven countries have united to face 2
apicultural challenges, the increasing parasite and pathogen pressure and rapid loss of
biodiversity. SMARTBEES aims to stabilize beekeeping within the EU, by characterizing what
is left of honeybee diversity, and involving local breeders in its conservation and
improvement. Moreover, we aim to explore mechanisms of disease resistance in European
bee populations, both phenotypically and genotypically, and advance knowledge on the
interactions between bees, parasites, and viruses vectored by the latter. Some of the main
results from the project will be presented.
9The Danish network of surveillance apiaries
Ole Kilpinen and Flemming Vejsnæs
Danish Beekeepers Association
Under the EU honey program, we have initiated a network of surveillance apiaries. The aim
of the project is to motivate Danish beekeepers to be more attentive to their bees with
respect to diseases and the general health status. We also want to take on the responsibility
of monitoring for invasive species in Denmark. At the moment, this involves the small hive
beetle Aethina thumida, and the Asian hornet, Vespa velutina.
The aim was to establish 50 surveillance apiaries evenly distributed in Denmark, but there
has been lots of interest in the project and at the moment we have 62 apiaries involved. All
of them are equipped with small hive beetle traps, wasp traps, forceps, magnifiers etc.
During the first year of the project, the participants were asked to put up traps at monthly
intervals. Besides trap catches they were asked to look for diseases like chalk brood, sack
brood, deformed wing virus and dysentery. They were also asked to monitor the Varroa
prevalence as well as the general health status of the bee colonies. Due to a late start only
two observation periods were carried through. Luckily, there were no observations of
invasive pests and only very few signs of diseases.
For the coming two seasons we will hopefully have many more observations so that we can
obtain a better understanding of how the different diseases and pests changes over the
season.
10The new bee disease application and update on www.myhivelog.org
Flemming Vejsnæs & Ole Kilpinen
Danish Beekeepers Association
fv@biavl.dk
At last years NBBR we presented the hive note tool www.myhivlog.org (hivelog keep it
simple) for smartphones, tablets and personal computer. The program has now been
running for 2 years, we are still able to develop on the program. We are happy that more
than 3000 beekeepers have registered for this program. The program is not commercial so it
is free to use and the aim is to get beekeepers to focus on making hive notes regularly, to
improve their beekeeping. At the moment, the program is translated to eight languages.
A new project is the development of a bee disease application that is partly integrated in the
hivelog program, but also an independent application, again for use on smartphones, tablets
and personal computer. The intention is to develop an easy to use reference application,
where beekeepers on location can see pictures and descriptions of different diseases, rating
how dangerous and how frequent the diseases are. With this application, beekeepers have
the opportunity to post “better” pictures or other symptoms, so that the application will
continue to develop. We are also working on developing a bee disease identification key.
Beekeepers should answer questions about their observations and then the bee disease key
suggests possible bee diseases. We want beekeepers improving their ability to make more
exact observations. We also have other ideas for the hivelog program and the bee disease
application, like making online maps of observations; this could be the distribution of
chalkbrood, or the present mite counts and warnings. We would like to include a discussion
forum, where beekeepers can discus different observations. Finally, we hope to develop the
possibility for beekeepers to upload photos of suspicious “diseases” that can be forwarded
to an adviser, who will give recommendations. Only the future will show if we are able to
come this far. In our testing period, you can follow the application on: http://biavl.tt4.at/en
11Apitherapy development in Latvia
Jānis Šnikvalds
Latvian Beekeepers Association
During the socialist regime in Latvia from 1945 till 1991. Due to the activities of Russian
physicians and scientists in field of medicine, during the 60thies, last century:
1) Z.H. Karimova, K.I. Sevastjanova, L.M. Vaiņera 1960 (Russian - З.Х. Каримова,
К.И.Севастьянова, Л.М.Вайнер, 1960);
2) I.M. Rabinovich 1960 (Russian - И.М. Рабинович, 1960);
3) Z.G. Chanishev 1960 (Russian З.Г.Чанышев, 1960);
4) V.P. Kivalkina 1964. (Russian - В.П.Кивалкина, 1964), has made a huge impact on
bee product use in medicine.
Despite the fact that the information in global scale has been reviled by Z.H. Karimova only
during the “Apimondia” congress in 1971 (Moscow; USSR). The Latvian SSR Horticultures and
Beekeeping associations divisions of Cesis official E.Bergs (agronomist) has come across the
articles and abstracts of work of V.P. Kivalikna. And on the year 1964 has established
“Latvian SSR Horticultures and Beekeeping associations divisions of Cesis experimental
laboratory of bee products”. The laboratory was managed by pharmacologist E.Dreimane
and life scientist S. Palmbaha.
With good cooperation with physicians, there were 20 products implemented for the use in
medicine.
12Beneficial microorganisms and honeybees: colony level effects of lactic
acid bacterial supplements
Sepideh Lamei, Joachim deMiranda, Eva Forsgren
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Department of Ecology
SE-75445 Uppsala
Paenibacillus larvae, causative agent of the lethal American Foulbrood (AFB) disease, is the
primary bacterial pathogen affecting honeybees and beekeeping. The main current methods
for controlling AFB diseased colonies are either enforced incineration or prophylactic
antibiotic treatment, neither of which is fully satisfactory. The search for superior means for
controlling AFB has led to an increased interest in the natural relationships between the
pathogenic and mutualistic microorganisms of the honeybee microbiome, and in particular
the antagonistic effects of Honeybee-Specific Lactic Acid Bacteria (hbs-LAB) against P. larvae.
These effects have so far only been demonstrated on individual larvae in controlled
laboratory bioassays. Here we investigated whether supplemental administration of these
bacteria had a similar beneficial effect on P. larvae infection at the colony level, by
monitoring 48 treated and untreated colonies in AFB-affected and unaffected apiaries
throughout a season. The results showed that, over the entire season, the hbs-LAB
supplements did not affect either colony-level hbs-LAB composition or P. larvae spore levels.
Hbs-LAB composition was, however, more diverse in apiaries with a history of clinical AFB,
although again this was unrelated to colony-level P. larvae spore levels. These results do not
contradict the antagonistic effects observed at the individual level but rather suggest that
supplementary administration of live bacteria may not be the most effective way to harness
such effects in a useful application.
13Honeybee lactic acid bacteria as potential measure of bacterial diseases
in insect production systems
Luna Paola Andrade Santacoloma1, Antoine Lecocq1, Jørgen Eilenberg1, Alejandra Vasquez2,
Tobias Olofsson2, Annette Bruun Jensen1
1 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK
2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Microbiology, Lund University, SE
Good management practice is an important element for the success of large scale insect
productions. Among other things, the management of insect diseases in the production
system is especially important since the presence of pathogens generates a negative impact
on the output. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from honeybees produce antimicrobial
metabolites and peptides that can inhibit the activity of different pathogens. We evaluated
the antimicrobial activity of LAB on three insect pathogenic bacteria. We tested the
inhibition of Serratia marcescens, S. plymuthica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by individual
or a combination of LAB strains using dual culture overlay assays.
We showed that some of the LAB strains did inhibit insect pathogenic bacteria in vitro. Next
step is to evaluate the effect of selected LAB strains on production insects such as
mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) alone and in combination with insect pathogenic bacteria.
Beneficial bacteria isolated from honeybees or other sources have the potential to increase
host fitness, reduce mortality and might be an alternative to the use of antibiotics in the
management of diseases in insect production systems.
14Nosematosis in Estonian apiaries: persistence over years and species
distribution
Sigmar Naudi, Margret Jürison, Lea Tummeleht, Reet Karise
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
sigmarnaudi@gmail.com
In last decades beekeepers have observed honeybee (A. mellifera L.) extinction. One of the
reasons for bee decline is believed to be the proliferation of diseases in bee colonies.
Previously it was considered that honeybees can be only infected by Nosema apis (Zander),
however studies made in Europe since 1996 show that there are two species of the
microsporidians causing nosematosis – N. apis and N. ceranae (Fries et al). Transmission of
nosematosis in honeybee colonies is mainly via the oral route in which pathogens are spread
by transferring feces of diseased hosts to uninfected hosts via ingestion. Honeybees get
infected when food is contaminated or they are cleaning up fecal material from infected
bees. The symptoms of infection by these two pathogens are very different, as are the
virulence, spread and pathogenicity, which is why it is important to know the species
distribution. It is believed that N. apis is causing a moderate stress in bees, while N. ceranae
is causing death - but this has not been established, because studies from different regions
claim to be different. As a result of acute nosematosis infection, diarrhea occurs in the bees,
rooting into the hive. Depending upon the species of nosematosis, approximately 100 spores
in a single bee can begin to develop into a problem. Since bees can pick up the spores even
from flowers where they forage, the problem seems to be persistent in infected regions.
Five years ago, the COLOSS study was conducted in Estonia – the aim of which was to map
the nosematosis situation in Estonia. The aims of the present study are to check, whether
nosematosis still occurs in the former positive bee colonies five years later, to find out the
Nosema species and quantity in each collected samples.
In the spring of 2017, a total of 30 samples were collected from different regions of Estonia
from apiaries, which were positive in the COLOSS (2012) study. Each sample contained
approx. 60 forage worker bees. A PCR laboratory study showed that in Estonia in addition to
N. apis, we have also a N. ceranae. Only 30% of apiaries were found negative for Nosema sp.
N. apis was found in 47%, N. ceranae in 17% and both together (N. apis and N. ceranae) in
6% of samples. Studies are ongoing and subsequently, we would like to find out, whether
the sublethal amounts of pesticides or their mixtures in bee feed affect the microsporidium
spore production.
15Vaccination of honeybees against microbial diseases
Dalial Freitak
PrimeBEE, Helsinki University, Finland
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
dalial.freitak@helsinki.fi
The mechanism behind the antibody-free trans-generational immunity in invertebrates has
been an enigma for decades. Hence, vaccination has not been considered feasible in insects.
We have established that egg-yolk protein is responsible for binding to immune elicitors and
then carrying these to eggs in honeybees. These immune elicitors can then act as specific
signals for immune system to trigger defence against infection. It could be a long-sought
answer to the question, how are invertebrates priming their offspring. It seems, that
pathogens encountered via food are digested, disarmed and in some way transported via
midgut tissue to the hemocoel, there they are further incorporated into the developing eggs.
Here we show evidence of both in vivo and in vitro experiments, how TGIP against honeybee
diseases takes place and that honeybee queens orally exposed to pathogens can enhance
the immunity of their offspring by altering the physiology of the larvae. We also propose a
mechanism, how this type of transfer of immune priming could take place on the level of the
beehive.
16Bee health, pathogens and neonicotinoids: What is real and what is not?
Julia Goss, Dimitry Wintermantel, Barbara Locke, Ove Jonsson, Emilia Semberg, Eva
Forsgren, Peter Rosenkranz, Thorsten Rahbek Pedersen, Riccardo Bommarco, Henrik G.
Smith, Maj Rundlöf, Joachim R. de Miranda
Synergistic interactions between multiple stressors have been suspected to cause elevated
honeybee colony losses, particularly in the Northern hemisphere. Under laboratory
conditions neonicotinoid insecticides reduce immune responses and increase pathogen and
parasite levels and virulence in honeybees, but the field-level impact of such interactions on
honeybee colonies is unclear. We examined the prevalence and amounts of the parasite
Varroa destructor, two microsporidian parasites Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis, 13
viruses and two symbiotic gut bacteria, Gilliamella apicola and Snodgrassella alvi in
honeybee colonies placed in fields of spring sown oilseed rape sown either with or without
clothianidin coated seeds. Although seed treatment was shown to expose honeybees to
clothianidin both directly and through foraged pollen and nectar, this exposure had no major
effect on honeybee colony development, nor on the prevalence/amounts of pathogens and
symbiotic microbes or the expression of several genes related to the honeybee innate
immune response during the first season of exposure. However, in the second season, Black
queen cell virus titres and Varroa destructor infestation rates increased faster at control
fields than at clothianidin-treated fields while the reverse was true for the levels of the
symbiotic gut microbe Gilliamella apicola. The results suggest that at colony-level,
honeybees are relatively robust to the effects of clothianidin on colony development,
immune health and pathogen susceptibility when under low disease pressure in field
conditions.
17Residues of pesticides and Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Danish honey
Asger Søgaard Jørgensen
Danish Beekeepers Association
asj@biavl.dk
In the projects “Production of monofloral honey in Denmark” we got funding to have some
samples analysed for residues of pesticides and Pyrrolizidine alkaloids during the seasons
2016 and 2017.
The climatic conditions in 2016 and 2017 did not favour the production of monofloral
honeys.
In 2016 we collected a total of 64 honeysamples that the beekeepers claimed were collected
to be monofloral honey. Only 10 were approved as monofloral by the Laboratory at the Bee
Institute in Celle, Germany. 2017 only 24 samples were analysed, 10 were approved.
The reduction in number of honey collected reflects the change in the focus of the project.
In 2016 we realised that there were problems with residues of pesticides and Pyrrolizidine
alkaloids in some honeys. So we changed the project focus and had all the honeys collected
in 2017 analysed, not only for quality and if they were monofloral, but also a full programme
of analyses for residues of pesticides and Pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Still we found some problems and even quite big residues in some rapeseed honey of
Clopyralid.
Together with the agricultural organisation, Ministry of environment and even the company
marketing the project an action plan has been developed to mitigate the problem.
During the meeting I will present some of the results and the action plan.
18Pollinate Sweden
– a network for collaboration, knowledge dissemination and development
Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen
Apinordica
We want to start a discussion, create events and spread knowledge to raise awareness
about the situation for solitary bees, bumblebees, honeybees and other pollinators. The
founders of Pollinate Sweden have realised that despite the importance of pollination in
food production, knowledge in Sweden is still too scarce on how to befriend pollinators. It is
of greatest importance that politicians, farmers, food producers, constructors, landscape
architects, gardeners, teachers and the public get to know how we can help the pollinators
to survive in gardens, parks and fields. For this purpose, Pollinate Sweden gathered some of
Sweden’s experts and representatives of NGOs working with pollination.
Our goal is that the full value of pollination shall be well known and the organisations,
researchers, farmers, food producers and companies who engage in the issue will become
rewarded and known for their achievements. Pollinate Sweden is funded by the National
Apiculture Program in Sweden during 2017–18. We want the question of pollination to
become as important and well known as climate change, clean seas or food waste, just to
mention some other areas where people have gathered together to create attention on an
urgent matter.
During spring 2018 we will launch the National Pollination Week with Swedish Gardens
SSPPG (www.swedishgardens), a network that unites all the most eminent parks and
gardens in our country, like Hagaparken, Norrvikens trädgårdar or Tjolöholm. During the
Pollination Week we will arrange pollinator walks, create homes for wild bees and distribute
special pollinator friendly seed bags. There will also be Beehive Days and Honey Tastings
with local beekeepers.
In the next three years we aim to engage people all over the country in different activities
during the Pollination Week.
Members of the network include
Swedish Bees / Svenska Bin, WWF, Swedish Gardens, Department of Ecology and the
Swedish Species Information Centre at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Centre for Environmental and Climate Research at the University of Lund, the Swedish Board
of Agriculture, the Swedish Beekeepers Association, the Swedish Professional Beekeepers,
the Bee Health adviser, Bee Urban, Sigill Kvalitetssystem AB, Swedish Society for Nature
Conservation, the Swedish Horticultural Society, Urban Gardeners alliance,
Hushållningssällskapet, Odling i Balans and organic farmers.
http://www.pollinerasverige.se
19A comparative study of resistance/tolerance mechanisms in Norwegian
and Swedish Varroa destructor surviving Apis mellifera populations
Julia C. Cuypers & Bjørn Dahle
Norwegian Beekeepers Association
The experiment was performed in two apiaries outside Oslo (Norway), and is part of a large
scale European ring test. The objective of this ring test is to examine the
resistance/tolerance mechanisms towards Varroa destructor mites of French, Swedish, and
Norwegian A. mellifera colonies surviving without varroa treatment, and to determine
whether the colonies will continue to express these traits after they have been allocated to a
new environment. Due to national restrictions, it was not possible import queens from the
resistant Avignon population to Norway. The Norwegian part of the test was conducted
using surviving bees from the Swedish Gotland population, and a Norwegian surviving
population. The control group consisted of local varroa susceptible colonies. An additional
test group consisting of Norwegian surviving colonies on 4,9 mm wax comb foundation, was
used to examine the effect of smaller cell size on varroa reproduction and varroa population
growth. Test colonies were established in July 2016 and varroa infestation levels were
reduced in highly infested colonies by treatment with lactic acid to obtain similar mite
infestation in all colonies in fall 2016.
The population size of each colony was estimated using the Liebefeld method, and mite
infestation rate (mites/100 bees) was estimated using the soapy water method. Samples of
adult bees (30 bees per sample) were collected from each colony, and stored at -70 ºC prior
to analysis for deformed wing virus (DWV). All of the aforementioned measurements where
performed three times (May 2017, July 2017, and September 2017). Mite reproductive
success and VSH/recapping rate, was analysed by examining brood cells artificially infested
with a single varroa mite in July/August.
The varroa population increased in all colonies and reached very high levels, especially in
one of the apiaries where many colonies collapsed in August/September with frequently
observed DWV symptoms. We are currently analysing data, and the results so far do not
indicate any apparent differences in mite reproductive success among the experimental
groups and mite infestation rate reached high levels in the resistant stocks. This could imply
that drifting of mites between colonies in the test apiaries has impaired any effect of
reduced mite reproduction in colonies from the resistant stocks. The recapping rates were
similar in the control colonies and the Norwegian resistant colonies, although they were
slightly lower in the Swedish resistant colonies. The removal rate of infested cells in the
control colonies was noticeably higher than in the remaining experimental groups.
20Tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have lost their effectiveness in varroa
treatment. Alternatives needed
Risto Raimets, Leo Vari, Reet Karise, Marika Mänd
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
ristorai@gmail.com
Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is devastating pest for honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies.
Varroa mites are feeding on honey bee haemolymph and simultaneously introduce viruses
into adult or larval honey bees (Rosenkranz et al. 2010). Apiculturists are using different
organic and synthetic compounds to treat the mite. Despite the high initial effectiveness,
popular active ingredients tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin (both belong to pyrethroid
acaricides) have lost their effectiveness, because of mites have achieved resistance against
these synthetic compounds in some regions (Trouiller 1998, Floris et al. 2001). Another
active ingredient amitraz (an acaricide and synergist, which belongs to formamidine group)
has been used in several European countries as an effective alternative for tau-fluvalinate
and flumethrin in Varroa treatment (CMDv 2015). However, it is important to note that all
these synthetic medicals accumulate in bee products and may simultaneously harm bees as
well. Nevertheless, the rotation of medicals in varroa treatment schemes is essential to
prevent the formation of resistance in Varroa mites. The aim of this study was to investigate
the effectiveness of four Varroa treatment medicals (Apistan, Bayvarol, Amipol-T and oxalic
acid) in an apiary located in Estonia.
During experimental years (2012, 2014-2016 and 2017) after honey harvest in august, each
honey bee colony (total n=234) received two Varroa medical strips depending on the
treatment group. Oxalic acid sublimation was performed in succession as a control. The
number of dead mites was counted daily during the experiment.
Here we show clearly that Apistan and Bayvarol had very low efficacy in 3 consecutive years.
It is remarkable, that there were no statistically significant differences between natural mite
fall and both Apistan and Bayvarol treatment groups in the second experimental year.
Amitraz showed good efficacy in 2012, but the efficacy was significantly lower in 2017.
Oxalic acid as a control showed significantly higher efficacy against Varroa in all treatment
groups.
Although organic acids like oxalic acid are highly recommended in Varroa treatments, there
must be rotation in treatment schemes in order to prevent the formation of resistance.
Popular active ingredients tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin, which are also the only ones
legally available in Estonia, showed low efficacy and thus alternatives are urgently needed to
provide sustainable Varroa management. However, the results of our experiment with
Amipol-T (a.i. amitraz) varied significantly between the two years and thus we could not
make a suggestion for this compound.
21The VSH project in Sweden
Richard Johansson
Project leader of the VSH project in Sweden
info@vshbin.se
Karina Karlsson
Swedish Beekeepers Association, adviser
karina.karlsson@biodlarna.se
The project for VSH bees in Sweden started 1,5 years ago. The focus in the beginning was
information and education about varroa resistance among the Swedish beekeepers and
recruitment of beekeepers interested in taking part of the project.
Beekeepers all over the country were invited to take part of the project by washing bees and
count varroa. Two samples with the minimum 60 days between was taken. The exponential
growth was calculated in search of interesting colonies. VSH-tests were performed to
measure the VSH trait of the colonies but often a low amount of varroa made it hard to
achieve a reliable result.
Of more than 2000 test results from Swedish colonies about 300 was considered as
interesting, either as a result of the VSH test or a negative or zero varroa growth. From the
most interesting colonies queens were bred and either got single drone inseminated or
naturally mated.
There are now 74 queens in the colonies of the 11 established apiaries for testing. These are
offspring from colonies that have shown some kind of hygienic behaviour but not for certain
VSH. Further tests will be needed to prove if it is VSH. The long-term goal is to enhance the
varroa resistance without loss of honey harvest and with a minimal impact of temperament.
22Varroa resistance mechanisms in a Norwegian population of honeybees
Melissa Oddie1, Bjørn Dahle2,3, Peter Neumann1,4
1
University of Bern, Switzerland
2
Norwegian Beekeepers Association, Norway
3
Norwegina University of Life Science, Norway
4
Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Switzerland
Honeybee colonies left untreated for the parasitic mite Varroa destructor usually collapses
within 1-3 years. However, several managed or feral populations of honeybees have
survived without varroa treatment for more than 10 years. We studied a managed
Norwegian population kept without varroa treatment since 1998 to document mite
reproduction and to identify resistance mechanism that can explain the survival of this
population. Mite infestation in resistant colonies, measured by natural mite fall were
significantly lower than in susceptible control colonies. Average fecundity per foundress was
about 30% less in surviving colonies when compared to susceptible colonies. The proportion
of damaged mites in the natural mite drop did not differ between surviving and susceptible
colonies suggesting that grooming is not an important resistance mechanism. Similarly,
brood removal rates (VSH) were not significantly different between the surviving and
susceptible colonies suggesting that VSH is not an important resistant mechanism in this
surviving population. Alternative resistance mechanisms will be discussed.
23BeeScanning
Björn Lagerman
beescanning.com, project leader
The project has developed an app for smartphones using the camera. Images provides bases
for calculations that will benefit beekeepers and researchers diagnoses.
BeeScanning is funded by the European Innovation Program, the Swedish Board of
Agriculture and via Kickstarter.
Accomplished, January 2018, the app communicates with a server where images are
analysed instantly by the following categories: (accuracy figures)
• Detection of individual bees with varroa visible on body (80 %)
• Detection of Queen (90 %)
• Detection of deformed wing virus (60 %)
• Counting of number of bees in image (99%)
• Results are presented to the user in absolute figures and varroa infestation level.
The BeeScanning technology is based on proprietary convolutional neural network, NN, and
deep learning. Not to be mistaken by classification or algorithmic image analysing. This
means results will continue to improve as the artificial intelligence learns from the ever
increasing data it’s fed by the users.
Data is collected from growing the worlds largest database of images of bees on combs. The
project now contains about 4000 images where regions of interest are labeled for the
training of the NN. Published at tagger.beescanning.com. During 2018 we are investigating
optical visual signs of several brood-diseases, new categories indicating varroa presence and
varroa resistance traits as de- and recapping along with new techniques, sequence imaging,
video, spectral analysing. We aim for a tool that can monitor events, nutritional status,
health and make prognoses.
BeeScanning is based on the findings that there is a correlation between actual varroa
infestation level, as measured by alcohol washing or Apistan, and what is optically visual.
During 2016 our study indicated the relation is 1:9:13, optical:alcohol:apistan. In 2017, our
extended study of about 150 colonies indicates a closer ratio, ≈ 1:6, optical:alcohol. Data will
be ready this spring. Deformed wing virus does not seem congruent with varroa infestation
level though where it appears its a strong warning sign.
24Beeswax contamination and adulteration
Preben Kristiansen
Swedish Beekeepers Association
preben.kristiansen@apinordica.se
preben.kristiansen@jordbruksverket.se
Within the framework of the National Apicultural Program a number of Swedish wax
samples has been analysed since 1998. Until a few years ago the samples were mainly
analysed for chemical substances used for varroa control. Most of the samples have been
analysed by the Bee Institute in Hohenheim, but some have been analysed by Intertek in
Bremen. Tau-fluvalinate (the active substance in Apistan) and thymol are the substances
that most commonly have been detected in Swedish wax.
Between 2011 and 2014 the Swedish National Food Agency found low levels of the antibiotic
substance chloramphenicol in honey from four different Swedish beekeepers. A possible
reason for the findings could be contamination from beeswax containing chloramphenicol.
Therefore we collected 18 wax samples and sent them to Intertek in Germany to get them
analysed for that. None of the samples contained chloramphenicol.
In recent years we have had problems with scarcity of wax in Swedish beekeeping. This has
led to an increasing import of wax. Some of the Swedish manufactures of comb foundation
have made sure that samples have been sent for analyses before importing the wax, that
they have been offered to buy. The analyses have been done by Intertek in Bremen
(contamination) and Ceralyse in Celle (adulteration). A number of the samples has contained
very high levels of foreign chemical substances and some have contained paraffin. Such wax
has not been imported.
However, we know that at least one batch of adulterated wax foundation has been imported
by a Swedish wholesaler of beekeeping equipment and sold in Sweden. We also know that
some Swedish beekeepers have bought fake comb foundation from the internet shopping
site Wish. Information about this situation and how to handle adulterated wax has been
given in the beekeeper magazines and on the websites of the organisations. We thus hope
to avoid such wax to be used for future production of comb foundation, but we cannot
exclude that problems with adulterated wax are going to increase.
In order to ensure that comb foundation sold in Sweden is as pure as possible, it has been
discussed to establish a quality assurance standard and system in cooperation between the
beekeeper organisations and wax foundation manufactures.
25More efficient beeswax recovery
Karina Karlsson
Swedish Beekeepers Association, adviser
Karina.karlsson@biodlarna.se
There is a lack of beeswax in Sweden, this leads to import of wax that in some cases have
shown to be fake beeswax with very high amounts of paraffin. The analyses of beeswax are
rather expensive and it is a complicated matter to achieve traceability of beeswax. There is
therefore a fear that the quality of the beeswax in Sweden will decrease.
The purity of beeswax is a problem. Bee wax is diluted with for instance paraffin and also
contaminated with rest substances from medical treatments in beehives, both legal
substances and those which are forbidden.
The focus of this project is to increase the awareness of the beekeeping association
members of the situation and give them solutions to achieve more efficient ways to take
care of the beeswax. An effort is made to make the local associations to take a bigger role in
coordination of the members beeswax. If the beekeeping associations have their own cycle
of beeswax the quality can be secured and also improved.
26ICYB-International Centre for Young Beekeepers - what is it?
Roma Maciene
Member of ICYB, Lithuania
maciener@gmail.com
Where is good for bees, good for humans as well.
Bees guarantee harvest and life in the wild.
They inspire hard work and friendliness…
ICYB-International Centre for Young Beekeepers - what is it?
ICYB is an association whose main mission is an international support and coordination of
young and starting beekeepers and of their international meetings. At the moment, this
mission focuses mainly on support and coordination of the project called IMYB –
International Meeting of Young Beekeepers ®. The association provides the IMYB project
with full coordination service which consists among others also in promotion of IMYB, search
for new organizers and for participants from different parts of the world, communication
with the organizers and participants, making them familiar with the project and
international coordination of all activities connected with the IMYB project.
The ICYB association wishes to set up competitions and events like IMYB on every
continent and the winners of these continental rounds would then take part in the world
competition on the Apimondia congress. ICYB is here to help with organization of national
rounds of beekeeping competitions for young beekeepers of different age categories
especially in those countries, which have so far very few or no experience with such
competitions.
27Bee-calender. Labelling of imported honey
Lasse Hellander
Member of the board, responsible for the international questions
Swedish Beekeepers Association
BEE-CALENDER
The Swedish Beekeepers Association (Biodlarna), are working together with more than 150
beekeepers about the effect on bees and beekeeping related to the change of the Climate.
We are working together with several Universities and Agencies.
LABELING OF IMPORTED HONEY
In Sweden we import about half of the honey we eat. As the rest of the Countries in EU,
there is a problem with the product that is called “honey” but is not honey, especially the
products that comes from China. We are fighting against the Agencies to get a correct
labelling. We have the EU-commission on our side, but not the Swedish agencies.
We are doing a lot of lobby work to get a result.
28List of Participants
Country Name e-mail
1 Denmark Annette Bruun Jensen abj@plen.ku.dk
2 Denmark Asger Søgaard Jørgensen asj@biavl.dk
3 Denmark Eigil Holm eigil.holm@pc.dk
4 Denmark Flemming Vejsnæs fv@biavl.dk
5 Denmark Knud Graaskov knud@graaskov.dk
6 Denmark Ole Kilpinen olek@biavl.dk
7 Denmark Rune Havgaard Sørensen rhs@biavl.dk
8 Estonia Aivar Raudmets mesindusprogramm@gmail.com
9 Estonia Aleksander Kilk aleksander.kilk@ttu.ee
10 Estonia Risto Raimets ristorai@gmail.com
11 Estonia Sigmar Naudi sigmarnaudi@gmail.com
12 Finland Dalial Freitak dalial.freitak@helsinki.fi
13 Finland Eeva-Liisa Korpela eeva-liisa.korpela@hunaja.net
14 Finland Hannu Luukinen hannu@hannuluukinen.fi
15 Finland Mari Pitkänen mari1.pitkanen@gmail.com
16 Finland Maritta Martikkala maritta.martikkala@hunaja.net
17 Finland Stanislav Jas stanislav.jas@outlook.com
18 Finland Virpi Aaltonen virpi.aaltonen@hunaja.net
19 Latvia Armands Gumbris gumbrisarmands@inbox.lv
20 Latvia Armands Krauze krauze@strops.lv
21 Latvia Gints Vasiļjevs vasiljevs.gints@gmail.com
22 Latvia Ineta Elīte ineta.eglite@strops.lv
23 Latvia Jānis Kronbergs janis.kronbergs.lv@gmail.com
24 Latvia Jānis Malcenieks deiva@deiva.lv
25 Latvia Jānis Šnikvalds janis.snikvalds@strops.lv
26 Latvia Jānis Trops beeman@inbox.lv
27 Latvia Jānis Vainovskis pipars99@inbox.lv
28 Latvia Juris Šteiselis juris.steiselis@strops.lv
29 Latvia Liena Muceniece lm@lienasmedus.lv
30 Latvia Līga Lapiņa liga@strops.lv
31 Latvia Valters Brusbārdis valters@strops.lv
32 Lithuania Arunas Juodvalkis arunassj@gmail.com
33 Lithuania Roma Maciene maciener@gmail.com
34 Lithuania Stasys Pliuskys stasys.pliuskys@gmail.com
35 Norway Bjorn Dahle bjorn.dahle@norbi.no
36 Norway Claus D. Kreibich claus.kreibich@nmbu.no
37 Norway Julia Celine Cuypers julia.celine.cuypers@nmbu.no
38 Norway Roar Ree Kirkevold roar.ree.kirkevold@skog.no
39 Sweden Björn Lagerman fribi@mac.com
40 Sweden Eva Forsgren eva.forsgren@slu.se
41 Sweden Hanne Uddling hanne.uddling@biodlarna.se
42 Sweden Joachim de Miranda joachim.de.miranda@slu.se
43 Sweden Jonny Ulvtorp jonny@ulvtorp.eu
44 Sweden Karina Karlsson karina.karlson@biodlarna.se
45 Sweden Lars Hellander ekolasse@gmail.com
46 Sweden Leo De Geer leo.degeer@biodlarna.se
47 Sweden Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen lotta.fabricius@apinordica.se
48 Sweden Monica Selling maj-britt.jarnvall@biodlarna.se
49 Sweden Preben Kristiansen preben.kristiansen@biodlarna.se
50 Sweden Staffan Tegebäck staffan@tegeback.se
51 Sweden Thomas Dahl th.dahl@icloud.com
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