By: Michele Colopy
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2020 issue of BEEKeeping Your First Three Years
Pests, pathogens, pesticides, and poor forage impact honey bee health. Pesticides contaminate forage, destroy forage, and are used in and around the hive to control pests and pathogens.
Pesticides comprise insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and the adjuvants and surfactants in the formulated product. Research has shown synergisms are created when mixing pesticides, as well as synergistic effects provided by the adjuvants and surfactants. The synergisms most often increase the toxicity of the active ingredient. Pesticides kill a diverse array of organisms among the class of target species, and therefore have the opportunity to kill non-target beneficial organisms like honey bees and native pollinators.
Always use any pesticide carefully. The very purpose of a pesticide is “to kill.” Pesticides are an intentionally created product for the sole purpose of killing a pest, a plant, a fungus: a living organism. As a beekeeper who may be addressing a pest inside the hive, you should always ask yourself the following:
• Why do I have the pest?
• How can I control or eradicate the pest with the least harm to my bees, their forage, and the environment?
• How do I keep me, my family, my pets, and my neighbors safe while controlling the pest?
1. Why do I have a pest?
Assessing your beekeeping management is vital in controlling pests. Sometimes you have a pest because your neighboring beekeeper has a pest. You can work together with your beekeeper neighbor to control for Varroa, small hive beetle, wax moths, and more. Address the pest problem together and both beekeepers will improve their beekeeping management.
You may have a pest because your bee yard is setup for the pest, more than to protect your bees. Hive placement is key to a healthy hive. Review the two reference articles to analyze your own bee yard to keep the pests out.
2. How can I control or eradicate the pest with the least harm to my bees?
After you have determined why you have a pest, examine the solutions for control or eradication. There is a plethora of information available for controlling Varroa, small hive beetle, wax moths, and more. Read the directions of any hive management process, and follow them. Shortcuts in directions just lead to failure. Directions of a management process and directions for the use of a pesticide, are vital to effective application and results. If you “cut corners” on your beekeeping management then you should refer to question 1, “why do I have a pest?”
Chemical treatments, organic or synthetic, are chemicals you are placing into a hive, a living organism’s home, in order to control for a similarly sized or smaller insect threatening your hive. It is difficult to kill one living organism that is feasting on another living organism. Chemical treatments require you the user or applicator to read the label directions. . .and follow them. If you have difficulty following the label directions, do not use the product. If you do not understand the directions, or the directions are too difficult to implement: do not use the product. Not all products, chemical or synthetic are easily applied. Know your limitations and protect yourself.
When using a chemical treatment in your bee hive, you must understand what the chemical will “do to your bees,” and “what harm it can do to you.” If the directions advise to wear a half or full face respirator with acid gas cartridges when applying oxalic acid to your colony, then wear it or you risk major personal health damage.
If the directions for using formic acid pads for Varroa control specifies two pads, do not add more pads or install them at the wrong temperature range than stated by the directions. Much research has taken place to ensure the products on the market will help to control in-hive pests, and not kill your bees, or you. Follow the product directions!
3. How do I keep me, my family, my pets, and my neighbors’ safe while controlling the pest?
Refer to question # 1 – why do you have a pest? Improve beekeeping management, and bee yard maintenance, and neighbor beekeeper issues to address the “why.” By following beekeeping management procedures completely, and reading and following product label directions, you are following safe practices in using any chemical, synthetic or organic, to protect yourself, your bees, and neighbors.
If you cannot answer questions 1 and 2, then you will not keep yourself, family, pets, and neighbors safe. If you cannot make yourself safe, then you “should not put it in the hive.” Your beekeeping management and in hive control for pests and pathogens should not “volatilize” and travel outside of your bee yard.
Practicing safe and effective beekeeping management will keep you, your neighboring beekeeper, and your bees safe and healthy.
References
Comparing Two Ways to Use Oxalic Acid in Bee Colonies https://www .betterbee.com/instructionsand-resources/two-methods-of-oxalic-acid-deliveryin-bee-colonies.asp
Oxalic Acid EPA Label https://www3.epa.gov/ pesticides/chem search/ppls/091266-00001- 20151013.pdf
Oxalic Acid Safety Sheet https://www.ontariobee.com/sites/ontariobee.com/files/document/OA%20 safety.pdf
Honey Bee Health Coalition, Tools for Varroa Management https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/
Managing Small Hive Beetle https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/ FSA-7075.pdf
Wax Moth IPM https://www.clemson.edu/extension/beekeepers/factsheets-publications/wax-moth-ipm-publication.html
Thymol for Varroa control https://beeculture.com/thymol-varroacontrol/
Mite Away Quick Strips Label http://nodglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/US-M-PL-003.pdf
Keep Pests out of Your Bee Hive https://bespokebeesupply.com/blogs/beesblog/keep-pests-out-of-your-beehive
How to Set Up a Bee Yard https://beeculture.com/how-to-set-up-abeeyard/
