3 ms·
Have you heard that certain pseudoscorpions might be of help against varroa mites? They seem to hunt them and would need to live in the beekeeping box as I unde
by _Microft 6y ago
Have you heard that certain pseudoscorpions might be of help against varroa mites? They seem to hunt them and would need to live in the beekeeping box as I understand.
There is a tiny bit of information on them in german Wikipedia [0] (automatic translation [1], let me know if I can help with translation). Wikipedia says that they can be found worldwide, so maybe they will be of help.
(Please note that under _no circumstances_ this was meant as encouragement to introduce new invasive species to your area!)
Here is more information: the page of the beekeeper researching pseudoscorpions and bee interactions is at [2], [3] is about a book he wrote, called "Instruction manual for species-appropriate husbandry of bees and pseudoscorpions". A comment in [3] also suggests that under ideal circumstances, these pseudoscorpions might be able to deal with a small hive beetle.
This poster [4] states that having pseudoscorpions in hives unfortunately had no influence on varroa numbers, though.
[0] (german) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCcherskorpion https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCcherskorpion
[1] (machine translation de-en): https://www.translatetheweb.com/?from=&to=en&dl=de&ref=trb&a=https%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FB%25C3%25BCcherskorpion https://www.translatetheweb.com/?from=&to=en&dl=de&ref=trb&a...
[2] (german) https://beenature-project.com/epages/6aa71639-792d-4a95-9e8c-00453bab9a49.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/6aa71639-792d-4a95-9e8c-00453bab9a49/Categories/Aktuelle_Forschungen1491521048885/B%C3%BCcherskorpionforschung https://beenature-project.com/epages/6aa71639-792d-4a95-9e8c...
[3] (german) https://bienen-nachrichten.de/2019/handlungsanleitung-f%C3%BCr-artgerechte-bienenhaltung-mit-pseudoskorpionen/174 https://bienen-nachrichten.de/2019/handlungsanleitung-f%C3%B...
[4] (PDF, english) http://apicultureconference2016.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Poster-P-F-vanToor-ChelifersVarroa-v2-copy.pdf http://apicultureconference2016.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/201...
- yawz 6y agoThis is very interesting. Thanks for the pointer. Much appreciated.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- lostlogin 6y agoNew Zealander here - a lot of people are using Oxalic acid and glycerine on paper strips and are getting great results here - me included. The paper is a plasterboard jointing paper and 3-5 layers are sewn together and soaked in a solution of about 40% Oxalic acid, 60% glycerine. Used like conventional mite strips they need replacing more often but seem to work really well. Randy Oliver has been trialing other delivery methods in California. My hives are the best they have ever been this season, with a very strong start. http://scientificbeekeeping.com/ http://scientificbeekeeping.com/