In Issue 46

Dear friends

This issue of B&D carries the sad news that the honeybee mite, Varroa jacobsoni has been confirmed present in South Africa. How long before the damaging effects of the mite are felt across the African continent? Or will strict legislation be enforced to prevent transportation of infested colonies?

Scientists and beekeepers are joining forces to fight Varroa. In this issue we bring you news of novel ways to fight Varroa without resorting to expensive chemicals: the more, different ways we fight mites, the less chance there is of the mites developing resistance. On pages 4 and 5 are possible treatments using grapefruit leaves and nutmeg oil.

But European beekeepers beware! Any of us trying to control Varroa with formic acid, lactic acid or indeed grapefruit leaves are breaking the law. This is because European Union Veterinary Medicines Directive has now ruled that because bees are ‘food producing animals’ it is only legal to treat them with a licensed product.

This means that it is now a criminal offence for European beekeepers to control Varroa with ‘soft remedies’, for example lactic acid that comes from milk, or formic acid, that occurs naturally in some honey! Substances like these are not licensed because they occur naturally, and are therefore not patented.

At present the only licensed product available here in the United Kingdom is Bayvarol, produced by the pharmaceutical giant Bayer. We now have so much legislation controlling the control of Varroa.

If only we had controlled its arrival in the first place...

Nicola Bradbear

Bees for Development

1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth NP25 3DZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)1600 714848 info@beesfordevelopment.org www.beesfordevelopment.org