Source: UNIV OF HAWAII submitted to NRP
A NEED FOR HONEYBEES: SAFEGUARDING COLONY HEALTH THROUGH VARROA MANAGEMENT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223118
Grant No.
2010-34135-21499
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2010-02985
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2010
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2013
Grant Year
2010
Program Code
[AH]- Tropical & Subtropical Research/T STAR
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF HAWAII
3190 MAILE WAY
HONOLULU,HI 96822
Performing Department
Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Beekeeping in Hawaii is in many ways unique. These isolated islands have a mild climate, abundant rainfall, and a diverse flora have been especially kind to honeybees. The islands are known worldwide for their exotic honeys and the high quality of queen bees that are sold to large scale beekeeping companies across the world. Honeybees sometimes escaped from beekeepers and became feral and as such, continued to provide benefits to growers by visiting the flowers in their crops and improving fruit set and fruit quality in exchange for pollen and nectar. Due to the isolation from the mainland, the bees in Hawaii have been relatively safe from many diseases, and pests. However in 2007, Varroa mites, an external parasite of honeybees, were recorded on Oahu, and the mite was soon discovered to be widespread on the island. In August 2008, mites were also detected in the vicinity of the Hilo harbor and soon after the mite spread across the Big Island. The varroa mite can decimate untreated and poorly managed colonies and all commercial beekeeping operations in Hawaii will be severely affected unless locally effective Varroa management techniques are developed and implemented statewide. In addition, the large majority of small scale farmers in Hawaii were able to rely on the feral bee population to pollinate their crops prior to the varroa invasion. Bees have had a silent partnership with our farmers. Sadly, the effects of Varroa on honeybee health are already compromising the ability of the local growers to deliver food to our markets. The honeybee-Varroa problem in Hawaii is both unique and complex, and the proposed research takes advantage of advances in treatment methods but remains focused on the singularities of our local situation. This project will include three main goals aimed at addressing the immediate and long term needs of the beekeepers and farmers of Hawaii: 1-Varroa control through organic treatments suitable for warm climates, 2-Field assessment of pollination needs in bee dependent crops, and 3-Varroa destructor population dynamics and bee virus levels in Hawaii. The UH Honeybee Varroa project seeks the sustained protection of honey bees in Hawaii, a significant cornerstone of many of our agricultural industries. Results of this work will be shared with beekeepers and agricultural industries to ensure adoption of new developments for Varroa control and promotion of pollinator friendly farming environments.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
40%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2163010113050%
2163020113010%
2164030113020%
2162232113010%
2161429113010%
Knowledge Area
216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
2232 - Coffee; 3020 - Honey and honey products; 4030 - Viruses; 1429 - Cucurbits, other; 3010 - Honey bees;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
Varroa mite, one of the most severe pests of honey bees worldwide, recently invaded Hawaii. It has been detected on the islands of Oahu and most recently on the Big island of Hawaii. Varroa infestation weakens colonies and acts as a vector and amplifier for viral diseases that affect honeybees. Bee health is an urgent priority for the queen-bee breeding industry, honey producers, and agricultural industries requiring pollination services. The project will include three main goals with multiple objectives aimed at addressing the immediate and long term needs of the beekeepers and farmers of Hawaii: 1-Varroa control through organic treatments suitable for tropical environments, 2- field assessment of pollination needs in bee dependent crops, and 3- Varroa destructor reproductive success, population dynamics, and bee virus levels in Hawaii. This project will contribute to sustained protection of honey bees in Hawaii, a significant cornerstone of many agricultural industries. Results of this work will be disseminated to beekeepers and agricultural industries to ensure adoption of new developments for Varroa control. Objectives: Objective 1- Document seasonal patterns of colony growth and mite abundance in the different eco-regions of the Big Island of Hawaii Objective 2- Test efficacy of organic and biomechanical Varroa control methods in tropical regions in collaboration with international collaborators Objective 3- Establish a baseline of the current bee visitation levels in agricultural environments on Oahu and the Big Island. We will focus on gathering data for the following crops: cucurbits, macadamia, lychee, rambutan, avocado, and coffee. Objective 4-Investigate the relationship between Varroa invasion and virus levels/virulence in managed and feral colonies. We have begun a collaborative effort with an expert in this field, Dr. Martin, from the University of Sheffield, UK. Objective 5- Continue to gather data on the fertility of the Varroa mite in Hawaii and determine the population dynamics of Varroa destructor in managed hives. Dr. Martin and Dr. Medina will also contribute to this aspect of the project. Objective 6-Develop and disseminate locally relevant protocols for Varroa management for Hawaii's small scale farmers and beekeepers Expected Outputs: Improved management of colonies suffering from Varroa infestation; reduced Varroa mite levels on treated hives on Oahu and the Big Island; sustainable production of Varroa-free queen-bees on Big Island; sustained production of organic and conventional honey; pollination need estimates for farmers, in particular small scale vegetable growers, beekeeping training for farmers, and development of education, training, and extension materials for tropical regions including Hawaii, Mexico, and Costa Rica
Project Methods
The project involves collection of field data on Varroa distribution and infestation levels, virus presence and virulence. The project also involves field testing of colony response to organic treatments including formic acid, and testing the efficacy of bio-mechanical control methods, specifically drone comb removal. Treatment recommendations for Varroa control will be shared with beekeepers and growers through workshops, printed materials, and via web. We will also work in close contact with beekeepers and farmers to study the pollination needs for bee dependent crops under changing ecological conditions due to the extinction of feral honeybee colonies. Procedures: Honeybee colonies will be monitored regularly via sticky boards to assess the levels of mite infestation throughout the year. Varroa levels before and after the different treatments (formic acid, drone comb removal) will be monitored and the rate of mite increase following treatment will be recorded at each apiary. In addition we will also estimate of the number of adult bees, the amount of capped and uncapped brood per frame and the total frames of honey and pollen for each colony. These estimates will provide information about the colony's investment in reproduction and overall strength at different mite infestation levels. Viral work will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Sheffield in UK, which has an ongoing viral research program. Initially, we will pool 20 adult workers from each colony, extract the RNA and test the cDNA using PCR for the presence/absence of the four viruses. In the colonies in which one or more viruses are detected, the viral load of the pooled sample will be determined by Q-PCR. Four islands will be included in this study Oahu and Big Island (with Varroa mite) and Maui and Kauai (both Varroa free). To successfully implement treatment recommendations derived from field research, the UH team will work in conjunction with extension agents and will offer training workshops to beekeepers and farmers. The development of brochures, handouts, and videos for the producers is an indispensable step in the dissemination of information. To address the needs for specific crops we will work with farmers on Oahu and the Big Island. On Oahu we will collaborate with vegetable growers, teach farmers how to keep bees and manage Varroa using organic methods. We plan to track the bee visitation to their crops throughout the year and quantify fruit set and crop quality. We also plan to work with an organic coffee grower that already has managed bees here in Oahu. For fruit pollination we will concentrate on the Big Island where macadamia growers, and one tropical fruit grower are interested in facilitating our work. Adoption of treatment techniques, mastery of beekeeping skills, and increased pollinator requirements awareness will be assessed regularly via frequent visits to the participating farms and beekeepers. Attendance to workshops and farm days will allow us to distribute surveys to determine the impact of our activities and modify accordingly to increase our effectiveness.

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Beekeepers Queen bee producers Farmers Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Two M.S. students graduated. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? yes, in a series of extension publications. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1. Varroa control through organic treatments suitable for warm climates. During the course of this grant the UH Honeybee Project worked on several aspects of mite control under our tropical climatic conditions. The bulk of the results of one of the techniques, the drone removal work, was consolidated in Mr. Tyler Ito's MSc thesis, titled: "Drone Brood Removal: A tool for managing Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera colonies in Hawai'i". Mr. Ito is currently working on preparing the chapters for submission to a peer reviewed journal. In summary, the results of this thesis indicate that drone removal can be a strong component in an IPM strategy for mite control. The work also indicated that mite preference for drones is very high, and that when drones are abundant, a significant proportion of these pests can be removed by culling the male bees. In addition to the work on drone brood removal, the UH Honeybee Project continues to work on testing and fine tuning the recommendations for mite control using formic acid (in the form of MAQS). The project has held numerous outreach workshops to educate beekeepers about the use of this organic method for mite control. The original work conducted by our team contributes to the approval of this chemical as an organic product and has helped reduce the dependence on synthetic varroacides among the local beekeepers. Final results on the efficacy of MAQS for mite control are now being prepared for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. The work with formic acid also led to international research collaborations, in particular with Costa Rica. Dr. Rafael Calderon of the University of Heredia, conducted a parallel study with MAQS to test the efficacy of the product on Africanized honeybees. The results of this trial were presented recently at the latest APIMONDIA congress in Ukraine and constitute the bulk of a Costa Rican Master's student. Goal 2-Field assessment of pollination needs in bee dependent crops. Field studies were conducted on Oahu to evaluate the impact of honeybees in the yield of two locally important crops: macadamia nuts and coffee. The projects involved collecting information on the local abundance of honeybees and alternative pollinators including non-apis bees and flies, and comparing yields between open pollination and insect exclusion. The survey of macadamia flower inflorescences revealed that Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptea and Coleoptera visited the flowers. Among the Diptera, hover flies were the most diverse visitors, however, their abundance was relatively low by comparison to Apis mellifera, the honeybee. Bees contributed to pollination when foraging for pollen and nectar and insect pollinated inflorescences had a much higher yield than those where insects were excluded from visiting the flowers. Coffee plantations also benefited by honeybee visitation, and as with macadamia, honeybees were by far the most abundant insect group. Honeybees contributed to higher yield and heavier beans in the study plantation. The results of this work just was presented as a MSc. thesis by Ms. Jane Tavares under the title : " Contribution of insect pollination the Macadamia integrifolia, Coffee arabica, and Demicarpus longan in Hawai'i". Goal 3-Varroa destructor population dynamics and bee virus levels in Hawaii. Mr. Ito's thesis includes a chapter on the reproductive potential of Varroa destructor under local climatic conditions. Mr. Ito documents the percent of viable offspring produced by female mites depending on the number of mites infesting a cell. As the density of varroa mites increases and multiple adults invade a bee cell to reproduce, the mean number of viable offspring per females decreases. An interesting detail that emerged from Mr. Ito's work was that the infertility level of Varroa mites in Hawaii was much higher than that reported for other localities, this fact deserves more attention, as it may be the result of local bee stock, uncapping parasitized cells and interrupting the mating cycle of the mite, consequently increases the number of infertile females in the population. In addition to the work on mite reproduction , the UH bee team collaborated with UK researchers in the study of viral transmission by the mite. This effort led to a high impact publication in the journal Science in June of 2012. The study titled : "Global Honey Bee Viral Landscape Altered by a Parasitic Mite" presented data viral collected across the Hawaiian islands over a period of 2 consecutive years. Our research was able to clarify how the viral landscape of honeybee colonies is altered as the varroa mite invades new territories. The recent arrival of the mite to Hawaii allowed us to look at changes in prevalence of a deadly strain of Deformed Wing Virus, which is transmitted and amplified by the mite. The research showed how the mite has selected particular strains of the DWV and has facilitated the spread of one of the main elements associated with colony collapse disorder. The work on Varroa mite populations and associated diseases also led us to collaborate with Spanish and UK researchers. The work focused on the possible interaction between Nosema ceranae, a parasitic primitive fungus that damages the digestive epithelium of the bees and the DWV, which could potentially be absorbed through contaminated food and fluids. This collaboration led to a recent publication (August 2013) in the journal of Environmental Microbiology Reports. The publication is titled "Do the honeybee pathogens Nosema ceranae and deformed wing virus act synergistically?" In summary, the TSTAR funding allowed the UH Honeybee Project to support graduate student's research, and to contribute significantly to the global knowledge about the interactions of Varroa destructor and Apis mellifera. The funding also allowed us to gather baseline information about the contributions of bees to the pollination of major agricultural commodities in Hawaii. This sort of basic research that answers stakeholders needs is critical to the development of awareness about the importance of bee health for the sustainability of food production in the islands.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Martin, S.J., Highfield, A.C., Brettell, L., Villalobos, E.M., Budge, G.E., Powell, M., Nikaido, S., and Schroeder, D.C. 2012. Honey bee viral landscape altered by a parasitic mite. Science 336: 1304-1306.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Martin, S.J., Hardy, J., Villalobos, E., Martin-Hernandez, R., Nikaido, S., and Higes, M. 2013. Do the honeybee pathogens Nosema ceranae and deformed wing virus act synergistically? Environmental Microbiology Reports 5: 506-510.


Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Viral work on the bees is ongoing. Part of our recent work involved collaboration with a British team of researchers on viral levels and strains. Our findings showed that Varroa mites infestation has led to a large increase of a particular strain of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in the infected colonies. This viral strain is highly virulent, in comparison to other more benign variants of the same virus. The change in viral strain dominance within the colonies following Varroa mite arrival may be responsible for the large losses observed in Hawaii and elsewhere where the mite has arrived. Our work was recently published in the journal Science. Given the great importance and novelty of our findings we are continuing to look in the detail at the Varroa - DWV interactions presently occurring in Hawaii, to track further changes that might helps understand the epidemiology and evolution of this Varroa mite transmitted disease. In addition to the work on mites and viruses, we have also looked at the level of Nosema ceranae across the state. This emergent disease may jeopardize bee health and the levels and possible interactions with Varroa infestation are still undefined. We are currently working on a manuscript, in collaboration with Dr. Higes, a Nosema expert from Spain. The working title for this manuscript is : Prevalence of Nosema ceranae in Honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) in the Hawaii islands. Ethel Villalobos, Tamara Gomez, Almudena Cepero, Cristina Botias, Pilar de la Rua, Irene Munoz, Scott Nikaido, Mark G. Wright, Raquel Martin-Hernandez, Mariano Higes. We have also been gathering data on the impact of the Varroa mite arrival with respect to pollination of important export crops such as Macadamia nuts and coffee. Although some of the growers are aware of the need for honeybees to increase yield, very little is known about the direct impact of bees in the production and the serious decline of the honeybee populations following the arrival of the Varroa mite. Finally, The University of Hawaii was one of 20 land-grand universities invited to participate in this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. The honeybee research was one of the CTAHR projects selected for participation in this event which helped celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the Morrill Act that promoted the development of agriculture instruction at higher level academic institutions across the US. From June 27 to July 8 members of the college joined a large group from the Hawaiinuiakea School for Hawaiian Knowledge in the DC mall where they shared information about local projects and the culture of Hawaii. Dr. Ethel Villalobos and Mr. Scott Nikaido from The UH Honeybee Project "talked story" to the public, sharing about the efforts to control new bee pests including the varroa mite and the small hive beetle in tropical climates. The team also emphasized the need for sustainable pollination in agriculture and the current outreach efforts including the beekeeping programs for farmers developed on Oahu and Molokai. PARTICIPANTS: Bee keepers and queen bee producers Macadamia nut farmers University of Sheffield TARGET AUDIENCES: Bee keepers, all Hawaiian islands Bee research community general public through Smithsonian Folklife Festival PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Elucidated the effect of varroa mite invasion on viral complexity in honeybees, which may contribute to understanding honeybee health issues nationwide. Surveyed Nosema occurrence statewide - this is a bee pathogen considered to be significant in causing colony collapse disorder. Quantified the importance of honeybee pollinations for macadamia nut, coffee and longan.

Publications

  • Martin, S.J., Schroeder, D.C., Brettell, L., Highfield, A.C., Budge, G.E., Powell, M., Nikaido, S., and Villalobos, E.M. 2012. Global Honey Bee Viral Landscape Altered by a Parasitic Mite. Science 336, 1304-1307.


Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Varroa control through organic treatments suitable for warm climates. The research conducted on this new product was presented at national and international meetings during 2011. Collaborative testing of alternatives control methods for Varroa are ongoing with collaborators in Latin America. Conducted a long term study of the efficacy of drone removal as a possible tool for Varroa control. The research focused on quantifying the impact of drone removal on mite levels throughout the year. The population dynamics of the mites in the study colonies has been tracked for almost 2 years. We have been able to establish important differences in terms of the reproductive success of the mite in the local colonies which need to be incorporated into management decisions for mite control. Based on our research we have published the first treatment thresholds for mite treatment. We have conducted, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen J. Martin, a large scale viral study on approximately 300 colonies from 4 islands. This work is great scientific importance because it has allowed us to map the prevalence and virulence of different bee viruses in relation with the presence or absence of Varroa, and time since arrival of the mite to the islands. The project has expanded to include interactions between parasites and pathogens. With the arrival of the Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida, and the recent concern about the widespread presence of Nosema ceranae (a microsporidium) in Hawaii's colonies, we are collecting data on parasite/pathogen prevalence on different islands and investigating possible interactions among these honeybee pests. These new avenues of study have led to significant partnerships, especially with respect to Nosema studies. Outreach and educational outputs Poamoho - Varroa mite management workshop & MAQS, May 2010 Aina Hoola o Ma'ilikukahi Conference - Local Pollinators, June 2010 Urban garden center - Oahu master gardeners, Intro to beekeeping, June 2010 Hawaiian Honey and Art Festival, September 2010 Master Gardener State-wide conference - Hawaii's pollinator crisis, October 2010 UH Honeybee and Pollinator Expo - Host, November 2010 2011 Apicultural Inspectors of America meeting, Galveston, Texas, on January 2011 Invited Speaker. Talk: Introduction to The University of Hawaii Honeybee Project Western Apicultural Society meeting in Hawaii, September 2011 Talks: The invasive success of the small hive beetle in Hawaii, and Using formic acid to control Varroa destructor in Hawaii World Animal Health Organization (OIE) meeting in Argentina on September 2011. Talks: Apimondia meeting in Argentina, September 2011 Poster Presentation: The Efficacy Of A New Formulation Of Formic Acid For Control Of Varroa destructor In Hawaii Makaha Elementary School (ongoing 6 week program on pollinators) Beekeeping Class to Native Hawaiian Farmers in collaboration with the CTAHR Extension Program on Molokai (ongoing) Awards to the UH Honeybee Team Team member Dr. E. Villalobos received on behalf of the laboratory the Thurber Award for Inventiveness as a recognition to the program for their role in the testing of the formic acid as a control method for Varroa. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Improved procedures for varroa mite management, specific to Hawaii. Improved beekeeper awareness of varroa mite and associated problems. Improved beekeeper capacity to deal with varroa mite infestations. This is being extended to include small hive beetle.

Publications

  • Villalobos, E.M.. Varroa Management Recommendations. July 2009 Outreach Material (8 pages). Available online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm/materials/varroa_management_uh_on line_version.pdf
  • Wright, M.G. The mighty fight against the Varroa mite. 2009. CTAHR news http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/StoryDetails.aspxid=830
  • Nikaido, S. and E.M. Villalobos. Varroa detection and sampling methods. Outreach material, August 2009- 3 pages, available print and on online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm/materials/Varroa_sampling_methods _online_version.pdf
  • Villalobos, E. M. Preliminary Report on the Efficacy of NOD Apiary's Formic Acid Flash Treatment: An experimental test conducted by the University of Hawaii, Submitted to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, August 2009.
  • Villalobos, E. M. Preliminary Report to the Beekeeping Industry: NOD Apiary Formic Acid Flash Treatment, Aug 2009
  • Villalobos, E.M.. Farming with Honeybees. Outreach Material, 2009. Available online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm/materials/farming_with_bees_onlin e_version.pdf
  • Villalobos, E.M. Varroa Treatment Recommendations. Outreach Materials Q1-2010 (4 pages), 2010. Available locally in print and online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm/Downloads_files/treatment_recomme ndations_%28online%29.pdf
  • Villalobos, E.M. The University of Hawaii Honeybee/Varroa Project. The Western Front Newsletter. June 2010, available online at http://www.wrpmc.ucdavis.edu/newsletter/June%202010%205-27-10%20ready %20for%20Web%20posting.pdf
  • Villalobos, E.M., M.G. Wright, S. Nikaido, and T. Ito. How the Varroa mite is changing the way we farm in Hawaii. Hanai Ai / The Food Provider, Vol 5: 2010, available online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/news/archive.html
  • Villalobos, E.M. Management Recommendations for Small Hive Beetle. 2011. Outreach material available online at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm/materials/handout_small_hive_beet le_rec.pdf