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Author Topic: Is This Finding Something Northern Beekeepers Need To Keep An Eye On?  (Read 913 times)

Offline Ben Framed

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From a recent good post by Michale Bush which was a spin off of a prior post by TheHoneyPump on the Topic: "Winter Solstice and Starve Outs" started by iddee, Mr Bush explained the strain that even a small patch of brood can put on a colonies winter stores in bitter cold. He went on to explain the temperatures needed to raise even a minimal amount of brood.

This prompted me to wonder; "In that case, what about SHB? Can they also take advantage of this warmer temperature produced by our bees in bitter cold weather?" The bottom report is what I found.

Phillip



Even a small patch of brood this time of year costs a lot of stores just to keep it warm.  The cluster temp has to go from about 60F up to 93F to raise any brood.


Insects. 2021 May; 12(5): 459.
Published online 2021 May 16. doi: 10.3390/insects12050459
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8156064/
« Last Edit: December 28, 2022, 06:49:53 am by Ben Framed »
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Is This Finding Something Northern Beekeepers Need To Keep An Eye On?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2022, 08:38:43 am »
I've never seen a SHB infestation in winter.  The SHB can really only survive in the cluster and the cluster is active enough and warm enough to not allow the SHB to reproduce.  It's a colony that is spread too thin when the SHB populations are starting to take off that get into trouble in late summer.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Is This Finding Something Northern Beekeepers Need To Keep An Eye On?
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2022, 10:31:49 am »
I have not seen a SHB infestation in winter either. It is my understanding that SHB can only survive in the cluster as Weil. But according to this report which study was conducted in South Korea, the finding show that the SHB not only survive in that hash environment, but can reproduce at cluster temp 68 f.

"In our previous study [24], we reported that SHB can continue reproduction at the temperature of winter bee's cluster (20 C), so feeding larvae still can be exposed to winter temperatures in the brood-less area or peripheral portion of the hives. "

I found this report to be worthy of at least bringing it to our members attention, for education or at least interesting discussion, thus the question/title of this thread; Because the SHB can reproduce at this temperature in the cluster according to the finding. 

Now, I personally do not see how this finding can mean infestation, for one reason it has always been my understanding the SSHB larva need to burrow in the ground for pupation or transformation if you will.
Since the ground is Frozen in winter in the far North; and South Korea, that should stop this process thus the full reproduction cycle?
Or, Can the larva make the transformation inside the hive itself? Perhaps in the comb close to the cluster?

Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Is This Finding Something Northern Beekeepers Need To Keep An Eye On?
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2022, 10:39:12 am »
I've never seen any SHB reproduction even in early spring, let alone winter.  Yes, the SHB have to burrow in the ground and the ground in winter here is often frozen 3-4 feet deep...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin