New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science
abstracts
Destroying managed and feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies to eradicate honey bee pests
Michelle A. Taylor
R. Mark Goodwin
Heather M. McBrydie
Harlan M. Cox
Honey Bee Research Unit
The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Limited
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
email: mtaylor@hortresearch.co.nz
Abstract This paper reports on trials conducted to kill managed and feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies to eradicate unwanted honey bee pests. The effectiveness of Pestigas-PTM (natural pyrethrum) for the destruction of managed colonies was assessed. Pestigas-PTM was effective when applied as a single 15-s spray into an empty three-quarter-depth super and across the top of the frames. This allowed the gas to filter throughout the hive. Piperonyl butoxide (wax = 42.28 mg/kg, honey = 0.34 mg/kg, propolis = 9.2 mg/kg, floor scrapings = 270.34 mg/kg) and pyrethrum (wax = 21.3 mg/kg, honey = 0.06 mg/kg, propolis = 6.8 mg/kg, floor scrapings = 172.4 mg/kg) residues were found in the hive but after 4 weeks these had no detectable effect on newly introduced honey bee colonies. Combined analyses of attractiveness, toxicity, and lethal time trials identified Ascend® 200SC (a.i. fipronil) as effective for depopulating feral honey bee colonies in New Zealand using poisoned baits. Ascend® 200SC is a slow acting stomach toxin. The effect of Ascend® on feral honey bee colonies was assessed in Canterbury, New Zealand in 2003. Nucleus colonies were placed between bait stations set out in a 4 km2 grid. The stations were pre-baited with sugar syrup which was replaced with sugar syrup containing fipronil (0.05 ml/litre) once 300 bees were foraging from a single bait station. In the autumn trial all 20 colonies died within 13 days of poisoning. After 6 weeks the effect of poisoned hives on the survival of newly introduced colonies was assessed. Five colonies were placed next to 10 poisoned hives in the original eradication area, five colonies were placed with 10 poisoned hives at least 4 km from the original area, and an additional 10 colonies were placed at least 4 km from the original area and 4 km apart. Introduced colonies are likely to die if they consume the stored fipronil in poisoned colonies. This persistent poisoning action increases the likelihood of a honey bee eradication attempt being successful, as the colonies that are not killed in the first round of poisoning may be poisoned by robbing honey containing fipronil from a previously poisoned hive. Fipronil remained toxic in honey for at least 26 months when stored at 0°C, 5°C, and 25°C.
Keywords Apis mellifera; honey bee; feral; eradication; fipronil
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2007, Vol. 35: 313–323
0014–0671/07/3503–0313 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2007
H06062; Online publication date 11 August 2007. Received 26 June 2006; accepted 11 April 2007
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