Honey Bee Pests and Diseases
A strategy that can be used with just about every bee disease/pest is called Integrated Pest Management or IPM. The Northeastern IPM Center is located within Cornell University and is a good resource. The Maine and Massachusetts State Apiarists in 2020 did a four-part Webinar on Varroa mite IPM for the Northeastern IPM Center.
Maine regulated pests and diseases
5 pests/diseases are regulated by the State of Maine by state law (Chapter 270 - MAINE APIARY RULES AND REGULATIONS - Section 001-270-V - Honey Bee Diseases, Parasites, and Genetic Material)
MEBW Comment: The State Apiarist should be informed of the suspected or confirmed presence in Maine of any of Maine-regulated pests and diseases. After laboratory confirmation, the regulated pest or disease will be remediated using procedures defined in state laws.
The five are:
American foul brood (Bacillus larvae)
Varroa mite (Varroa jacobsoni)
MEBW Comment: This is not the common Varroa destructor commonly found in Maine, but instead a close relative, but a different species, not known to be in North America.
Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps spp.)
MEBW Comment: Tropileaelaps (or “Tropi” mites) are not known to be in North America.
Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata)
MEBW Comment: Africanized honey bees are found in the United States, very occasionally in Maine.
Asian honey bee (Apis cerana)
MEBW Comment: Apis cerana is not known to be in North America.
5 pests/diseases are regulated by the State of Maine by state law (Chapter 270 - MAINE APIARY RULES AND REGULATIONS - Section 001-270-V - Honey Bee Diseases, Parasites, and Genetic Material)
MEBW Comment: The State Apiarist should be informed of the suspected or confirmed presence in Maine of any of Maine-regulated pests and diseases. After laboratory confirmation, the regulated pest or disease will be remediated using procedures defined in state laws.
The five are:
American foul brood ( Bacillus larvae)
Varroa mite (Varroa jacobsoni)
MEBW Comment: This is not the common Varroa destructor currently commonly found in Maine, but instead a close relative, but a different species.
Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps spp.)
MEBW Comment: Tropileaelaps (or “Tropi” mites) are not known to be in North America.
Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata)
Asian honey bee (Apis cerana)
Honey Bee Pest and Diseases
References
Resources abound for this topic. The ones listed below are the ones we consulted when assembling these pages.
On the Web:
Publications:
The Bee Informed Partnership, Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Honey Bee Diseases (2nd Edition), The Bee Informed Partnership, 2019
Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, Honey Bee Diseases & Pests (2nd Edition Revised), C/O Cynthia Scott-Dupree; University of Guelph, 2000
MAAREC, Beekeeping Basics, The Pennsylvania State University, 2004
Ontario Beekeepers Association Technology Transfer Program, Integrated Pest Management for Beekeeping in Ontario, self-published, 2013
Digital:
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Bee Health (2021 update), www.alberta.ca/bees-and-apiculture.aspx, 2021