Bee inspectors

[Vance G]

The inspectors came today to take samples to send off to Beltsville. The state inspector I have met before and his major claim to fame I believe is an entomology degree. I don't think he is even a really experienced beekeeper. The trainee on the other hand judging by the questions she was asking him has no grounding whatsoever in beekeeping and didn't have a clue about even the life cycle. I am glad that normally their time is spent inspecting the commercial beeks. Trouble is they have already asked to come back for samples for a pesticide sampling. I guess I was too helpful.

I guess I will eventually get a report on varroa levels and virus present and they are looking for some mite that apparently has been imported to Canada in packages from down under??? Anyone know about a new mite? I forget the exact pronunciation. Cojuld be proleopsis or something on that order--or completely different. My memory is ridiculously bad.

[karen]

Tropilaelaps clareae?

[Vance G]

Could be, what terrors does this one hold in store for us?

[Countryboy]

The state inspector I have met before and his major claim to fame I believe is an entomology degree. I don't think he is even a really experienced beekeeper. The trainee on the other hand judging by the questions she was asking him has no grounding whatsoever in beekeeping and didn't have a clue about even the life cycle.

I'm of the firm opinion that this describes the majority of bee inspectors. They are like varroa - parasitic mites sucking up tax dollars.

Tropilaelaps is supposed to be the !@#% mite. They are supposed to make dealing with varroa seem like the golden age of beekeeping.

I haven't heard of tropilaelaps being found in North America. If it does get found, you should definitely worry about it.

[Allen Dick]

they are looking for some mite that apparently has been imported to Canada in packages from down under??? Anyone know about a new mite? I forget the exact pronunciation. Cojuld be proleopsis or something...

We have been waiting for tropilaelaps a long time now, and I am willing to keep on waiting.

It is a bad one, and reputedly makes varroa look like a pussycat.

At any rate, lets not start a rumour. You know how that goes.

I snooped around and found nothing, so I have a message into Medhat and if anyone should know, it would be him.

[Allen Dick]

Bee inspectors serve the same purpose as many or most public watchdogs. They are there because everyone demands they be there, but are often deliberately chosen to be toothless, claw-less, and clueless kept preoccupied with unimportant, manufactured problems for the same reason -- that is what people demand.

[Charlie]

This mite sounds particularly bad in the brief reading that I've done. It also sounds like those of us who live in the frozen wasteland six months of the year maybe spared this issue. I did find this paper from three years ago

Control of Tropilaelaps clareae Mite by Using Formic Acid and Thymol in Honey Bee Apis mellifera L. Colonies

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ras ... 000000.pdf

Part of the conclusion reads

So it was concluded that formic acid and thymol could provide beekeepers an effective solution to fight T. clareae mite in bee colonies.

Hopefully this mite has not landed in North America. In

[Colino]

This mite sounds particularly bad in the brief reading that I've done. It also sounds like those of us who live in the frozen wasteland six months of the year maybe spared this issue. Hopefully this mite has not landed in North America.

Wouldn't it be ironic if the political protectionism unleashed upon us to protect us from the dreaded American bees will release a worse scourge on us because we are forced to import from Australia/New Zealand. Not only that but we could infect our American brethren and in turn all of North America.

[Vance G]

Bee inspectors serve the same purpose as many or most public watchdogs. They are there because everyone demands they be there, but are often deliberately chosen to be toothless, claw-less, and clueless kept preoccupied with unimportant, manufactured problems for the same reason -- that is what people demand.

I think that is the best encapsulation of a guvmint employee I have ever been gifted with. This one is a fine gentleman, but when I turned myself in for AFB, everywhere I looked, from buying used equipment, he about begged me to not make him test and allow him to just go away secure in the knowledge I was going to take care of it anyway. He just did not want it on the books!

[Allen Dick]

Here is what Medhat says:

"Occasionally we get pollen mites in bees from NZ. That is common in hives as many species of mites live on pollen. If he is thinking of tropilalapis mites. I doubt it but you never know. This type of reports about pollen mites has been reported earlier. It is good to collect a sample and send to Beltisville MD for id. It is good to stay proactive.

[Colino]

Bee inspectors serve the same purpose as many or most public watchdogs. They are there because everyone demands they be there, but are often deliberately chosen to be toothless, claw-less, and clueless kept preoccupied with unimportant, manufactured problems for the same reason -- that is what people demand.

You've obviously never had to deal with Building Inspectors in Medicine Hat. My motto, "Never anger a person with power who has a small mind!"