Moving Past Varroa: How Varroa Infects Drones, Workers, & Queens with Zac Lamas-That Bee Man

Dr. Zac Lamas will tell us how understanding Varroa’s preference for drones opens new avenues for control. Hear more about developing targeted monitoring and management strategies, i.e. the best times and methods to sample and when treatments may be most effective. This presentation is organized by the KRTP (Manitoba Knowledge and Research Transfer Program for Apiculture). Find out more: manitobabee.org 0:00 Matthew Polinsky introduces the Manitoba Tech Transfer Program and the guest speaker, Dr. Zach Lamas. 0:15 Announcements about local beekeeping events and upcoming webinars. 1:46 Detailed introduction of Dr. Lamas’ background, including his research on Varroa behavior and viral transmission. 3:13 Dr. Lamas starts by acknowledging the commercial beekeeping organizations that supported his work. 3:56 Discussion on Varroa behavior, specifically the shift from drones to worker bees. 7:26 Historical perspective on how we've viewed Varroa vs. how they actually operate. 11:18 Data presentation on hand-painted bees and parasite history. 14:41 Explaining the difference between relative parasite burden (alcohol wash) and absolute burden (bees actually bitten). 20:25 Detailed look at viral transmission pathways (mite-to-mite, bee-to-mite, etc.). 27:25: Introduction to a new treatment paradigm focusing on long-term protection rather than just "flash" treatments. 31:22 Matthew Polinsky poses a challenge regarding the short, intense beekeeping season in Manitoba. 33:50 Phil Veldhuis asks about the math behind the drone-to-worker mite shift. 40:01 Ian Steppler discusses the frustration of "shaking zeros" in the spring only to have a "fire" in the fall. 45:51 Discussion on mite immigration and "mite bombs" within an operation. 58:24 Dr. Lamas shows a "whole colony alcohol wash" demo to visualize the sheer number of mites in a crashing colony. 1:05:45 Nazariy Dyakiv and others discuss the effects of oxalic acid extender strips on winter survival. 1:21:08 Brad Hogg talks about the missing component in Oxalic Acid Vapour mite control. 1:30:11 Pheromone-Based Mite Bait Traps: Dr. Lamas discusses the potential for using "aggregation feeding pheromones" to create sticky traps for Varroa mites. 1:31:50 Dual Benefits: Treatment and Monitoring: A discussion on how such traps could both remove mites and provide data on infestation levels, similar to a sticky board. 1:32:34 Ideal Timing for Treatment: Exploring why these pheromone traps might be most effective during winter storage or immediately after, when there is little brood or drones to compete for the mites' attention. 1:33:37 The "Invisible" Mite Shift: Ian Steppler and others discuss the frustration of fall mite washes and how Dr. Lamas’s research explains the shift from drones to workers. 1:35:25 A New Paradigm in Management: Dr. Lamas encourages beekeepers to shift from asking "When do I have to treat?" to "How do I keep mites at a consistently low level?" 1:36:46 Importance of Understanding Colony Biology: Matthew Pollinsky and the group conclude on the importance of moving away from "blind" treatment schedules by understanding the actual behavior within the colony. 1:38:00 Closing Remarks and Upcoming RNAi Webinar: Final thanks and an announcement regarding a future presentation on RNAi field trials. For early access and exclusive content, feel free to join my channel with a membership.    / @thatbeeman   You can also support my channel directly by using Paypal at: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted... Thank you! May God bless you all! . Facebook   / faithapiaries   Instagram   / faithapiaries   . #faithapiaries #thatbeeman #canadianbeekeeping #beekeeping