What's going on here?

[Trog]

I find it a little surprising that this swarm built up so well - from sizeable swarm to brood box + 2 supers in a not too brilliant summer - while suffering from acarine (which only started to show in August but has taken until now to diagnose). Is it something that tends to be there in the background and erupt when the colony's stressed, or what?

[Jon]

Where did the swarm come from? You may have a beekeeping neighbour with an acarine problem as well.

This paragraph pretty much coincides with what you have reported.

During the summer and fall, mite infested hives may appear strong and have many bees. However, they collapse in the late winter or early spring because of the shortened life-span of infested bees and too few young bees ready to replace them at this time. During the winter, a heavily infested colony may contain only a handful of bees and a queen, even though there is lots of honey. Acarine disease could persist in the colony for years causing little damage, but combined with other diseases or unfavorable conditions, the disease increases the mortality of colonies.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef012.asp

Maybe the wet weather this summer has been the tipping point.

[Trog]

Thanks, Jon, that makes sense. The swarm was probably from ferals - swarms lost by us (a few) and a previous beekeeper in the area (lots) over the years. AMM does seem to be a bit prone to acarine.

[Adam]

I was told that creosoting hives helps with acarine.
The bee inspector told me that he never sees it now (acarine, not creosote) since thymol has been used.

So thymol can be used against acarine, varroa and nosema. A miracle cure it seems!
Maybe baldness, atheletes foot, tennis elbow ......

[Calum]

but it gets in your wax, and what is in your wax ends up in your honey...

[Trog]

Yes, years ago, when we last had a colony with acarine, we were recommended to put creosoted cardboard in our smoker and give them a blast of that. We used to creosote the outside of brood boxes and undersides of floors in those days, too. Unfortunately you can't get creosote nowadays, only something with a similar name that doesn't seem to be as good at preserving wood as the real thing.

The colony in the original post died out and was robbed out before we could take action. They even had some sealed brood on a couple of frames which I've been uncapping and checking for varroa (all clear - phew!). With hindsight I think close confinement (down to a brood box from b/b + super so we could start winter feeding early) and six weeks of solid rain provided the stress that tipped them over the edge.

[masterbk]

Yes, years ago, when we last had a colony with acarine, we were recommended to put creosoted cardboard in our smoker and give them a blast of that. We used to creosote the outside of brood boxes and undersides of floors in those days, too. Unfortunately you can't get creosote nowadays, only something with a similar name that doesn't seem to be as good at preserving wood as the real thing.

The colony in the original post died out and was robbed out before we could take action. They even had some sealed brood on a couple of frames which I've been uncapping and checking for varroa (all clear - phew!). With hindsight I think close confinement (down to a brood box from b/b + super so we could start winter feeding early) and six weeks of solid rain provided the stress that tipped them over the edge.

There is no authorised treatment for acarine mite or the paralysis virus which is what is causing the crawling bee problem. However if you requeen from a different strain you will change the susceptibility to the virus and hopefully find that the new progeny do not suffer from it. If you inbreed you often fix the genes for susceptibility to the virus and if you cross breed your bees it tends not to be a problem.Keep records and don't breed from queens from any colonies that have signs of disease.