entomosJournal of the Andermatt GroupIndexMating disruption in vineyards a look back and across the borderMARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL.................................................................................................. 5Potatoes: Use of BIOSOL as a soil improverSAMUEL STSSI,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ..................................................................................................... 6 SLUXX A new generation of slug pelletsMARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL.................................................................................................. 7Nematodes against codling moth an additional optionBERTRAND GENTIZON AND MARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ................................... 8Central Switzerland Innovation Award forAndermatt BiocontrolMARTINANDERMATT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ........................................................................................ 9New partnership with Sylvar Technologies Inc.MARTINANDERMATT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ........................................................................................ 9 Andermatt Biocontrol acquires the company ProbisDANIEL ZINGG,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ...................................................................................................10Exciting partnership betweenAndermatt Biocontrol and Madumbi Bio FarmsDANIEL ZINGG,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ...................................................................................................10Innovation in the biological control of codling moth and oriental fruit moth with MADEX TWINIRIS KRAAZ,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ........................................................................................................... 11TOPCAT The vole trap. Revision of a frst-rate product for increased trapping effciencyALEX MEIER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ..........................................................................................................13Zonal approval of plant protection products in the EUPHILIP KESSLER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL ...................................................................................................14Workshop on the application strategies, markets and perspectives using baculoviruses in the Near and Middle EastMATHIAS BAMERT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROL .............................................................................................15Mosquito control in the garden SOLBAC-TABS versus itching JUDITH LADNER CALLIPARI,ANDERMATT BIOGARTEN ..............................................................................16Robust plant varieties for the organic gardenCHRISTA GERBER,ANDERMATT BIOGARTEN ...................................................................................................17entomosEffcacy testing of THYMOVAR in SwitzerlandROMAN ERNI,ANDERMATT BIOVET .....................................................................................................................18Maggot Debridement Therapy A standard beneft of the Swiss health insurance scheme since July 1st, 2011URS FANGER, ENTOMOS .......................................................................................................................................... 201AndermattHoldingwww.biocontrol.ch www.biogarten.ch www.biovet.chentomoswww.entomos.ch www.service-ag.chGmbHtopcat GmbHEditorialIn order to make reading more pleas-ant, we have decided to print separate editions of the Journal simultaneously in German, French and English instead of just adding the translations to the articles in German. Should you wish to receive a copy in one of the other languages, please feel free to contact us.In 2011, the Andermatt Group contin-ued to make further dynamic progress. The illustration below gives a primary impression,andonpages9and10 youwillfndmoreinformationon the companies Probis GmbH, Sylvar Technologies Inc. and Madumbi Sus-tainable Agriculture Ltd.ThisAG-Journalcontainsthelatest resultsofourongoingresearchand fndingsinsupportofourproducts. Wewouldonceagainliketothank all owners of the crops on which feld trials were carried out as well as all themembersofresearchinstitutes and cantonal administrations involved therein for their kind collaboration.On behalf of the Andermatt Group, I wish you an enjoyable time reading this journal.Dear readers,Dr. MartinAndermattChairman of the BoardGermany, 100% Germany, 100% Canada, 60%www.sylvar.caSouth Africa, 40% www.madumbi.co.zaAustria, 33%www.biohelp.atGermany, 10%www.biofa-pro.deGermany, 30% Germany, 100%www.andermatt-biovet.deSwitzerland, 100%www.topcat.ch2Daniel ZinggAlex MeierPhilip KesslerDeborah BritschgiMathias BamertIris KraazDaniel ZinggManaging Director Dr. Philip KesslerHead of Regulatory AffairsErich FrankHead of Sales ExportCcile BrunOfce Iris KraazTechnical SupportMathias BamertTechnical SupportDr. Deborah BritschgiRegistrations, Technical SupportAlex MeierHead of Marketing ExportPlant Protection for ProfessionalsMarketing Export3VSBEVDFRNEJULUSOBLBSAGZHSHTGSGAIARZGSZGLUR NWOWGRTIGESilke SsseSamuel StssiBertrand Gentizon Martin GnterMarco ArnLionel Lo BruttoRichard PellissierLionel Lo BruttoSamuel StssiConsultant Vegetable-growing, Ornemental Plants, Indoor Cultures,Botanical Gardens, Berries,BenecialsMartin GnterMarketing Director Switzerland, Consultant Viticulture, Arable CropsRichard PellissierSales ManagerValaisBertrand GentizonConsultant Fruit-growing, HorticultureMarco ArnSales ManagerWestern SwitzerlandSilke SsseSales ManagerEast SwitzerlandLionel Lo BruttoSales ManagerWestern SwitzerlandMargrit FesslerOfceIrene BremgartnerOfce Matthias JgginDesktop-PublisherJrne HigerOfceKathrin FlckigerOfceAdrian FelderOfce, Desktop-Publisher ApprenticeStefanie HirsigerOfce, Desktop-Publisher ApprenticeMarketing Switzerland4entomosRalph SchwarzManaging DirectorRalph SchmidgallManaging DirectorUrs FangerManaging DirectorSandra Pabst-GublerMarketingEsther ManserAnimal Health,Regulatory AffairsKathrin FlckigerCustomer ServiceRita Uhlmann Export, Customer ServiceRachel AsbachCustomer Service,Quality ControlChrista GerberProduct ManagementBrigitte Zimmermann Customer Service ExportLukas SchwitterCustomer Service,Desktop PublishingApprenticeMartina VenetzDesktop PublishingJoel Struchen Customer Service,Desktop PublishingApprenticeCharlotte ZauggCustomer ServiceJudith Ladner CallipariProduct ManagementRoman ErniSales ManagerApiary ProductsStefanie HirsigerCustomer Service,Desktop PublishingApprenticeProducts for House and GardenAnimal Health with a Natural AdvantageInsects for Feed, Research and Maggot Debridement Therapy5Mating disruption in vineyards a look back and across the borderThe grape moth has been controlled by mating disruption in Swiss vineyards for the last 25 years. So far, in no other country has mating disruption been so well established and deployed to such an extent. The success story in Switzerland demonstrates the potential of this ecological approach throughout Europe or even worldwide.MARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLGrape moth the main pest in viti-cultureThegrapemothisthemainpestin viticulture.InmostoftheEuropean wine-growingregions,especiallyin southern Europe, the European grape-vine moth is predominant and often the only pest present. The European grapevinemothismultivoltineand, dependingonclimaticconditions, commonlyprocreatesthreetofve generations per season. 25 years of mating disruption in Swit-zerlandInregionswherethegrapemoth isprevalent,itmustusuallyalsobe controlled. Means of control include severalinsecticideswithvarious activeingredientsaswellasmating disruption. The frst steps of deploy-ingmatingdisruptiontechniquesin viticulture date back to the late sev-enties, albeit with rather modest suc-cess. About 10 years later, the effect ofmatingdisruptionwasdemon-strated in the feld. In 1986, exactly 25 years ago, the frst dispenser was approved as a plant protection prod-uct.DrivenbytheeffortsofPierre-JosephCharmillotoftheSwissFed-eralResearchInstitution, Agroscope Changins as well as Augustin Schmid of the Valais plant protection author-ity, mating disruption reached a high acceptancelevelinSwitzerland.In 1996,AndermattBiocontrol was able toannouncethefrstapprovalsfor matingdisruptioninviticultureand introduced sales in Switzerland. The number of vineyards treated with mating disruption has increased con-sistantly since 1996. Now, in Switzer-land more than 60% of the approxi-mately 15 000 hectares of vineyards are covered. This makes Switzerland thecountrywiththehighestper-centageofviticulturalareatreated withmatingdisruptiontechniques altogether.Look beyond the bordersSwitzerland sets an example regarding coverage of pest mating disruption. In the immediate neighbourhood, there are only two countries or regions with a comparably high percentage of viti-cultural area managed by pest mating disruption. In Germany, this amounts toapproximately60%ofthevine-yards,orabout60 000hectares.In the Trentino South Tirolregion,as muchas65%ofthevineyardsare usingmatingdisruption.Onlythe Czech Republic with 17% (3 000 ha) and Austria with 8% (3 500 ha) accu-mulate additional signifcant market shares. In Europe as a whole, mating disrup-tion in vineyards is applied in a total of approximately 140 000 hectares. This is equivalent to a mere 3 4% of the surfaceareaofEuropeanvineyards. Theshareinthemajorwine-pro-ducingcountries France,Italyand Spain accounts for only 2 3%. The main reason for this small surface area is fnancial. Grape prices are very low in many wine-growing regions, quite often less than half a Swiss Franc per kg, therefore the use of support mech-anisms is generally reduced to a min-imum. Furthermore, insecticides are very cheap in some countries (particu-larly in Eastern Europe) with the result that by comparison, mating disruption is relatively costly. On the other hand, most markets have only been devel-opedwithinrecentyearsand,asa result, do not yet have the same level of experience as Switzerland.Picture 1: ISONET mating disruption dispenserOUTLOOKThe example of Switzerland reveals thatmatingdisruptionappliedto large areas works well, even when some partial areas are theoretically not ideally suited. Technical support by the Swiss Research Institute, the cantons and the company along with open-mindedness on the part of the Swiss wine-growers remain key fac-tors in the success of mating disrup-tion techniques in Switzerland. In a European or even global context, mating disruption control is far from having been fully exploited. Mating disruption is a specic, residue-free approachwhichisfriendlytoben-ecial insects thus it can contribute tomoreecologicalwine-growing without or at least with a signicant reduction in the use of insecticides.Resources:C. Ioriatti et al., Chemical Ecology and Management of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). 2011. J. Econ. Entomol. 104 (4): 1125 11376Potatoes: Use ofBIOSOL as a soil improverThe organic N-fertiliserBIOSOL with its chitin content has been shown to have a positive impact on soil health. UsingBIOSOL, an organic farm was able to increase the amount of saleable pota-toes harvested by 50% within two to three years. SAMUEL STSSI,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLProductionof BIOSOLandhowit works BIOSOLisaby-productofpenicil-lin production. For several days, the culturemediumisfermentedwith PenicilliumChrysogenumandasa result, proteins, syrup, trace elements and vitamins are converted into a fun-gal biomass. After the extraction of the penicillinandsubsequentre-drying and granulation,BIOSOL is left as a nitrogen-rich (7% N) fertiliser contain-ing chitin. Chitin is an important com-ponent of the cell membranes of fungi, insects as well as nematodes. Many of the soil micro-organisms known to be benefcial (e.g. Trichoderma sp., Bacillusamyloliquefaciens, Paecilomyces lilacinus) produce enzymes of chiti-nase. Chitin is biodegradable enabling these enzymes to decompose it com-pletely.Theapplicationof BIOSOL into the soil stimulates these benef-cial myco-parasitic organisms (Heller, 2007; Strasser, 2007). The accumula-tion of these benefcials in the soil results in a suppression of pathogenic fungi. BIOSOL use in potatoesOnanorganicfarminOberhasli (CantonZurich),onehalfofpotato culture was treated withBIOSOL and theotherhalfwithacommercially available synthetic N-fertiliser. Using a similar amount of N, the quantitative yields did not differ signifcantly over thethreeyearperiod,althoughthe BIOSOL variant did somewhat better. In the years 2009 and 2010, the quan-tity of saleable potatoes was consid-erablyhigherusing BIOSOL.Com-pared to the standard fertiliser, 50% morepotatoescouldbemerchan-dised.In2011,therewasnocon-sistency in the results. On one plot, theyieldwasslightlybetter,buton another,nopositiveeffectcouldbe achieved,althoughtheexperiment was performed on a much higher level of productivity and yield compared to previous years.Expression of appreciationManythankstoDanielHangartner for his assistance in sorting the potato samples.Picture 1: Test feld of potatoes, 2009WORTHWHILE APPLICATIONInthetrialyears2009and2010, theapplicationof BIOSOLpro-videdanadded valueof3000to 5500 CHF per ha in a harvest size of 25 to 30 tons per hectare. Consid-ering that the price per unit of nitro-gen withBIOSOL is about twice as high as for standard organic fertilizer, BIOSOL is recommended for superior and high quality cultures. Chart 1: Average yields from test digs of each two linear metres (n=5) and percentage of the different sortings.Resources:Heller W.E., Neuweiler R., Krauss J. (2007): Erste Erfahrungen mit dem Einsatz von Chitin gegen die Kohlhernie. Der Gemsebau 6/2007: 15 17.Strasser H. et al. (2007): Einfuss von AgroBIOSOL auf Erdbeerkulturen, Bodenmikroorganismen und GRANMET-Wirkstoff. Universitt Innsbruck021210468ConsumptionWasteSmall goodsYield per 2 metres [kg]14% 17%72%24%55%40%78%8%58%25%86%8%82%13%74%21%81%12%BIOSOL 2009 Standard 2009 BIOSOL 2010 BIOSOL 2011/1 Standard 2010 Standard 2011/1 BIOSOL 2011/2 Standard 2011/27 SLUXX A new generation of slug pelletsIn Spring 2011 the new slug pelletSLUXX based on iron-III-phosphate was put on the Swiss market. SLUXX is a further development ofFERRAMOL which has been used in biological cul-tivation for several years. It is also deployed in integrated production.MARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLSlugs can cause extensive damage to sensitive cultures. In our region, grey feldslugs(Derocerasreticulatum) and several Arion-species are preva-lent.Underfavourableconditions, slugs have a tremendous reproduction potential. It is not unusual to observe up to 100 slugs/m2. Changes in farm-ing practice (e.g. direct sowing) can contribute to stronger development of the slug population. Contrary to the iron phosphate-based FERRAMOLcurrentlyavailable, SLUXXhasahigherconcentration (3% iron-III-phosphate). With 7 kg/ha, SLUXXrequiresconsiderablylower quantities. Therefore, SLUXXisalso price-competitive and a strong candi-date even apart from biological farm-ing. For Swiss agriculture,SLUXX is theonlyslugpelletavailablewhich isnotbasedonMetaldehydeasthe active ingredient. Adapted formulation for agricultureOn ingestion by the slugs, iron phos-phatecausespathologicalchanges inthedigestiveorgans.Thisresults in immediate eating suspension. The slugscrawlawayintothesoiland perish within 1 3 days. There are no trailsofslimewhichiscertainlyan advantageincertainspecifcappli-cations (e.g. in landscape gardening). Ensured effectivity due to high con-centrationTheexperimentallyconfrmedvery goodeffciencyof SLUXXisbased primarilyonthefrmnessandhigh density of the pellets. The pellets are made of pressed durum wheat and are therefore fairly rainproof. They retain their form even after repeated drench-ing. A dosage of 7 kg/ha is equivalent to 60 pellets per square metre. Com-pared to other baits, this is a very large amount. For suffcient area coverage, about 35 pellets per square metre are generally recommended. Theeffectof SLUXXisalsohighat lowertemperatures.Inanexperi-mentataconstanttemperatureof 10 C, SLUXXledtoasnailmor-talityrateof97%whereaswitha metaldehyde-basedproduct,only 67% were killed. In Spring or Autumn, this could be an advantage ofSLUXX, depending on ambient conditions.Picture 1: Even under high levels of continuous rain the SLUXX pellets retain their original shape thus maintain their attractiveness for slugs.CONCLUSION SLUXXisanewhighqualityslug pellet which is equally suited to both biological agriculture as well as inte-grated production.0102010040305060708090Winter wheatGrey field slugStrawberriesGrey field slugLettuceGarden slugRapeseedGrey field slugSLUXXReference productUntreatedPlant damage [%]Chart 1: Plant damage [%] when treated with SLUXX, and compared to pellets of Metaldehyd / Methiocarb and to an untreated control.8Nematodes against codling moth an additional optionExperiments conducted byAndermattBiocontrol confrm that entomopathogenic nematodes have a population diminishing effect on wintering codling moth larvae.BERTRAND GENTIZON AND MARTIN GNTER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLLast autumn, as part of the registration procedure,AndermattBiocontrol car-ried out a series of experiments with entomopathogenic nematodes to con-trol the codling moth. AttheendofSeptember,apple treesweresprayedusingapower sprayerfromthebaseofthestem upwards to two thirds of the foliage heightwiththenematodespecies Steinernema feltiae (name of the prod-uct:TRAUNEM) in plenty of water. In two experiments, data on the mortal-ity rate of diapausing (overwintering) larvae were collected, whereby, mor-tality rates of 21% and 65% respec-tively were observed. The effect of the treatment with nematodes on the fol-lowingyearsharvestcouldonlybe estimated. The mobility of the moths in the surroundings and further mea-sures undertaken during the summer are likely to have blurred the effect. Manyexperimentsin neighbouring countrieshaverevealedmortality rates of between 40 and 70%. Experi-mentsconductedinthecantonof Valaisconfrmtheacknowledged population reducing effect of apply-ing nematodes on diapausing larvae. The effcacy, however, is highly infu-encedbyapplicationandweather conditions during and after spraying, which explains the great fuctuations in the effect achieved. Nematodes will hardly develop into a standard method to control the codling moth.Nevertheless, Steinernema feltiae can be considered as a supple-mentary tool for population manage-ment when infestation by the codling moth is particularly strong. Picture 1: Corrugated cardboard bands to determine the mortality rate of diapausing codling moth larvae after applying nematodes.IMPRINT Andermatt Service AGStahlermatten 66146 GrossdietwilSwitzerlandTel. +41 (0)62 917 51 17Fax +41 (0)62 917 50 06info@service-ag.chwww.service-ag.chPublished yearly in German, French and English.Nominal fee: Fr. 9.50EditorsMartin Andermatt Melanie EiholzerDesignMatthias Jggin9New partnership with Sylvar Technologies Inc.In summer 2011,AndermattBiocontrol acquired 60% of the shares of Sylvar Technologies Inc., a Canadian company focussing on biopesticides based on baculoviruses to control important forest insect pests.MARTINANDERMATT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLSylvar Technologies Inc.(www.sylvar.ca) was established by Forest Protec-tionLimited(www.forestprotection-limited.com) and BioAtlantech (www.bioatlantech.nb.ca)inFredericton (New Brunswick) in 2006 to develop and commercialise safe and environ-mentally-friendly bio-pesticide solu-tions for controlling forest pests. Syl-varslaunchproduct, ABIETIV,was used successfully by aerial application against balsam fr sawfy (Neodiprion abietis)from2006 2009inNew-foundlandandLabrador,andagain in 2011 in New Brunswick.ABIETIV isbasedonthenucleopolyhedrovi-rus of Neodiprion abietis as its active ingredient. Sylvar is currently exploring other for-estandagriculturalopportunities.It continues to partner with other North Americanresearchersandorganisa-tions to bring new leadership to the development and production of bacu-loviruses and other technology for the management of insect pests in forest and agricultural markets.Withtheexpertiseof Andermatt Biocontrol,Sylvarwillimproveits capabilities to produce and offer for-estry-relatedpestcontrolproducts into global markets from its laborato-ries in Fredericton, NB. At the same time,thecooperationwillenable Andermatt Biocontroltoexpandits portfolio of plant protection products toincludeforestry-relatedbio-pesti-cides and expertise as well as expand-ing its presence in the Canadian and US marketplace. TECHNOLOGIES INC.Central Switzerland Innovation Award forAndermattBiocontrolTheChamberofIndustryandCommerceofCentralSwitzerlandhasnominatedAndermatt Biocontrol for the 2011 Innovation Prize. The award honoursAndermattBiocontrols success in overcoming growing resistance to the codling moth granulovirus. MARTINANDERMATT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLFor more than 20 years, the granulo-virus product MADEX has been used tocontrolthecodlingmothwhich causesthewormholesoftenfound in pome fruit. Over the years, geno-types were selected in some European orchards which were likely to be less sensitive to the codling moth granu-lovirus. With these resistant codling moth populations and using a tech-nique developed in-house,Andermatt Biocontrol was able to select granulo-virus genotypes which were capable of overcoming the resistance. Based onthesameprocedure, Andermatt Biocontrolhasalsosucceededin selectingagranulovirusproductfor the control of the oriental fruit moth (see pages 11 and 12). AndermattBiocontrol is fully commit-ted to innovation: one in fve employ-eesisamemberofthesuccessful R&D(researchanddevelopment) teamunderthedirectionofFranz Bollhalder. In addition to the devel-opment of new products, this versatile team is constantly engaged in improv-ingthemanufacturingeffciencyof ourestablishedproductsthereby strengthening our international mar-ket presence. Many sub-projects were realised in cooperation with numer-ous national and international institu-tions and companies. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all of thesepartnersfortheirconstructive cooperation. 10 AndermattBiocontrol acquires the company ProbisExciting partnership betweenAndermattBiocontrol and Madumbi Bio FarmsDANIEL ZINGG,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLDANIEL ZINGG,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLOnOctober1st,2011,thecom-pany Probis GmbH was acquired by AndermattBiocontrol from the former owner Dr. Martin Knoch. Probis pro-ducedandmarketedtheproduct GRANUPOM.GRANUPOMcon-tainsthesameactivesubstanceas MADEX (Codling moth granulovirus). AndermattBiocontrol will continue to offer GRANUPOM in Probis former markets whereby production will be relocated to Grossdietwil. We are very pleased about the acqui-sitionasthepositionof Andermatt Biocontrolinthegranulovirusmar-ketistherebyfurtherexpandedand strengthened. AndermattBiocontrol and the South African company Madumbi Bio Farms have contracted a new partnership to strengthen their common market posi-tion in South Africa. Both companies share their vision to develop sustain-ableenvironmental-friendlysolu-tions for the fast growing agricultural market in southern Africa. Within the scope of the new partnership, Mad-umbi Bio Farms acquired a majority ofAndermattsSouthAfricansub-sidiary AndermattSouth Africa(Pty) Ltd. which subsequently operates as MadumbiSustainableAgriculture (Pty) Ltd. Madumbi Bio Farms has a long stand-ingexperienceintheSouth African agriculturalmarket.Thecompany brought in its excellent national and regional marketing capacities, as well as the Madumbi product range of bio fertilizers and plant vitality products. MadumbiBioFarmsdirectorAndre Fox was appointed to be the new CEO of Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture. Together, and under the new company name Madumbi Sustainable Agricul-ture (Pty) Ltd., the experienced team is in a unique position to offer a large range of innovative products together with professional technical support to its customer base, and also to develop morenewproductsandsustainable solutions in the future. The lead product of the new company is the baculovirus productCRYPTEX against false codling moth on citrus, pomegranates and persimmons. Other newandexcitingproductsforthe South African market are RHIZOVITAL andBOLLDEX( =HELICOVEX). RHIZOVITALisaproductbasedon Bacillus amyloliquefaciens which was recentlyintroducedinSouthAfrica foruseonpotatoesandvegetables. BOLLDEXisabaculovirusproduct developedbyAndermatt Biocontrol against the African bollworm in dif-ferentcropsliketomatoes,citrus, stone fruits and other vegetables. The product is currently in the registration process. Picture 1: Andre Fox, CEO (middle) and two of his employees (left: Sias Leipoldt, Sustainable Biocontrol Manager; right: Megan Tyler, Marketing Assistant and Customer Support).11Innovation in the biological control of codling moth and oriental fruit moth withMADEX TWIN AndermattBiocontrol Switzerland is to release a new baculovirus product for the combined control of codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta). While current granulovirus products are used primarily in pome fruit today, the new virus strain pro-vides oriental fruit moth control options for peaches, nectarines as well as pome fruits. IRIS KRAAZ,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLUsing a unique selection process, the R & D team ofAndermattBiocontrol successfullyisolatedaCpGV-M (Cydia pomonella Granulovirus Mexican) strain close isolate on an orien-tal fruit moth (OFM) population. After successfulcompletionoflaboratory biotests, it has been tested against the two key pest lepidopteran species in 25 feld tests worldwide to date. Sim-ilartothecurrentrangeofgranulo-viruses (e.g. MADEX), the new strain producedby Andermatt Biocontrol will combine highly specifc and res-idue-free insect control thus provid-inganIPM-friendlyresistanceman-agementtool.Resultsfromselected study sites and a summary covering two years of feld tests are presented here.Duetoitsheterogeneousmigratory behaviour,OFMisverydiffcultto control. As well as its key role as a pest on stone fruit, OFM has become an economically important pest in pome fruits. Thishasparticularlybeenthe case in southern regions of Europe in recent years. OFM frequently migrates to pome fruit orchards as soon as its original host fruit has been harvested and thus provokes severe fruit damage before harvest. Moreover, new studies in France (Siegwart et al, 2010) have confrmed that OFM has acquired the ability to complete its entire life cycle onotherfruittreespecies,suchas apple and pear, in certain regions. A combined effect on both pests is thus of key interest for producers.Examplesoffeldtrialsagainst codling moth and oriental fruit moth MADEX TWINwastestedinapilot peach tree orchard in the USA (Cali-fornia) at different dose rates in 2011. Two applications were made within each of two OFM generations based onatemperature-dependantpre-dictivephenologicalmodel.The assessment prior to harvest provides informationaboutshootstrikesand fruitdamage(Chart 1).Withahigh infestationof23%inthecontrol, MADEX TWIN was able to reduce the total fruit damage (stopped and active damage) by 68%.Anotherfeldexperimentwith MADEX TWIN in Switzerland resulted in an excellent effcacy of 90% prior toharvestagainstactivefruitdam-age of codling moth (CM) in an apple orchard(Chart 2).Thereductionof total fruit damage was 74%.Picture 1: Larva of the oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta)0102040305060020408060100Untreated controlMADEXTWIN1 fl oz/A (73 ml/ha)MADEXTWIN1.5 fl oz/A (110 ml/ha)Shoot strikes/plot [%] Total fruit damage [%] Efficacy on total damageFruit/shoot damage [%]Efficacy [%]44%68%2.4 a1.1 b 0.8 b23.3 A13 B7.5 CChart 1: Field trial withMADEX TWIN against OFM in peach (California USA, Certis USA, 2011).12Conclusions from two feld trial sea-sonsGranuloviruseshaveanoutstanding population control effect (Kienzle et al,2001). Althoughtheyactslower than a chemical reference larvicide, theyareabsolutelyhost-specifc, harmless to benefcial insects and resi-due free. To achieve accurate effcacy data with granuloviruses in feld tri-als, a differentiation between stopped superfcial damage and active damage should therefore be made whenever possible.Superfcial or stopped damage indi-catesthatthelarvaehadbeensuc-cessfullyinfectedandkilledbythe virus.Averageeffcacylevelsfrom two years of feld trials are presented in table 1.As it is already the case in the current range of granuloviruses (e.g. MADEX), the new strain produced byAndermatt Biocontrol will combine highly spe-cifcandresidue-freeinsectcontrol thus providing an IPM-friendly resist-ance management tool.The application strategy does not dif-ferconsiderablyfromtheexisting CpGV recommendation. As an excel-lentpopulationmanagementtool, MADEX TWINcomplementsIPM spray programs. To maximise beneft from this effect, applications should befocusedonthelarvalhatching periodoftheearliestOFMgenera-tions using a standard dose of 100 ml/ha. Additionally,MADEX TWIN per-fectly complements a mating disrup-tion strategy in situations where OFM infestation is high.BecauseOFMoftenmigratesinto pomefruitorchardslateinthesea-sonandprovokesfruitdamagejust before harvest, fruit damage may not be fully prevented. Nevertheless, virus applications are still expedient in such cases, because overwintering larvae are thus decimated. AcknowledgmentsWewishtothankCertisUSA, IntrachemBioItalia,AgrichemBio Spain,BiocontHungary/Slovakia, CompoExpertFrance,Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture SA, Agricheck Argentina, Biofa Germany, Hellafarm Greece and all other partners for set-ting up the trials. We especially thank Prof. Dr. Jehle for his assistance with isolate identifcation. Table 1: Average effcacy level ofMADEX TWIN. Field trials from 2010/2011. 100 ml/ha (n = number of feld trials)ReferencesKienzle J., Zebitz C.P.W., Schulz C., Huber J. 2001. Persistence of the biological effect of codling moth granulovirus in the orchard. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin 26 (1), 2003. pp 245 248Siegwart, M., Bouvier F., Maugin S., Sauphanor B. 2010 Host plant differentiation in French populations of the oriental fruit moth, Cydia molesta. IOBC /WPRS Bulletin: Meeting of IOBC/WPRS Working Group Integrated Protection of Fruit Crops, Vico del Gargano, Italy, 2010. In PressMARKET INTRODUCTIONTheactivesubstanceof MADEX TWIN has received Annex I inclusion and respective preparations for the zonal registration in Southern Europe are under way. Registrations outside Europe are also undergoing prepa-ration.Itisestimatedthatthenew larvicidewillbelaunchedthrough AndermattBiocontrols existing dis-tribution network all over the world between 2012 and 2014. At present, the new isolate is patent pending.0124356020408060100MADEX 100 ml/haMADEXTWIN100 ml/haUntreated controlTotal damage [%]5.4 a5.1 A1.4 b0.5 B90.2%Active damage [%] Efficacy on active damageFruit damage before harvest [%]Efficacy [%]80.5%2.4 b1 ABChart 2: Fruit infestation of codling moth before harvest in an apple orchard, treated with MADEX TWIN (AndermattBiocontrol, Switzerland 2010).Apple (CM) Peach (OFM) Nectarine (OFM)Average efcacy on shoot strike reduction56% (n= 8) 60% (n= 2)Average efcacy on reduction of total fruit damage(incl. supercial damage)66% (n= 5) 65% (n= 9) 67% (n= 3)Average efcacy on reduction of deep damage 86% (n= 7) 85% (n= 1) no data13TOPCAT The vole trap. Revision of a rst-rate product for increased trapping efciencyThe frst sales of TOPCAT vole traps date from the year 2000. Since January 2010Andermatt Biocontrol has been producing and distributing the TOPCAT-trap along with accessory tools. A soft revision of the TOPCAT-trap by AndermattBiocontrol will make the difference between a released and an armed trap even more apparent. The effciency in use of the TOPCAT-trap can thus be increased.TOPCAT A frst class vole trapThe TOPCAT-trap is especially suita-ble for trapping water vole (Arvicola terrestris) and common vole or feld mouse(Microtusarvalis).Thevole trap is particularly easy to handle and control. The trap is positioned in an inhabited vole tunnel. The voles are captured from both tunnel directions. The TOPCAT-trap is purely mechani-cal with no bait or chemicals required.All parts of the TOPCAT-trap are made of stainless steel. The trap thus stands out from others through its excellent quality. Improvementofvisibilityforin-creased effciencyThe relative position of the clamping lever and rocker indicate (to the oper-ator) whether the trap is released or still armed. When the trap is armed, the clamping lever is raised through theslitinthecoverandtherocker ispositionedhorizontallyoverthe cover,heldinplacebythetipof thesnapperarm.Whenthetrapis released, the rocker is positioned ver-tically, parallel to the exterior body of theTOPCAT-trap. The clamping lever is now approximately 8 cm lower than in the armed position (Picture 1).Thenewclampingleverhasbeen changedinshapetoimprovethe visual difference between an armed andreleasedtrap. Whenthetrapis armed, the clamping lever now pro-trudes even more through the slit in the cover (Picture 1). It is now possi-ble to see even more easily and from agreaterdistancewhetheratrapis already released or still armed. Check-ing the TOPCAT-trap is simplifed and trappingeffciencyisconsiderably improved. ALEX MEIER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLTHE SALES NETWORK OF TOPCAT-PRODUCTS IS GROWING STEADILYOriginallyTOPCAT-trapscouldbe bought only in Switzerland. Later the sales network was expanded to Ger-many, France and Belgium. In the meantime, over 80 outlets are selling TOPCAT-traps and accesso-ries(searchingrod,groundcutter, bracket,andpicket).Theseoutlets extendtocountriesincluding Swit-zerland,Germany,Austria,Italy, France,Belgium,theNetherlands, FinlandandSlovenia. Andermatt Biocontrolisconstantlyexpanding its sales network further aeld. Picture 1: Position of the clamping leverand rocker of the new and the old trap.TOPCAT-TRAP NEWRELEASED RELEASED ARMED ARMEDTOPCAT-TRAP OLD14A new regulationThe new plant protection products reg-ulation (EC) Nr. 1107/2009 came into force on 14th June 2011. Apart from more rigid criteria for the approval of plantprotectionproducts,thenew regulation facilitates the mutual rec-ognition of products between member states inside a specifc zone of the EU. Zonal assessmentPlant protectants will be newly evalu-ated in a northern, central and south-ernzone(seechart1). Theapplica-tion for approval will be evaluated by aso-calledZonalRaporteurMem-ber State (Z-RMS) and the applicant is asked to submit the data package asadraftRegistrationReport(dRR). Other member states of the same zone can comment on the dRR, however, onceapprovalhasbeengrantedby theZ-RMS,mutualrecognitionby the other member states is mandatory. Strict timelines Apre-submissionmeetingonthe data package should help to comply with the strict timelines given for the assessment.TheZ-RMSisrequired to compile a Registration Report and decide on the approval of the prod-uct within 8 months. There is only one possibility to stop the proceedings for a maximum of 6 months in order to request missing data from the appli-cant. Within the framework of mutual recognition, the other member states havetoadopttheapprovalwithin 120 days.No harmonisation of fees Despite harmonisation efforts within the EU, there is still no agreement on auniformregulationoffees.Thus, singlememberstatesstillhavethe competence to determine their own fees. As the fees can vary drastically betweenmemberstates,itistobe assumed that applicants will make a careful selection for a Z-RMS.Are there benefts for us?Firstofall,thenewregulationgen-erateshighercostsfor Andermatt Biocontrol,asallproductdossiers need to be adapted into a dRR. A fur-ther complication is that the total costs for an approval inside an entire zone are diffcult to calculate. It is not clear, to what amount fees can be charged byamemberstate,forwhichno mutual recognition has been applied. As a consequence it is getting tremen-dously diffcult for small producers of biological plant protection products to register their products by themselves within the EU. Itistobefearedthatsinglemem-berstateswillbeoverwhelmed withapplicationstoactasZ-RMS, whereas others will be avoided. This implies the big risk, that applications willbehandedovertoanunpop-ularZ-RMS.Itisalreadyappar-entthatcertainmemberstateshave byfarmoreexperienceinassessing particularlybiologicalplantprotec-tion products than others, and there-fore the free selection of the Z-RMS is crucial for us. Zonal approval of plant protection products in the EUThe new regulation regarding plant protection products in the EU allows an assessment of plant protection products in three different zones. Does it facilitate the approval of our virus products?PHILIP KESSLER,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLNorthern zoneCentral zone Southern zone Chart 1: Assessment of plant protection products in three zones in the EU. Northern zone (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden);Central zone (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherland, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania);Southern zone (Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain)CONCLUSIONAccordingtothenewregulations thereisnopossibilityfornational provisional approvals anymore. The aimstospeeduptheregistration processandamandatorymutual recognitionareambitious. Thiscan improvetheregistrationsituation intheEU,asnewandsaferplant protectionproductscanbemade availabletothemarketwithina shortertimeperiod.Inthisrespect not only the applicants, but particu-larly also the authorities are strongly challenged.15Workshop on the application strategies, markets and perspectives using baculoviruses in the Near and Middle EastIn June 2011,AndermattBiocontrol conducted a two-day workshop in Dubai, with the aim of providing technical as well as market-relevant information on our baculovirus-products for new and existing distributors in the Near and Middle East. This successful event put the total of eleven participants from six nations in a strong position to place our baculovirus-products suc-cessfully on the market.New markets in the Near and Mid-dle EastWiththedevelopmentofnewmar-kets Andermatt Biocontrolisstead-ilyexpandingitsgloballeadership in the area of baculoviruses. Thanks to newly developed products such as HELICOVEX, SPEXITand LITTOVIR against agriculturally important insect pests,newmarketsoutsideEurope can be opened. One region in which alternative plant protection products are becoming increasingly important is the Near and Middle East. Existing andpotentialpartnersfromEgypt, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Pakistan attended the workshop (Picture 1).Especially in countries exporting agri-cultural goods to Europe that need to comply with statutory limits for pesti-cide residues, there is some potential for the use of baculoviruses. Training is crucial for the successful use The technical and application-specifc know-howregardingourbaculovi-rus-productsisdemanding. Accord-ingly,thetrainingofourpartnersin the respective regions to a high level of quality is very important. This prin-ciplewasappliedattheworkshop in Dubai by means of an interactive programme. During both days, there werelivelydiscussionsinwhichall participants made valuable contribu-tions. The participants were informed about the positive properties of bacu-loviruses as effcient plant protection products and their application strat-egies.Especiallyincountriesofthe NearandMiddleEast,diffcultcli-matic conditions, such as high tem-peratures and strong solar radiation, prevail.Interestingsolutionsforthe use of our baculoviruses under these conditions could be shown to the par-ticipants in a conducive interchange of experience.Furthertopicsmutuallydiscussed included opportunities for sales and the related technical support of fnal customers in the respective local mar-kets. It became apparent that similar market conditions exist in a number of the countries represented, both for the marketing of our virus products as well as the comparable hurdles which need to be mastered during the regis-tration process.Expression of appreciationWewouldliketothankthepartici-pants,notonlyfortheiractiveand dedicatedparticipationaswellas their interesting contributions during the workshop, but also for their con-fdence in us and our products. MATHIAS BAMERT,ANDERMATTBIOCONTROLPicture 1: Participants of the bauclovirus-workshop in Dubai (from left to right)Front:Dr. Diaa El Tonsi (Agrolink, Egypt)Muhammad Altaf Shahid (Solex Chemicals Ltd., Pakistan)Mohamed Zouini (Arzak Seeds Trade, Morocco)Abdulkareem Rasheed (Rashed Establishment for Trading and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia) Rear:Mathias Bamert ( Andermatt Biocontrol, Switzerland)Eyas Omar (Al Koroom Agr. & Trad. Est., Jordan)Mhammed Messoud (Les Conserves de Meknes, Morocco)Ahmad Raslan (Al Koroom Agr. & Trad. Est., Jordan)Hytham Tawfk (Widyan al Batina for Trading, Oman)Shahid Sheikh (Acumen Agronomics Solutions, Pakistan)Philip Kessler ( AndermattBiocontrol, Switzerland)Mohamed Torky (Agrolink, Egypt)Iqbal Hassan (Solex Chemicals Ltd., Pakistan)CONCLUSIONThe workshop can be considered a complete success in all respects for all participants. Through this event, the cooperation and personal relation-ship with our customers was further deepened. We were very pleased to see the commitment of our partners andarecondentthatthework-shopmotivatedourdistributorsto continuealongtheselinesinorder tocommenceorproceedwiththe registrationandmarketingofour baculovirus-products.16Mosquito control in the garden SOLBAC-TABS versus itching Mosquitoes can be annoying and in some cases even dangerous. There is a great variety of more or less helpful anti-mosquito products on the market. To control mosquito larvae in ponds, rain barrels, watering troughs and the like, the Bti-product SOLBAC-TABS has proven its worth. If there was anything positive to say aboutmosquitoes,onewouldhave tothinkhard.Theyarereallyonly appreciated by insectivores and as an age-old resin packed fossil embedded in amber. Perhaps, they might infre-quently serve as pollinators. The list ofnegativeassociationshoweveris long: stinging is only one of many. Not only do they spread irritation, but also deadly diseases. Some people display an allergic reaction to their sting. Mos-quitoes are to be found almost every-whereintheworld;toescapefrom them one would have to retreat to the polar regions or the desert.A mosquitos preferenceOf the over 2 500 species of mosqui-toes in the world, about 100 are indig-enous to Europe. They have different stinging preferences: some sting mul-tiple times in a row, others only once a day; some attack in the daytime, oth-ers at night. The different species also have their similarities. For example, it is always onlythefemalethatstingsandit selectsitsvictimsaccordingtoa range of criteria. Mosquitoes like car-bondioxide,warmth,sweat,(foral) perfumes and dark colours in combi-nation with an individual cocktail of around 40 fragrances including lac-tic acid, fatty acids and amino acids. Due to this cocktail, mosquitoes are attractedtosomeindividualsmore than to others. According to a study bytheinstituteIRDinMontpellier, mosquitoes are also highly attracted to beer drinkers. Apparently, the mos-quitoes have even learned that peo-ple with beer on their breath are less likely to fght back. Twitching larvae in stagnant waterInareaswithmanylakes,swamps and in foodplains it is impossible to escape the mosquitoes. In these areas, it is recommended to wear light-col-oured, long-sleeved clothing, to avoid sweatandbodyodour.Thereare many types of repellents, which are either directly applied to the skin or used in candles, smoke coils etc. To protect your home, insect screens on doors and windows and a mosquito net over the bed may help. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. The developing larvae can eas-ilyberecognisedbytheirtwitching movements just below the waters sur-face. The infamous Asian tiger mos-quito(seebox)onlyrequiresavery smallbodyofwatertocompleteits development. Owners of a garden biotope or those who do not want to be constantly cov-ering and uncovering their rain bar-rels or who would like to leave smaller puddles, can still prevent mosquitoes from reproducing in them.If there are no natural enemies, such asfshordragonfies,mosquitoes can be controlled with another natu-ral foe: Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) controls mosquitoes effciently and without any residues. Bti can be purchasedintheformofpractical SOLBAC-TABS. One tab is suffcient to treat 5 10 m2 of water surface; to treat smaller puddles, the tabs can be broken into smaller pieces. Treatment should be repeated every 10 14 days. Since SOLBAC-TABS are exclusively used to control the larvae of specifc mosquitoes and fungus gnats they can also be used in fsh ponds or in water with which pets may come in contact.Nowbacktothepeaceful enjoyment of an after work beer! JUDITH LADNER CALLIPARI,ANDERMATT BIOGARTENWHEN THE MOSQUITO BECOMES A TIGERAccording to the database Deliver-ing Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe (DAISIE), the tiger mos-quito (Aedesalbopictus) is among the100worstinvasivespeciesin Europe.ItoriginatesfromSouth East Asia and was brought to south-ern Europe through tiny water pud-dles found in used tires or in Lucky bamboo.Fromthereitisspread-ing north. The Asian tiger mosquito isalreadyquitewellestablishedin the canton of Ticino. Additionally, in September 2011, there was news of the Asian tiger mosquito having been seen in the canton of Aargau. In spring 2011, a pan-European con-ference was held to dene a com-binedcontrolstrategyagainstthe Asiantigermosquito.Thetopicis particularly important, because this type of mosquito can spread some verydangerousdiseasessuchas Dengue, Chikungunya and the West Nile Virus. Bti products can also be used to con-trol Asian tiger mosquito larvae and other exotic mosquito larvae in this part of the world.Picture 1: Garden pond: idyll and breeding ground for mosquitoes. (Picture: Judith Ladner Callipari)17Robust plant varieties for the organic gardenDue to an abundance of plant varieties, it can be very diffcult for the hobby gardener to choose the right plant. However, the right choice of cultivar is the frst step to having a low-mainte-nance garden. By choosing robust, withstanding plants, time and effort for plant protection can be reduced considerably. An example is the cultivation of the new scab resistant apple variety, Galiwa.In professional agriculture, the choice of cultivars is far more important than for the hobby gardener. For the home grower, aesthetic aspects are usually moreimportantthanresistance.On theotherhand,diseasetolerantor evenresistantplantswouldbepar-ticularlywellsuitedfortheocca-sionalgardener.Theeffortrequired for plant protection can be consider-ably reduced and easier maintenance will increase the plant owners enjoy-ment of his garden. All in line with the adage that prevention is better than spraying.Manyresistantvarietiesarealready availableforberries,vinesandfruit trees, which are tolerant to many of the common fungal diseases. Even for roses, which are known to be sensi-tive to many diseases, a small range ofresistantcultivarsderivedfrom organiccultivationisreadilyavail-able. Theseplantswerespecifcally selected for their lower susceptibility to disease. For fruit-growing, the research stations are continuously on the look-out for further resistant cultivars, which can be grown in an eco-friendly manner. These are the types that are essential for competitive professional organic fruit-growing. The same varieties can alsobesuccessfullygrowninthe home garden.One example is the new scab resistant apple variety Galiwa. After 19 years of research, the research station Agro-scopeChangins-Wdenswil(ACW) has fnally found a sweet apple vari-ety that is tolerant to apple scab. The majorityofthecultivarscurrently availablehavebeenpredominantly sour. Sweet varieties, such as the pop-ular Gala, which are preferred by most Swiss consumers, have been lacking.To this end the ACW breeder, Markus Kellerhals, began crossing scab resist-ant cultivations with Gala during the 90s. In 2010, the successfully cross-bredvarietywaslaunchedunder the name Galiwa. The apples name Galiwa gives reference to the parent varietyGalaandthebreedingloca-tion Wdenswil. A good crop yield as well as good storage properties enable Galiwatofllagapinorganicfruit cultivation. CHRISTA GERBER,ANDERMATT BIOGARTENPicture 1: Apple variety Galiwa (Picture: Agroscope)Picture 2: Organic rose variety Pink SwanyASSORTMENT OF ANDERMATT BIOGARTENAndermattBiogartenhasaselec-tionofplantsinitsproductrange thatshowlowsusceptibilitytodis-eases and are suited for the organic garden.Apartfromavarietyof roses, berries and vines, Andermatt Biogarten also offers the scab resist-antapplevarietyGaliwagrafted onM9.Come2012, Andermatt Biogarten will also be offering a vari-ety of scab resistant organic column apple trees.18Efcacy testing of THYMOVAR in SwitzerlandAndermatt BioVet conducts effcacy tests forTHYMOVAR on an annual cycle. For 2011, bee-keepers had to cope with an extraordinarily high varroa infestation due to long periods of warm weather during the spring season. The test was performed using a range of auxiliary equipment along withTHYMOVAR. Independent of the auxiliary equipment used, the effcacy proved to be very high.Thetestcommencedwithatotalof 16 beecolonies.Forthesummer treatmentduringrecentyears,only THYMOVARwasused.Thebee-keeperdevelopedaspecialdevice for the use ofTHYMOVAR. It can be easily ftted into the typical Swiss bee hive. The study was designed to evalu-ate the infuence of this device on the effcacy ofTHYMOVAR. Thedeviceconsistsofawooden frame with a fne wire mesh attached to the bottom (Picture 1). On the top, the frame has a slit to facilitate clos-ing with a sheet of acrylic glass. The devicewasusedonatotalofeight colonies.THYMOVAR strips were laid ontothewiremeshandthedevice closed with acrylic glass, protecting the strips from bees. In all the remain-ing coloniesTHYMOVAR was placed directly on top of the hive frames. A woodenslat3 cmthickwasplaced across the wire mesh frames and cov-ered with thin wooden boards leaving an empty space of 3 cm height over the frames (Picture 2). TheTHYMOVARstripswereleftin the hives for two three-week periods. One week after removal, we inserted another set ofTHYMOVAR strips for a second treatment. In the hives with direct access, some colonies began to coverthestripswithpropolis,other colonies started to nibble and remove partsoftheTHYMOVARstrips. This behaviour was particularly observed onTHYMOVAR strips that had already lost the majority of their thymol con-tent. There was no signifcant differ-ence between the number of varroa counted in hives with the device and hives with unprotectedTHYMOVAR strips (Table 1).HivesNo 1andNo 22,atthetwo extremeties of the stand, showed the largestcountofvarroamites.Both colonies were created out of swarms ofthesamestandin2011.Since there was a broodless period after the swarming, one would have expected rather small varroa counts. We con-sider the re-infestation to be an effect of visiting bees as the main source of the increased number of varroa mites in these colonies. A very close line-up of colonies, as in the stand under observation, seems to promote the re-infestation by visiting bees more than commonly considered likely. Colonies 1,17 and 18 showed counts of approx. 2 000 varroa mites. These werecolonieswithneitherswarms nor offshoots during the year 2011. Colony No 8 was built using frames from different colonies during 2011. The count of 1 900 Varroa is consid-ered to be relatively high for an off-shoot. In this case, varroa was intro-duced by including a covered brood thusdocumentingthealreadywell developed varroa population due to the warm spring weather.On September 21st the second treat-mentwascompletedandthestrips ofTHYMOVAR were removed. Due to the known delayed-action effect of THYMOVAR, the fnal count of varroa mites was conducted on October 4th. The total count of varroa during the THYMOVAR treatment and the follow-ing treatment with Oxalic acid build the basis for the effcacy computation as a percentage. ROMAN ERNI,ANDERMATT BIOVETTable 1: Survey table of infestation Picture 1: Wooden frame Picture 2: THYMOVAR with 3 cm spacingNumbers of bee colonies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22Complete colony [C], remaining colonyafter swarming [CS], nuke [N], swarm [S]S CS N CS Va N C S C C C C C C N S THYMOVAR inserted in wooden frame Strength of the colony, strong [s], medium [m], weak [w] s s w m m ms s wm m ms ms ms s ms m s23/7/11 In the eveningInsertion of wire mesh protected frames Count of Varroal 50 15 4 12 17 25 30 7 3 11 30 24 75 26 12 16Number of days of Varroa count 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3Varroa count per day 16.7 5 1.3 4 5.7 8.3 10 2.3 1 3.7 10 8 25 8.7 4.0 5.32/8/2011Start of the 1stTHYMOVAR treatment plate Varroa count on frames1 week after start of the treatment, 9/8/2011 480 30 43 180 190 700 420 disolved 32 100 250 240 500 320 100 1802 weeks after start of the treatment, 16/8/2011 750 84 73 130 170 360 750 48 124 232 300 504 168 82 1443 weeks after start of the treatment, 23/8/2011 380 90 124 84 80 150 342 60 76 156 404 495 212 96 600 THYMOVAR removed, 23/8/20114 weeks after start of the treatment, 30/8/2011 220 170 120 126 96 194 180 27 112 146 273 174 120 112 52030/8/2011 Start of the 2ndTHYMOVAR treatmentVarroa count on frames1 week after start of the treatment, 6/9/2011 254 178 176 160disolved228 64 36 178 84 590 208 58 106 5002 weeks after start of the treatment, 13/9/2011 222 232 218 108 120 118 18 64 72 224 252 140 166 4603 weeks after start of the treatment, 20/9/2011 128 158 162 99 116 104 19 76 67 80 172 120 94 398 THYMOVAR removed, 21/9/20115 weeks after start of the treatment, 4/10/2011 126 185 188 242 152 140 40 104 32 122 144 164 94 436Total count of Varroa duringTHYMOVAR treatment 2560 1127 1104 1129 536 2020 2118 280 834 1039 2233 2449 1302 850 323819In central Europe, a brood free period fromtheendofNovembertothe beginning of December is observed. TheTHYMOVARtreatmentiscom-pleted with a control treatment using oxalicacidduringthebroodfree period.Eachofthecoloniesshould enterthenewseasonwithatotal countoflessthan50 varroamites. Thetreatmentofthecolonieswith OXUVARortheVARROXvaporizer for Oxalic acid is therefore our choice forthecontroltreatmentduringthe brood free period. MAIN RESULTS OF THE TEST There is no signicant difference in efcacy in using the protective device for THYMOVAR application. The covering of the unprotectedTHYMOVAR strips with droppings does not inuence the activity ofTHYMOVAR. THYMOVAR strips with nibbling damage do not lose their activity since only empty cellulose is removed from the hive. Varroa counts show the high efcacy ofTHYMOVAR (A nal statement with accurate percentage rates can only be made after the control treatment with oxalic acid during the brood free period at the end of the year) Do to re-infestation by visiting bees, all hives in a colony should be treated simultaneously. Ideally neighbouring beekeepers should treat their colonies dur-ing the same period. Steady high temperatures favoured the evaporation of Thymol during the treat-ment period of August and September 2011. Due to the good tolerance ofTHYMOVAR, vitality of the bee colonies was not negatively inuenced during the test Table 1: Survey table of infestationNumbers of bee colonies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22Complete colony [C], remaining colonyafter swarming [CS], nuke [N], swarm [S]S CS N CS Va N C S C C C C C C N S THYMOVAR inserted in wooden frame Strength of the colony, strong [s], medium [m], weak [w] s s w m m ms s wm m ms ms ms s ms m s23/7/11 In the eveningInsertion of wire mesh protected frames Count of Varroal 50 15 4 12 17 25 30 7 3 11 30 24 75 26 12 16Number of days of Varroa count 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3Varroa count per day 16.7 5 1.3 4 5.7 8.3 10 2.3 1 3.7 10 8 25 8.7 4.0 5.32/8/2011Start of the 1stTHYMOVAR treatment plate Varroa count on frames1 week after start of the treatment, 9/8/2011 480 30 43 180 190 700 420 disolved 32 100 250 240 500 320 100 1802 weeks after start of the treatment, 16/8/2011 750 84 73 130 170 360 750 48 124 232 300 504 168 82 1443 weeks after start of the treatment, 23/8/2011 380 90 124 84 80 150 342 60 76 156 404 495 212 96 600 THYMOVAR removed, 23/8/20114 weeks after start of the treatment, 30/8/2011 220 170 120 126 96 194 180 27 112 146 273 174 120 112 52030/8/2011 Start of the 2ndTHYMOVAR treatmentVarroa count on frames1 week after start of the treatment, 6/9/2011 254 178 176 160disolved228 64 36 178 84 590 208 58 106 5002 weeks after start of the treatment, 13/9/2011 222 232 218 108 120 118 18 64 72 224 252 140 166 4603 weeks after start of the treatment, 20/9/2011 128 158 162 99 116 104 19 76 67 80 172 120 94 398 THYMOVAR removed, 21/9/20115 weeks after start of the treatment, 4/10/2011 126 185 188 242 152 140 40 104 32 122 144 164 94 436Total count of Varroa duringTHYMOVAR treatment 2560 1127 1104 1129 536 2020 2118 280 834 1039 2233 2449 1302 850 323820Maggot Debridement Therapy A standard benet of the Swiss health insurance scheme since July 1st, 2011Chronic wounds are often coated with the remains of dead cells (fbrin, necrosis). These gen-erate the perfect breeding ground for bacteria which often lead to an infection of the wound. Therefore, one of the frst and foremost steps in the treatment of chronic wounds is to remove the fbrin and necrosis (debridement). A very effcient approach is maggot debridement therapy. Since July 1st, 2011, this therapy is covered by the compulsory health insurance offered by all health insurance companies in Switzerland.Maggotdebridementtherapyisa modern and very successful method to clean and disinfect chronic wounds. In Switzerland, more than 70 institu-tions (mainly university- and cantonal hospitals) currently make regular use of this therapy.InApril2009, Entomostookover themaggotproductionandmarket-ingfromtheSwiss TropicalInstitute of Basel University. In summer 2009, Entomosfledanapplicationwith theFederalOffceofPublicHealth (FOPH) to have maggot debridement therapyintegratedintotheobliga-tory basic health insurance scheme. ExpertsoftheFOPHexaminedthe method for effectiveness, appropriate-ness and effciency. In Summer 2011, the Swiss Federal Council decided to include maggot debridement therapy for treatment of chronic wounds in the Regulation of Health Insurance Ben-efts. As a result, the therapy is now fnanced by health insurers.Opportunityespeciallyforout-patientsOn January 1st, 2012, Switzerland will introduce the new Diagnosis Related Groups-System(SwissDRG)along withtheassociatednewfnancing ofhospitaltreatment.Somehospi-talshavealreadyadoptedtheSwiss DRGsystemforin-patients.There-fore, maggot debridement therapy is alreadyinvoicedatafatratealong with many other benefts. However, the obligatory inclusion of the mag-got debridement therapy in the basic insurance has made a great change for out-patients.Untilnow,ambulatory care professionals made use of thera-pies which were covered by the com-pulsoryhealthinsuranceunlessthe patientexplicitlyrequestedmaggot debridement therapy and was willing topayforitoutofhisownpocket. Due to the availability of reimburse-ment by the health insurance funds, homecarenursingservices,wound ambulatories as well as general prac-titionerscanusethiscost-effcient method more frequently. URS FANGER, ENTOMOSPicture 1: Decubitus wound with a maggot bag in place. Protection of wound lip with storna paste (Picture credit: cantonal hospital Baden)Picture 2: Packaged product