Can Honey Bees Survive Varroa Mites? The Challenges, the Tactics, the Future
More than 30 years after arriving in the U.S., Varroa mites remain the leading pest of honey bees. A new article in the Journal of Insect Science takes a comprehensive look at integrated pest management of Varroa mites and the prospects for new tools and solutions to reduce honey bee losses.
Lab Test Rapidly IDs Potential Mite Pest of Honey Bees
Mites in the genus Tropilaelaps could follow in the footsteps of Varroa mites as significant threats to honey bees if they were to expand their range. A new test using analysis of the "melt curves" of DNA samples can discern the four known Tropilaelaps species and could be an important tool in surveillance for the mite pests in apicultural settings.
Use Miticides Wisely: Protect the Hive, but Save the Queen
Varroa mites are a constant threat to managed honey bee hives, but the most commonly used pesticide used against the mites appears to have negative effects on honey bee queens’ reproductive patterns. A new study explores these effects and offers beekeepers insight on balancing mite management and hive health.
Varroa Mites: New Guide Outlines Integrated Pest Management Options
A growing consensus deems Varroa mite infestation to be the leading factor in the struggles of honey bees in managed hives around the world. A new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management details the biology and life cycle of the Varroa destructor mite and the IPM approach to control the devastating ectoparasites.