Testing new physical control on Varroa mites in honey bee colonies

Presenting Author(s)

AC

Austin Carey

Research Technician
Central State University
Morrow, Ohio

Co-Author(s)

HL

Hongmei Li-Byarlay

Associate Professor
Central State University
Wilberforce, Ohio

Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) are important managed pollinators for agriculture and food production. Controlling the bee mite Varroa destructor within managed colonies of Apis mellifera has been a struggle for beekeepers and bee scientists alike over the last decade. A wide variety of treatment methods are available including the use of chemical acaricides. However, acaricide resistance within the Varroa destructor population is now found in the United States, and causes harm to colony health in the long term. Physical control of Varroa mites by eliminating brood in the bee colony via caging the queen could be considered a sustainable alternative. It is the goal of this study to test this physical method of control and compare its effectiveness to that of the acaricide method. The chemical method used will be an application of Formic Pro. Mite population data between the two treatments will be compared and discussed.