Managing varroa mites in honey bee colonies - Page 1 |
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Managing Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies The varroa mite ( Varroa destructor) is the most serious pest of honey bee colonies worldwide. This parasite was first detected in North Carolina in 1990, having been introduced to the U. S. just three years earlier. Virtually all feral ( or “ wild”) honey bee colonies have been wiped out by these mites, and beekeepers continue to strug-gle with varroa infestations in their hives. In North Carolina alone, the number of managed beehives has dropped by an estimated 44 percent since the invasion of the mites. It is vital, therefore, to understand the varroa mite and the options available for its control. Mite Biology The varroa mite is an external parasite that attacks both adult bees and the developing honey bee larvae. The adult mites have a flattened oval shape, are reddish- brown in color, and are about 0.06 inches wide, about the size of the head of a pin ( Fig-ure 1). The mated female mite enters the cell of a developing bee larva and lays as many as six eggs. The developing mites feed on the bee pupa and, depending on the number of mites, may kill it, cause it to be deformed, or have no visible effect. While the male mite dies in the cell, the adult daughter mites climb onto an adult worker bee and feed on its hemolymph ( a fluid known as “ bee blood”). The female mite can then repeat the cycle by enter-ing cells of other developing larvae. Mites prefer drone larvae over worker larvae, but they will infest worker larvae and eventu-ally kill the colony if preventive measures are not taken. The mites can also harm the bees in-directly. In addition to the obvious effects of mites feeding on developing and adult bees, the mites can also serve as transmit-ters of several viruses that can kill bees. These secondary infections are facilitat-ed when the mites compromise the bees’ immune systems. They can cause a condition known as parasitic mite syn-drome ( PMS), which can kill colonies within months of infection.
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Title | Managing varroa mites in honey bee colonies - Page 1 |
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Full Text | Managing Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies The varroa mite ( Varroa destructor) is the most serious pest of honey bee colonies worldwide. This parasite was first detected in North Carolina in 1990, having been introduced to the U. S. just three years earlier. Virtually all feral ( or “ wild”) honey bee colonies have been wiped out by these mites, and beekeepers continue to strug-gle with varroa infestations in their hives. In North Carolina alone, the number of managed beehives has dropped by an estimated 44 percent since the invasion of the mites. It is vital, therefore, to understand the varroa mite and the options available for its control. Mite Biology The varroa mite is an external parasite that attacks both adult bees and the developing honey bee larvae. The adult mites have a flattened oval shape, are reddish- brown in color, and are about 0.06 inches wide, about the size of the head of a pin ( Fig-ure 1). The mated female mite enters the cell of a developing bee larva and lays as many as six eggs. The developing mites feed on the bee pupa and, depending on the number of mites, may kill it, cause it to be deformed, or have no visible effect. While the male mite dies in the cell, the adult daughter mites climb onto an adult worker bee and feed on its hemolymph ( a fluid known as “ bee blood”). The female mite can then repeat the cycle by enter-ing cells of other developing larvae. Mites prefer drone larvae over worker larvae, but they will infest worker larvae and eventu-ally kill the colony if preventive measures are not taken. The mites can also harm the bees in-directly. In addition to the obvious effects of mites feeding on developing and adult bees, the mites can also serve as transmit-ters of several viruses that can kill bees. These secondary infections are facilitat-ed when the mites compromise the bees’ immune systems. They can cause a condition known as parasitic mite syn-drome ( PMS), which can kill colonies within months of infection. |