How do I get rid of Varroa destructor?
Chemical control of varroa mites can be achieved through the use of various acaricides/miticides. Synthetic miticides are generally effective, killing up to 95% of the mite population.
What does the parasite Varroa destructor do to the bees?
The Varroa mite can reproduce only in a honey bee colony. It attaches to the body of the bee and weakens the bee by sucking fat bodies. The species is a vector for at least five debilitating bee viruses, including RNA viruses such as the deformed wing virus (DWV).
Is Varroa destructor invasive?
The Beekeepers’ Nightmare. Invasive species can new cause havoc to the new environment that they happen to fall into. None more so than the movement of a small maroon coloured mite called Varroa destructor on to the western Honeybee, Apis mellifera. There are many mites that infest bees but only a few are pathogenic.
What is the best Varroa treatment?
Top 10 Best Treatment for Varroa Mites in Beehives (2021)
- Blythewood Bee Company NoVarroa Oxalic Acid Vaporizer.
- Greenbeehives the Victor – Destroys Varroa Destructor.
- Scott Bee Farm Heavy Duty Oxalic Acid Vaporizer v15.12.
- Scott Bee Farm SBF8000 Oxalic Acid Vaporizer.
- Varomorus Propane Insect Fogger.
Are varroa mites harmful to humans?
Hosts: The Varroa mite is an external parasite of honey bees that attacks adult bees and their developing larvae, or brood. The mite can spread quickly to other bee colonies by traveling with swarms or migrating drones, and by the movement of infested equipment. It is not harmful to humans or livestock.
Where did Varroa mites come from?
The Varroa mite is originally native to Asia, where it was first discovered on the island of Java in Indonesia over 100 years ago. The mite initially preyed on the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana). But over thousands of years the bee successfully adapted its behavior to the parasite.
What plants deter varroa mites?
Thyme is reported to be a varroa mite deterrent, so consider planting thyme around your apiary. Thymol which is derived from thyme is an ingredient in both Apilife Var and ApiGuard, two commercial products that are safe for use inside the hive as a varroa mite treatment.
How do you get rid of Varroa mites naturally?
The most common, natural approach to treating bees with varroa mites is to dust them with powdered sugar. After the sugar is applied, the bees will immediately start grooming themselves and each other in an effort to remove the sugar from their bodies. In doing this, they knock off the mites.
What kind of mite is the Varroa destructor?
V. destructor was first described as Varroa jacobsoni by Oudemans (1904) from Java on Apis cerana (Sanford et al., 2007) though it was later discovered that the mite infesting A. mellifera was a different species and thus named V. destructor.
How did the Varroa destructor spread to Europe?
From its origins in the Far East, V. destructor has spread, facilitated by the movement of infested bee colonies for pollination. It remained confined to Asian Apis species as hosts until it appeared on the introduced A. mellifera, possibly in the 1950s, since when it has spread through much of the current range of this common (European) honey bee.
How is the Varroa destructor related to the honey bee?
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature. The genus Varroa includes in excess of 18 genetically different strains of mites (Cobey, 2001). Varroa destructor and Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) are thought to be closely related (Zhang, 2000; Delaplane, 2001), both parasitizing the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana.
When was the first report of Varroa attacking a host?
Anderson and Trueman indicated that they were unable to find morphological differences to distinguish the genetic types. The first report of Varroa attacking Apis mellifera (a new host) was in 1962 on a sample sent to the USDA in Beltsville from Hong Kong, and in 1963 in the Philippines.