New Research to tackle Varroa Mites

Varroa mites infesting drone broodAdvanced Pest Solutions Ltd (APS), the company behind the Scottish Midge Forecast has teamed up with the Moredun Research Institute (MRI), Edinburgh for a project investigating novel control of the Varroa mite, considered to be of major importance to bee health. Significant mite populations can lead to the death of a honey-bee colony and in North America may be a contributing factor towards Colony Collapse Disorder in which worker bees dramatically disappear from a colony.

Honeybees pollinate over 90 commercial crops, which equates to about one-third of the human diet, Honey bees entering hivewith pollination responsible for $15 billion in added crop value. In England alone, this is estimated at £120m (Defra). The exact extent of the contribution of Varroa mites to overall bee health is still not fully understood but it is clear that these are some of the most serious and economically-damaging ecotoparasites of honey bees and that the current methods of management are not providing an adequate effect to avoid substantial losses.

Funded by Genecom’s Orphans Fund, APS and MRI are identifying targets within Varroa mites that can be targeted with a novel, environmentally-acceptable technology under development by APS.

We are keen to hear from any beekeepers in the UK who would be willing to provide us with drone brood from which to isolate mite; please contact us if you think you might be able to help

July 16, 2009 | Filed Under APS, News

 

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