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26 August 2005 |
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A new award to promote research into honeybee health has just been launched by Vita (Europe) Ltd, the honeybee health and mite control specialists. Valued at up to
€10,000, the award will be made on a regular basis to help fund new honeybee health research. Any individual or organisation can apply. |
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President Viktor Yuschenko of the Ukraine, a life-long beekeeper, has agreed to become the Award’s Patron. |
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“This award is designed to stimulate new research into any of the diseases that affect honeybees,” explained Jeremy Owen, Sales Director of Vita. “We will be especially,
but not exclusively, interested in naturally-based treatments that are really effective since that is clearly a priority for many beekeepers across the globe.” |
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Owen continued: “We are naturally thrilled that President Yuschenko has agreed to become the Award’s patron. As a beekeeper and a president, he fully understands the
significance of a healthy honeybee population to national economies.” |
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Amongst the diseases and pests of particular interest to Vita are those which as yet have no known effective controls: the small hive beetle which is spreading globally
and almost established a foothold in Europe last year; chalkbrood which seems to be increasing in prevalence in certain areas; and the long-established problems of varroa
and foulbrood. |
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The inaugural winner of the Vita prize is Dr Alexandros Papachristoforou of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece for his ongoing work on chalkbrood
control. As a fungal brood disease, chalkbrood can debilitate colonies and is especially serious in certain parts of the world. As yet, the incidence and extent of
chalkbrood is not fully understood and until now there has been no effective treatment. Papachristoforou is discovering that both a new bacterial product CBB and
Apiguard can be very effective and is undertaking further work to establish the conditions for its maximum efficacy. |
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Application details for the next award will appear on the Vita website in September 2005. See www.vita-europe.com |
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Notes To Editors |
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About Vita (Europe) Ltd |
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Vita (Europe) Ltd is a mite control and honeybee health specialist based in the UK and operating across the globe. Vita researches, develops, manufactures and markets
acaricide products and is the world’s dominant supplier of honeybee health products to the honey and pollination industries. |
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In the development of new and ecologically-sensitive approaches to mite pest control, Vita collaborates with universities including Cardiff, Milan, Udine, and institutes
including the Tierhygienisches Institut (Institute of Animal Health) in Freiburg, Germany and the UK Central Science Laboratory. Vita’s innovative research and
development work has received support from the UK Government |
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Vita’s products are available through a network of 40 distributors in 47 countries and have been registered by more than 60 veterinary authorities. Its product range
includes anti-varroa acaricides (Apistan® and Apiguard®), wax moth controls, and foulbrood diagnostic kits. All products are designed as elements of Integrated Pest
Management programmes to inhibit the build-up of resistance and wherever possible to use natural compounds and biological controls that are benign to all but the target
pests. |
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As a result of its primary research of natural control agents, Vita is currently engaged in new projects exploring mite control in the agricultural, veterinary, and horticultural
industries as well as public health and human allergen control. |
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Media Enquiries |
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Stephen Fleming at Palam Communications
Tel +44 (0) 1635 299116
Email sfleming@palam.co.uk
Web www.palam.co.uk |
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General Enquiries |
Jeremy Owen
Vita (Europe) Ltd
Tel +44 (0)1256 473 176
Email j.owen@vita-europe.com
Web www.vita-europe.com |
