Vita Bee Health is funding two research projects into the development of behavioural resistance of varroa mites (Varroa destructor), a parasite of honey bees that has led to colony deaths across the world. Recent evidence in several countries suggests that varroa mites may be evolving behavioural responses to existing measurement and control methods. The studies will be at universities in Greece and France.
Dr Max Watkins, CEO of Vita Bee Health, explains this new concern: “The development of resistance to treatments is an accepted fact of life in pest management, but with the varroa mite in honey bee colonies we suspect that resistance is taking an additional, unusual form – the mites seem to be altering their behaviour to maintain and increase their populations rather than relying solely on genetic mutations over time that improve their ability to detoxify treatments applied in the hive. Varroa mites may be developing an avoidance behaviour, as is known in certain insects and other animals”.
Vita Bee Health is therefore funding two PhD students in Greece and France to unravel what is thought to be a behavioural resistance phenomenon that has very serious implications for beekeepers worldwide. Their investigations will use a variety of methods including olfactory techniques and close examination of mite and bee activities within the hive.
Two leading bee research institutions will host the research. In Greece the research will be supervised by Professor Alex Papachristoforou at the University of Thessaly, while in France the study will be conducted through the University of La Rochelle, under the supervision of Dr Benjamin Poirot of Apinov.
Notes to Editors
1 Mite washes are deemed the best way of quantifying the number of mites in a honey bee colony. A sample of bees is collected and subjected to CO2 or an alcohol wash which causes mites on bees to fall off. They can then be counted and infestation levels evaluated.
2 Scientific papers will follow in due course
About Vita Bee Health
Vita Bee Health is a mite control and honeybee health specialist. It is the world’s largest dedicated supplier of honey bee health products to the honey and pollination industries.
With a rigorous and ethical approach to research and development into honeybee health, Vita has no commercial interests in crop pesticides or crop breeding that may be harmful to honeybees.
With headquarters in the UK and partners across the globe, Vita researches, develops, and manufactures a range of honeybee health products. These products are marketed internationally through a network of 60 distributors in 50 countries.
Vita’s product range to improve honey bee health includes: Apistan, Apiguard and (in certain markets) VarroxSan; wax moth control; foulbrood diagnostic kits; health-promoting feeds – VitaFeed Gold, VitaFeed Nutri, VitaFeed Patty and VitaFeed Power; and physical traps for wasps and the Asian Hornet (HiveGate) as well as for Small Hive Beetle and for varroa mites. Vita products have been registered by more than 60 veterinary authorities.
www.vitabeehealth.com
@vitabeehealth
Media enquiries
Stephen Fleming, Palam Communications
s.fleming@palam.co.uk
+44 1635 299116
