New York State Becoming Aware of Varroa Mites
July 27, 2017
From: Manuka Honey USA
***
The Effect of Varroa Mites
One person who agrees that varroa mites are a huge problem is Emma Mullen, who leads the beekeeper tech team at Cornell University, which is funding numerous research teams searching for answers about the high die-off rates. “The varroa mite is a parasite that’s kind of similar to a tick, and it actually latches onto honeybees and it sucks the blood and feeds on the fat stores of honeybees,” Mullen says. “We’re actually working with [other local] beekeepers to figure out what solutions we can come up with.”
Varroa mite infestation is a considerable problem in the beekeeping industry, in part due to large-scale pollination operations where honey bees are transported from one state to another to take advantage of warmer climates throughout the year. The state of California sees many colonies arrive and stay for entire seasons, and any mite invasions into colonies can spread very fast among confined transport containers bringing the hives back to their own states.
Leave a Comment