Cornell University/New York State Report: 90% of NY Beehives Had Varroa Mites in 2016
August 4, 2017
From: Growing Produce
Varroa mites, like the one attached to the back of this honey bee, can decimate unprotected hives. The tiny parasites feed on the bees’ blood and can infect them with harmful viruses. (Photo credit: Scott Bauer, USDA-ARS)
Cornell University’s NYS Beekeeper Tech Team released a report showing that the state of the New York’s beekeepers are being overwhelmed by varroa mites in 2016. A full 90% of colonies sampled had the parasitic pests.
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“Varroa mites are extremely common in NY and were not well controlled in fall 2016,” the report states. “Ninety percent of colonies sampled had mites, and 78% of operations had one or more colonies that exceeded the economic threshold for Varroa.”
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