CONTROL OF VARROA JACOBSONI OUD. IN HONEYBEE COLONIES CONTAINING SEALED BROOD CELLS

Abstract

In traditional chemotherapy, treating colonies during the active season, when considerable parts of the mite population are protected within brood cells, has only limited efficacy. After the treatments, mites emerging from cells with the hatching bees almost immediately replace the losses. One possible way to overcome this difficulty is a continuous treatment releasing constant amounts of acaricide over an extended period. The impact of different treatments on the population dynamics of Varroa jacobsoni is calculated by computer simulations. Experiments were started recently using carriers impregnated with acaricides (pyrethroids). From these the acaricides are gradually distributed by direct or indirect contact among bees over a period of several weeks. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that colonies can be successfully treated during brood rearing season with this novel method.