A mathematical model of varroa mite (varroa destructor anderson and trueman) and honeybee (apis mellifera l.) population dynamics

Abstract

A mathematical model of population interactions between Varroa destructor and a honeybee colony is described. Validation tests indicate that the model generates mite population predictions that are similar to those from actual colonies including: weekly mite-drop, daily rates of population increase, and exponential growth rates for mite populations. The model predicts that colony survival thresholds for mite populations and the effectiveness of miticides such as fluvalinate are dependent on climate and the yearly brood rearing cycle in a colony. Miticides applied in the late summer provide the best chances for the survival of heavily infested colonies. The model also predicts that large mite populations treated with miticides in the spring will recover by autumn to levels similar to those in untreated colonies. This is because in the treated colonies the surviving mites infest drone brood at lower numbers per cell and this increases reproductive success and hence the growth rate of the mite population. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.