varroa mites

New research from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service sheds light on the causes behind the catastrophic honeybee colony losses reported by commercial beekeepers this year.  The findings point to an alarmingly high level of viral infections caused by Varroa mites that have resistant genes to a common treatment.    “Our ...

Honey bees and their keepers have been having quite a bit of trouble keeping the colonies strong and alive. You may remember the news headlines started about 15-16 years ago. Headlines about millions of bee colonies dying off, or in some cases, the bees were just disappearing, with the nation's beekeepers losing 30 to 50% of their colonies every year...

With increased concern over pollinator die-offs, the Honeybee Health Coalition has released a new guide to help beekeepers and farmers manage Varroa Mites.  Dewey Caron is with Oregon State University’s Horticulture Department and is a Coalition member, said this edition of the Varroa Management Guide updates the number of mites deemed an actual threat to bee colonies.   “They ...

According to the USDA, during the first three months of the year, bee keepers nationwide lost about 12% of the colonies, and another 10% during the 2nd quarter.  Those losses aren't as bad as the drop we saw during the first half of 2021. ...

In early March, Washington State University celebrated the grand opening of its new Honey Bee & Pollinator Research, Extension and Education Facility in Othello. WSU Honey Bee scientist Steve Sheppard said this facility will benefit their years of existing research in Pullman, and allow for research expansion, such as developing in field methods when it comes to colony health. ...

Researchers at Washington State University plan to advance their study of refrigeration to fight varroa mites that harm honey bees, thanks to two new grants.  Brandon Hopkins, assistant research professor at WSU’s Department of Entomology, said the local bee keeper and tree fruit industry pushed to have this research changed from an observational study to one that is more in depth.   “... Read Mor