1. Review of Biology, Sampling Techniques, and Treatments Vincent Smith
Varroa mite
Review of Biology, Sampling Techniques, and Treatments
Vincent Smith

2. What is a varroa mite? Scientific Name: Varroa destructor
Classification:
Phylum or Division: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Acari
Order: Parasitiformes
Family: Varroidae

3. A Little History
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera), is not the mite's natural host.
The mite is native to Asia where it parasitizes another cavity-dwelling honey bee, (Apis cerana Fabricius), the eastern or Asian honey bee.
When colonies of Apis mellifera were brought to Asia, people began to realize how devastating the mites could be.
Varroa mites were first found on imported European honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Hong Kong and Singapore in 1963.
They appeared next in various countries in Europe and South America in the early- to mid-70's.
A single mite was discovered in Maryland in 1979; however, no more were seen in the U.S. until populations were discovered in Wisconsin and Florida in 1987.

4. Distribution
V. destructor has spread to every continent except Australia.
Discovered in Hawaii in 2007.
Australia had a scare in 2016 when mites found on feral Asian Honeybee.
Found to be Varroa jacobsoni

5. The Life Cycle of Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman)

6. Lifecycle
The reproduction of the mite is directly tied to bee reproduction.
Female mite enters cell of maturing bee before it is capped.
She waits 60 hours before laying eggs (lays an additional egg every 30 hours)
First egg will be male and subsequent eggs will be female
Mites will feed on the pupating bee
The mite will infect bee with viruses and causes infection
Female mites will exit with adult bee
Mites will gravitate to Drone cells more often because of the time period in which it is capped (14 days).

7. Reason Why Varroa mites are so destructive to your colony

8. Impact of varroa mites to your hives

9. Impact of varroa to your hives

10. Monitoring for mites: Examine bee brood
Monitoring for mites: Examine bee brood. An index rather than an accurate measurement of Varroa populations in the hive. 
Find mites on drone brood.
Varroa are attracted to drone brood more strongly than they are to worker brood.
Drone brood is easier to remove from the cells.
Immature bee brood is white, making it very easy to see the reddish- brown Varroa.

11. Monitoring for mites: Varroa sticky screens.
This is a sheet which slides under a screened bottom board.
Spray the sheet with a cooking oil so when the mites fall from the hive they stick to the sheet and can then be counted.
Insert the sheet for 3 days and then remove it to count the mites. Once you have a total, divide it by 3 to get the average mite drop in a 24 hour period.

12. Monitoring for mites: Sugar shake
Shake a frame of bees into a bucket.
Collect about ½ cup of bees, and poor into a mason jar. Replace the lid with #8 hardware cloth.
Place a few table spoons of powdered sugar in the mason jar.
Gently "slosh" the bees around ensuring they are fully coated by the powdered sugar.
The sugar will dislodge the mites allowing them to fall through the screen.

13. General guide to determine if the colony should be treated.

14. Warning
It is a generally accepted practice not to medicate your bees unless you know it is necessary.
Medicating your bees as a protective measure can actually diminish the effectiveness of medication when you absolutely need it.
The mites can build a resistance when medications are used too frequently.

15. Control methods. Synthetic Chemicals Apivar® (amitraz)
Apistan® (fluvalinate)
CheckMite+® (coumaphos)
Essential Oils
Apiguard® or Thymovar® (Canada) (thymol)
ApiLife Var® (thymol + eucalyptol, menthol,and camphor)
Acids
Mite-Away Quick Strips® [MAQS®] (formic acid)
Formic Acid 65%
Oxalic Acid
HopGuard® II (hops beta acids)

16. Non-Reliable, Non-Tested Methods and Illegal Chemicals
Several treatments are ineffective for Varroa mite control, including:
» Low-dosage mineral oils
» Additional acids (such as lactic acid)
» Food stimulants and supplements
» Powdered sugar
» Small cell, “natural” comb for the rearing of smaller bees

17. Sanitation Place hive in sunny location with good air flow.
Space out hives in apiary using different color hive.
Reduces drifting of adult bees.
Drone brood frame
Culling brood comb with high number of drone cells.
Time at Population increase and population decrease.
Clean hive inspection tools between hives.
Information from the Bee Health Coalition

18. Using Oxalic Acid on Packages
PPE requirements: Goggles, Chemical resistant gloves, respirator.
Mix 35 grams oxalic acid dehydrate with I Liter of 1:1 sugar water.
Engorge bees in package with plain sugar water.
Wait two hours.
Spray 31mL (5.0 tsp) for a 3 lb. package.
Spray 21 mL (3.5 tsp.) for a 2 lb. package.
Wait three days before installing package into the hive.
Information from the Bee Health Coalition

19. Brood Interruption: Interrupt growth cycle of mite population
Time of year to interrupt brood.
Population Increase
Peak population
Post-harvest
May use brood interruption to create time with no capped brood cells and use chemical control that is effective when there is no brood (oxalic acid or HopGuard® II).
Information from the Bee Health Coalition

20. Thank you for asking me to present to you.