Testing hyperthermia as Varroa mite and virus control in honeybee colonies

Commodities

• Animals: bees
• Animal Products: honey

Practices

• Animal Production: parasite control
• Pest Management: disease vectors

The Parasitic mite, Varroa Destructor and its associated viruses,
is the leading cause of honeybee colony mortality in the
Northeast, leading to colony losses that average around 50%
annually over the last decade. (1)  Standard practice is to
use pesticides (miticides), applied in the hive, to kill the
mites.  The miticides simply kill mites and have no effect
on the viruses in the colonies.

Honeybees can survive a higher temperature than Varroa mites, so
by intentionally heating a colony of bees for a period of time,
mites can be killed with little to no damage to the bees. 
These high temperatures also have a reducing effect on the mite
vectored viruses.  The challenge is to determine the right
combination of temperature and time that is fatal to mites and
viruses, harmless to honeybees, and not so long as to be
prohibitive for beekeepers from a logistical standpoint.

Our objectives in year one are to compare hyperthermia at
different time and temperature combinations with a control to
determine the combination that results in the greatest mite and
virus reduction, and then compare the best combination with a
conventional chemical miticide in year two.

After collecting and analyzing data across two beekeeping
seasons, we will share the results through online and in person
workshops hosted by the Vermont Beekeepers Association and shared
with other Northeast associations.  If our results are
significant, we will submit an article to the American Bee
Journal, which if accepted, would share our results throughout
the country.

Year one:  To compare hyperthermia at different time and
temperature combinations with a control to determine the
combination that results in the greatest mite and virus
reduction.

Year two:  To compare the most effective hyperthermia time
and temperature combination from year one with a chemical
miticide that is relatively safe for the beekeeper to use and can
be used when honey supers are on the hive. (Hopguard III)

Post-study, our objective is to share results both with the
beekeeping public through social media, workshops, zoom classes
and published articles.