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Honey Bee Health Coalition Releases 8th Edition of the Tools for Varroa Management Guide
The Honey Bee Health Coalition has unveiled the 8th Edition of the Tools for Varroa Management Guide. The guide provides information on the latest tools and options for beekeepers in the USA and Canada to keep bees healthy and manage varroa mites, which spread disease within and among honey bee colonies.
“As an Apiculture Extension Educator, I often hear from devastated beekeepers who struggle to keep their honey bee colonies healthy and alive. The successful management of varroa mites is critical to keeping honey bees healthy. This guide provides comprehensive information about management options for one the most serious threats to honey bee health,” said Ana Heck, Apiculture Extension Educator at Michigan State University.
An expert team of beekeepers, entomologists, Extension agents, apiary inspectors and federal regulators spent more than six months editing the document to bring it up-to-date with changes in best practices and treatment options. The guide details new information on varroa control products including new products that have been approved for release since the 7th edition was released in 2018.
“The Varroa Management Guide is the most valuable tool to include in your varroa management toolbox,” said Dewey Caron, Emeritus Professor of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, and a principal author of the guide. “It has what you need to know in one streamlined and concise package. It should help improve overwintering success by helping you flatten the varroa growth curve and reduce bee colony viral epidemics.”
Varroa mites represents one of the greatest threats to honey bee health, honey production, and pollination services. Untreated or ineffectively treated colonies can fail, causing economic losses to beekeepers, potentially impacting agricultural food production. Colonies infested with varroa are also a potential source of mites and diseases that can spread to other colonies and apiaries.
Effective varroa control will reduce colony losses and avoid potential spread of infectious disease among honey bee colonies. The Tools for Varroa Management Guide explains practical, effective methods that beekeepers can employ to measure varroa infestations in their hives and select appropriate control methods.
The full guide is offered free of charge at the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Website: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/resources/varroa-management/
