Download or read book Varroa Mite Control in Honey Bee Colonies written by Natalia Solis Riusech and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Varroa destructor mites are the greatest challenge facing modern beekeepers. There are a variety of treatment and monitoring methods available, however, they are variable in efficacy, ease of application, and seasonality of application. In particular, many chemical options can only be used when honey intended for human consumption is not present. There is need for new treatments that can be used by beekeepers in late summer when harvestable honey is present. Known insecticidal properties of a C8910 fatty acid blend suggested that it may be a viable pesticide for controlling Varroa mites that can be used during the summer. Acute contact bioassays showed that the C8910 blend had a sufficient margin of safety to bees, however, the C8910 blend was not effective at controlling mites in full-sized colonies. Acute contact bioassays of shorter fatty acid chains showed that they are more toxic to mites and safer for bees and therefore may be more effective at controlling mites in full-sized colonies. Even though chemical options are essential for preventing colony loss, many beekeepers still choose not to treat with chemical products. It is essential to determine what drives beekeeping decisions in order to create new products that will be utilized by beekeepers. Survey results showed that there are distinctive differences between hobbyist and sideline beekeepers with regards to management methods used and factors used to make management decisions. Hobbyists beekeepers in Ohio used more treatment and monitoring methods that are time-intensive, such as powdered sugar shakes and drone brood removal, than semi-professional sideline beekeepers suggesting that factors pertaining to ease of application may be driving beekeeping decisions by beekeepers managing a larger number of colonies. Hobbyist beekeepers also used more methods that show little effectiveness (screened bottom boards and drone brood removal), suggesting that treatment decisions may be influenced by years of beekeeping experience. “Is organic” was the least important factor to both beekeeper groups. Additionally, “effective at killing mites” was the most important factor to both groups. Contrary to popular belief this suggests that beekeepers value effectiveness over product origin and therefore new products do not need to be organic to be utilized by beekeepers.