The COLOSS Varroa Task Force: Combating the Mite in the 21st Century

Abstract

Varroa Challenge Varroa destructor mites are parasites specific to honey bees Apis mellifera and A. ceranae and can be found both on adult bees and in cells where they feed and reproduce on developing brood. Varroa (Figure 1) began to parasitize colonies of Western honey bees, A. mellifera, in the mid-20th century. Despite all research and control efforts, it is still recognized as one of the major drivers of colony mortality today (Traynor et al., 2020). Even more damaging to bee health is the combination of Varroa and its vectored viruses (de Miranda & Genersch, 2010; Grozinger & Flenniken, 2019).