Managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) in north Florida, New World Carniolan vs. Italian, colony health and Varroa load

Managed Honey Bees (Apis Meliffera) in North Florida, New World Carniolan vs. Italian; Colony Health and Varroa Load

ROBERT F. HORSBURGH

 

Abstract

            Since the arrival of the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) into the United States in 1987, beekeepers have been searching for ways to prevent Varroa-induced  hive mortality on managed honey bees (Apis mellifera).  The most common way to control Varroa is to use acaricides, pesticides that kill members of the arachnid subclass Acari, which includes ticks and mites. This treatment is costly and exposes bees and honey comb to chemicals that may have negative consequences on bee health.  Populating  hives with bees that exhibit resistance to the Varroa mite is a viable alternative method to help control Varroa populations.  There are several strains of bees that have been selectively bred for hygienic behavior to help control Varroa.  The objective of this study was to determine the ability of the New World Carniolan (NWC) bee strain to control Varroa mites in comparison to unselected Italian type bees (Open mated queen descendents of commercially purchased Italian queens).  The mite populations, adult bee populations, brood area, and amount of resources stored were monitored and compared in the two populations of bees over a period of 8 months.  The New World Carniolan group  showed lower mite populations per frame of bees than the Italian type.  However, the overall vigor of the NWC was lower than the Italian type. There are many races of bees available to choose from and other factors must be considered when selecting a race of managed honey bee in North Florida to suit a beekeepers needs.