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Published on: October 9, 2017
Varroa control strategies of different beekeeper groups and corresponding honey bee colony mortality in Central
Ewa Mazur1, Ondřej Biemann2, Robert Brodschneider3
1Laboratory of Bee Diseases, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Introduction:
The parasitic mite Varroa destructor remains a major threat to Apis mellifera globally, contributing significantly to high colony losses despite various control interventions. Understanding the range of Varroa control strategies employed by beekeepers is crucial for mitigating these losses and improving honey bee health.
Objectives:
This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the diverse Varroa destructor control strategies implemented by beekeepers across Austria, Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia, and to evaluate their association with winter honey bee colony mortality. Our primary scientific objective was to identify and characterize management practices associated with improved colony survival. Based on these findings, we aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations for regional Varroa control.
Methods:
We analyzed 8,655 responses and 171,756 colonies, collected via the COLOSS "Colony Losses Monitoring" survey during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Beekeepers were categorized into three groups: small, medium, and large-scale. Treatment data were evaluated by country and across four seasons. Decision tree analysis was applied to identify Best Treatment Strategies (BTS), defined as the strategies associated with the lowest winter colony losses for each country and beekeeper group.
Results:
BTS varied significantly by country and apiary size. Most Czech, Polish, and Slovak beekeepers predominantly used synthetic acaricides in autumn, whereas Austrian beekeepers favored organic acids throughout the year. Strategies associated with lower winter losses consistently involved the timely and often combined application of biotechnical methods, organic acids, and acaricides. The lowest colony losses were consistently observed in large-scale apiaries.
Conclusion:
This study suggests that tailored Varroa destructor treatment strategies are associated with substantially lower winter colony losses in Central Europe. The most effective strategies are characterized by timely and synergistic integration of different treatments, rather than reliance on a single approach. Consistently lower mortality in large-scale apiaries highlights the potential importance of structured management, accumulated experience, and diligent, multi-faceted treatment for robust Varroa control and sustainable colony health.
