Varroa Mite Infestation in Honey Bees and Colony Health Impact

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite threatening honey bee colonies by weakening immunity, transmitting viruses like deformed wing virus and acute bee paralysis virus, and contributing to colony collapse. Native to Apis cerana, it spread to Apis mellifera across Europe and the British Isles, reproducing in capped brood cells. Females have two life stages: dispersal and reproductive, with mature mites feeding on fat bodies and laying eggs in a sequence favoring male then fertilized female offspring. Mites prefer drone brood due to longer development times, increasing reproductive success. They spread via drifting, robbing, swarming, and transport, and rapidly develop resistance to acaricides. Integrated pest management using biotechnical controls and chemical rotation is essential. Research shows pollen can slow bee ageing. The POSH BEE project examines neonicotinoid effects on mite fertility. Eleanor Attridge’s essay won the 2022 National Honey Show Essay Competition, and photographic evidence by Gerry Collins and David Evans illustrates mite infestations in drone brood. Document completed February 2023, licensed under CC BY.