Dr. Dewey Caron is the Principal Drafter on a publication entitled “Tools for Varroa Management, A Guide to Effective Varroa Sampling & Control 2017”

“Every honey bee colony in the continental United States and Canada either has Varroa mites today or will have them within several months. Varroa mite infestation represents one of the greatest threats to honey bee health, honey production, and pollination services. When honey bee colonies are untreated or treated ineffectively colonies can fail and beekeepers can incur major economic losses, and, ultimately, agricultural food production may be impacted. In addition, colonies with Varroa are a source of mites that can spread to other colonies, even in other apiaries, through drifting, robbing, and absconding activity of bees. All beekeepers should remain vigilant to detect high Varroa mite levels and be prepared to take timely action in order to reduce mite loads. Effective mite control will reduce colony losses and avoid potential spread of infectious disease among colonies. This Guide will explain practical, effective methods that beekeepers can use to measure Varroa mite infestations in their hives and select appropriate control methods. The Honey Bee Health Coalition offers this Guide free of charge and asks that you please reference the Coalition if distributing.”

Tools for Varroa Management, A Guide to Effective Varroa Sampling & Control 2017

The Honey Bee Health Coalition contains several great videos on varroa management: honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/#videos

ABOUT THE HONEY BEE HEALTH COALITION The Honey Bee Health Coalition was formed in 2014 as a cross-sector effort to promote collaborative solutions to honey bee health challenges. The diverse Coalition brings together beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, manufacturers and brands, and other key partners dedicated to improve the health of honey bees and other pollinators. The Coalition’s mission is to collaboratively implement solutions that will help to achieve a healthy population of honey bees while also supporting healthy populations of native and managed pollinators in the context of productive agricultural systems and thriving ecosystems. A major tenet and founding principle of the Coalition is the recognition that the current decline in overall honey bee health is a multi-factorial problem, and all stakeholders have a role to play in managing bee health issues. The Coalition is focusing on accelerating improvement of honey bee health in four key areas: forage and nutrition, hive management, crop pest management, and outreach, education and communications. As part of the hive management focus area, the Coalition has developed this “Tools for Varroa Management” Guide that beekeepers can use to help focus on more effectively controlling the Varroa mite in their hives. For more information please visit at honeybeehealthcoalition.org