WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE HONEY PRODUCER FACE?
Because bees keep a nice warm nest (approx. 33 to 35°C), some microbes and other organisms are attracted. Some of these have become diseases or pests of honeybees. Most of the diseases caused by microbes are controllable through the careful application of medication. More recently, beekeepers have also been confronted with two different types of parasitic mites. The Tracheal mite is microscopic and lives inside the honeybee’s breathing tubes. The mite may not kill the bee right away, but weakens it severely, causing early death. The Varroa mite is much larger, lives on the outside of the bee, and parasitizes both the bee brood and adult honeybees. This mite is very destructive and can kill a whole colony in only a few months. Varroa mites are controlled through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which involves the carefully timed use of management and chemical cotnrols. Until now, no honey bees have been developed that are resistant to varroa mites. Tracheal mites on the other hand, have
