Apiarists in Germany are determined to get rid of a feared parasite within the next 10 years by focusing on breeding resilient bees.
The Varroa destructor reproduces by attaching to the body of the domesticated honeybee.
The European Commission says: “Since its arrival in Europe in the late 1970s, Varroa infests most colonies and represents the most impacting pathogen threat for honeybees and the beekeeping industry worldwide.”
Gerhard Kottek – an apiarist from Tannheim, Baden-Württemberg State – is one of the initiators of the Varroa Resistance Project 2033.
Gerhard got engaged in beekeeping before the parasite started to infest honeybee colonies across Germany in the 1970s.
Referring to a common anti-Varroa method, he told broadcaster SWR: “Any apiarist who accidentally inhaled some formic acid knows how caustic this substance is.
“Our bees are exposed to it to stay protected. However, we want to take a different direction in the future as colonies that survive without any treatment are healthier and more robust.”
Gerhard is a pioneer in breeding Varroa-resistant colonies. His method – which concentrates on the support of the robust members of each hive – has been acknowledged by scientists from Hohenheim University, a higher-education institution in Stuttgart.
Now Gerhard and his colleagues spread the word to get as many beekeepers across the country on board as possible.
He underlined: “Beekeeping as it used to be in pre-Varroa times – that is what we are aiming for.”
Gerhard’s colleague Josef Birk from Bad Wurzach explained: “The strong bees are supposed to kill off the mites themselves even before they start invading the brood.”
Several beekeeping associations have already joined the initiative.
A fact sheet on the dangerous parasite provided by BeeAware, an Australian apiculture news site, says: “Although Varroa mites can feed and live on adult honey bees, they mainly feed and reproduce on larvae and pupae in the developing brood, causing malformation and weakening of honey bees as well as transmitting numerous viruses.”
A Varroa infestation can lead to the death of a whole colony.
There are more than 149,000 beekeepers in Germany. The vast majority engage in apiculture just as a hobby. Last year, they managed almost 990,000 colonies.
Each resident of Germany consumes an average of 800 grammes of honey per year.
The country is not self-sufficient concerning the production of honey.
