Integrated pest management
Slow mite population growth Employ methods that slow the growth of the varroa population in your colonies – such as drone brood removal and use of mesh floors. These will have a less dramatic effect than other controls, but will delay the point when the infestation reaches a damaging level and so allow you to treat a little later, or to use less efficacious varroacides. Control
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Open mesh floor Drone brood removal Comb trapping Queen comb trap Formic acid Apiguard Exomite Apis Apistan/Bayvarol Lactic/Oxalic Acid
Figure 49: Examples of integrated control methods used throughout the year by UK and EU beekeepers (See Table 4 for information about authorisation for use of varroacides in Member States)
Using monitoring to choose the level of controls to employ An important principle of IPM is to adjust the level of control to suit the level of infestation. Low mite levels need no action; intermediate levels may require some moderate intervention; high mite levels require more urgent and effective action. The monitoring methods shown in Figures 19 to 21 illustrate these principles using daily mite drop to assess the severity of infestation and determining what action should be taken. Table 5 illustrates the same principle applied to monitoring using drone brood uncapping. They are based on the Central Science Laboratory’s mathematical model of mite populations, and aim to maintain a level of less than 1000 mites during the beekeeping season. However, be aware that if an invasion of mites occurs then mite levels could increase rapidly. In this context, light control means using biotechnical methods or varroacides that have a relatively low efficacy and therefore have a fairly limited effect on the mite population. Effective control means using varroacides or biotechnical methods that are very effective and greatly reduce the mite population.
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