Synergistic biorational strategies for Varroa mite management

Monday, November 11, 2024

9:12 AM – 9:24 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 131 C, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Petra Hafker (she/her/hers)

PhD student
Cornell University
Geneva, New York

Co-Author(s)

CD

Christophe Duplais

Cornell University
Geneva, New York

Honey bees are rented by apple growers to use as pollination “insurance” for their crop. Their primary threat, Varroa destructor, can overwhelm colonies and transmit viruses at disruptive levels. Many of the current management techniques are not host-specific, unsafe for hive-product consumers, and require specific environmental conditions for safe application. This work evaluates the suitability of a biopesticide and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as a form of Varroa mite control in the hive environment. Experiments focus on the ability of biorationals to target Varroa mites at a concentration that does not impact adult bees or developing larvae. The active ingredient in the biopesticide is a peptide derived from the venom of Hadronyche versuta spider. It kills small arthropods on contact by targeting acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). EPF creates holes when penetrating the cuticle of the arthropod pest which could increase the bioavailability of the biopesticide. In this work, we examine if a synergistic effect on mite mortality results when the biopesticide and EPF are used in combination. Developing new control strategies is important as mites are becoming resistant to synthetic chemical miticides. Furthermore, searching for tools that can be combined for a more powerful effect is essential in light of the international spread of the Tropilaelaps mite which is expected to be more devastating than the Varroa mite.