A new chemical may unlock new treatment for the mites that are decimating bee colonies in local apiaries. The breakthrough from Simon Fraser University (SFU) will tackle varroa mites. They say these pests infiltrate colonies, take stings out of bees and leave them vulnerable to disease and injury. Rachel Halliwell, owner of Home Grown Bee on Vancouver Island, says the mites are about the size of poppy seeds and can transmit the deformed wing virus. Halliwell adds that viruses like these can wipe out a colony in a season if the mites are not treated. The issue for beekeepers is global, according to SFU. Halliwell says preparing for these mites is key to keeping colonies alive, especially during the winter. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a beekeeper who doesn’t have varroa mites,” Halliwell said. “We’re constantly talking about integrated pest management, which is probably monthly mite checks to see if there’s a high mite load and different techniques to make sure the mites are reduced.” Halliwell says there are a few treatments for mites at the moment. Techniques for controlling mites include putting a sample of 300 bees in a jar of sugar and shaking it, causing the mites to fall out. Chemical treatments may also include formic acid, hop protectant and oxalic acid. The issue for beekeepers is that mites are starting to become resistant to some treatments, according to Halliwell. The university says it has discovered a new chemical that is working well in clinical trials so far. They add that damage to the bees was minimal, an aspect that is very important to beekeepers. “Our goal is always to make sure that the health of the colony remains, so we don’t want to use something too harsh that kills our bees or affects them in a negative way,” Halliwell said. SFU’s chemical, called 3C36, is currently being tested in the Lower Mainland in about 40 different colonies. So far, chemistry professor Erika Plettner says the results have been encouraging based on what is falling on sticky test sheets from the hives. “The sticky sheets under the cells help us take a snapshot of what’s going down, and we can take them back to the lab, put them under the microscope and measure them,” Plettner said. “It’s very promising. We have observed that our compound causes more mites to fall than the control group.” Plettner adds that if the results continue to run smoothly, the university will take the product to obtain federal approval and seek licensing partners. With bees vital to ecosystems across the country, Halliwell hopes the new treatment could enable another method of fighting mites. “They’re really important to our food security and unfortunately management that most beekeepers have to incorporate into their practice,” Halliwell said. “Any help we can get would be great.” Halliwell adds that provincial inspectors along with bee associations can help beekeepers manage disease control, check for mites and answer questions.
