Dr Prem Life Improving Logo-R

Hawaii bees infested by destructive varroa mites

Hawaii-bees-infested-by-destructive-varroa-mites

With their deceiving size, the tiny mites that are reputed for their devastating nature have now been spotted in Honolulu, this time to infest the regions honeybee hives, which have the capability to wipe the populations out. The parasites have already destroyed more than half of some mainland bee hives, and in the process have wiped out some most wild honeybees in the regions.

The varroa mites have, for the first time this month, infested the bee colonies across Oahu. So beekeepers, be aware! It’s time to restrict transporting your bees around the islands. Though been tested free of the mites yet, the queen bee export industry that’s thriving in the Big Island, could eventually be threatened by the mites’ infestation.

Michael Kliks, head of the Hawaii Beekeepers’ Association and owner of Manoa Honey Co said,

This is going to be for us a nightmare. When I saw that mite I knew exactly what it was. I knew exactly what it meant and I fell to my knees and almost began to weep because it’s inexpressible what that sea change is for us in Hawaii.

The mites were astoundingly first discovered on April 6 on a pupa inside an abandoned hive from the Makiki section of Honolulu. It is since then; the mites have been confirmed in hives across Waimanalo, Ewa, Kunia, Kahaluu and Punaluu.

Kliks, who discovered the first mites said,

The only thing we can try and do is keep the levels of infestation in our managed colonies below what’s called the threshold level … so that we can still produce honey. But keeping it at that level will certainly require quite regular, heavy application of permitted pesticides.

Unfortunately, these hives can be kept on check for a certain period, but it seems to be too late already to even think of eradicating or containing the infestation.

Photo Credit: livescience

Recent Articles:

Scroll to Top