The island of Ireland has a serious problem with Varroa destructor, the parasitic mite that feeds on the body juices (haemolymph) of honey bee larvae. Varroa not only weakens bees directly through this feeding but the weakened bees are understood to be more susceptible to diseases and pathogens. To top this off, Varroa also transmits viruses such as Deformed wing virus to the bees and/or increases the virulence of the viruses. Unfortunately, the most likely fate of weakened, diseased colonies is to eventually die.
Read more about Keith Browne’s work at NUIG
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