Behavioural responses of Varroa destructor mites to volatiles within Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Western honey bees are economically important insects that provide essential pollination services to agriculture. It is generally acknowledged that Varroa destructor mites, since making their way from Asia to the rest of the world, have become the most serious threat to the stability of the apiculture industry. To control V. destructor, apiculturists apply miticides, but this entails significant costs and additional labour, has collateral effects on honey bees, and can leave residues in commercial products; moreover, miticide resistance has repeatedly evolved. Both bees and mites rely on monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for communication and for navigating their respective life cycles, which means that intervening in V. destructor’s life cycle by luring or repelling them with VOCs has potential as a badly needed alternative to miticides.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kirk Hillier;Dave Shutler

Student:

Partner:

Springboard Atlantic Inc.

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture and Food; Environmental Science and Technology; Biotechnology

University:

Acadia University

Program: