Natural Varroa mite-surviving Apis mellifera honeybee populations

Abstract

The Varroa destructor mite is the largest threat to apiculture worldwide and has been responsible for devastating losses of wild honeybee populations in Europe and North America. However, Varroa mite-resistant populations of A. mellifera honeybees have been reported and documented around the world with a variety of explanations for their long-term survival with uncontrolled mite infestation. This review synthesizes the work on naturally occurring survival to Varroa mites and discusses what these honeybee populations can signify for apiculture.

Keywords

Varroa destructor; mite resistance; host-parasite adaptations; natural selection; apiculture

Published in

Apidologie
2016, volume: 47, number: 3, pages: 467-482
Publisher: SPRINGER FRANCE

SLU Authors

• Locke Grandér, Barbara

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-015-0412-8

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/78330