An evaluation of bee hives found a dangerously high level of Varroa mites, a honeybee pest that is blamed in part for calamitous declines in the bee population, says Agri-Pulse, citing a blog by a Bayer scientist. Dick Rogers, the scientist, says three mites per 100 bees can mean serious trouble. “This year I’m finding at least two-thirds of the hives I’ve examined contain mite counts above that threshold and many exceed seven mites per 100 bees, a level that is almost certain to result in colony failures this winter,” Rogers wrote.
Other groups report infestations of seven or eight mites per 100 bees, he said. Honeybees play a critical role in pollinating many crops, including fruits and vegetables. One-third of honeybee colonies have been lost annually in recent years. Suspected factors in colony losses include the mites, insecticides and poor nutrition. Rogers says Varroa mites may be developing resistance to a pesticide that has been a successful tool for beekeepers.