Pollinator Pandemic: Varroa Mites are like COVID-19 for Bees

There’s no single source of honeybee decline. Climate change, pesticides, nutrition, disease and other factors play a part. But the varroa mite represents a pandemic-like threat to pollinator health. These tiny, destructive parasites are transferred between bees and hives much like a pathogen -- direct contact between bees. 

As amazing as bees are, they can’t socially distance or wear masks. That’s why dedicated beekeepers do their best to keep mite populations under control. By treating colonies for mites, they’re essentially vaccinating their bees against the ravages of this nasty pest.

But due to longer falls, a standard mite treatment in August may not be enough to beat back the parasite. If bees are out foraging in October because temperatures are still warm, they’re not finding flowers. So they start invading other hives in search of the honey they need to survive the winter. And at that point, they may still be carrying mites, or they may raid a colony infected with active mites that they take back to their own hives. Mites also carry a plethora of viruses, which further challenge the bees’ immune system.

It’s impossible to quarantine bees in a traditional hive or regulate temperatures to keep mites at bay. The MICA secures bees inside a safe, climate-controlled unit for healthy hibernation. Bees don’t feel the temperature swings, so they don’t forage. Mites are also forced to “chill out” for the winter. Beekeepers can treat their hives for varroa as their bees hunker down for the winter in a secure spot. When spring arrives, beekeepers can decide when to release their bees to make the most of local weather and flowering plants.