Total Brood Removal and Other Biotechniques for the Sustainable Control of Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies: Economic Impact in Beekeeping Farm Case Studies in Northwestern Italy

Abstract

Honey bee colonies are affected by many threats, and the Varroa mite represents one of the most important causes of honey bee disease. The control of the Varroa population is managed by different methods, and in recent years, biotechnical practices are considered preferable to chemical approaches in order to safeguard honey bee health and avoid residues in bee products as well as the appearance of acaricide resistance. However, little is known about the economic performance of beekeeping exploitations in relation to the methods used for tackling Varroa. This study aims to investigate the economic impact of total brood removal (TBR) as a biotechnique to keep Varroa mites under control, and compare this to other common biotechniques and chemical Varroa control in numerous Italian beekeeping case studies. A pool of economic and technical indexes was proposed. The proposed index pool can be included in the development of an expert system (such as a decision support system) able to address the optimal management of this very complex activity, which requires natural resources, land protection, capital and high technical skills. The result showed that the adoption of the TBR biotechnique vs. other biotechniques led to an increase in terms of total revenue (increase values ranging from 11% to 28%) even though more labor is needed (increase values ranging from 43 to 83 min/hive) and a loss of honey production could be recorded in some cases. Additionally, the total expenses, represented mainly by supplemental nutrition and treatments with oxalic acid, affected the economic results of the biotechnical practices. The use of biotechniques vs. chemical control resulted in decreased treatment costs and increased feeding costs. The advantages resulting from not using synthetic acaricides (which are dangerous for honey bee and human health as well as the environment) as well as the advantages linked to the production of new nuclei (which are involved in the maintenance of bee stock and counteract the decline in honey bee population) and pollination ecosystem services could make beekeeping farms more resilient over time.

A Qualitative Analysis of Beekeepers’ Perceptions and Farm Management Adaptations to the Impact of Climate Change on Honey Bees

“…To cope with these issues, beekeepers have to adopt many new practices and measures for maintaining the honey bee colony strength and the farm income, such as supplemental sugar feeding to make up for the lack of nectar and therefore save the bees; the adoption of more effective as well as sustainable techniques for varroa control (e.g., queen caging and total brood removal) [ 60 , 61 ]; intensive transhumance practice; and increased production of nuclei [ 35 ]. The adoption of the adaptation strategies entails higher costs, both variable and fixed, in particular out-of-pocket expenses for supplemental feeding and intensive transhumance, and additional labor costs, since the adaptation practices are time-consuming and labor-intensive.…”

“…As the effects of climate change strongly affect pollinators and beekeeping, this topic is deeply investigated by scientists, and specific policy measures have been implemented at the national and international levels [ 30 , 31 ]. To date, most of the investigations were aimed at analyzing beekeeping farms, beekeeper profit, and value chain individually [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ], but little research concerns the climate change effects on beekeeping activity and bee hive and farm management [ 36 , 37 ]. Qualitative and participatory approaches, such as focus group discussions (FGDs), may contribute to help out the social interaction among stakeholders as in informal life settings [ 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”

The Influence of Chemical Contaminants on the Physicochemical Properties of Unifloral and Multifloral Honey from the North-East Region of Romania

“…These compounds can be transferred by nectar from the environment into honey, and it represents an indirect source of pollution. Veterinary drugs such as acaricides used by beekeepers to control Varroa destructor mite infestation of bee colonies represent the direct source of pesticide contamination of honey [ 28 ]. Residues of pesticides such as organochlorine (OCs) and organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates, and pyrethroids have been detected in honey.…”

Varroa destructor: how does it harm Apis mellifera honey bees and what can be done about it?

“…Queen caging or brood removal can artificially create a broodless colony that keeps the mites on adult bees, making them accessible to acaricides [91,93]. A recent study suggests that while brood removal may result in a decrease in honey production, this loss can be compensated for by avoiding the use of acaricides, enabling a better price of hive products to be achieved [94]. Recently, a new formulation, to be used when brood is present and based on strips releasing oxalic acid, was tested successfully for Varroa control, creating a real opportunity in the organic control of Varroa [95].…”