Modelling the spread of resistance to Varroa in Australian feral honeybee populations

Abstract

Australia is the only country where Western honeybees, Apis mellifera , are not infested with the mite Varroa destructor . Hence, a collapse in the feral honeybee population, brought about by an incursion and spread of V. destructor , would have serious consequences for Australian horticulture given its dependence on managed and feral honeybees for pollination. Managing Varroa in commercial colonies is well understood and can be achieved, although at significant bee-health costs, by using miticides. Protecting the feral population in the event of a Varroa incursion is much more difficult, but nevertheless imperative. One way to mitigate against collapse of the feral population is to seed it with Varroa -resistant queens, so as to accelerate the spread of resistance. We developed a simulation model of the spread of Varroa -resistance in feral honeybee populations following the introduction of Varroa -resistant queens into the managed population.

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“…Biosecurity laws in certain countries like Australia prohibit the importation of bumblebee pollinators due to a devastating threat to ecological habitats 7 . Worldwide pollination services have been threatened by the spread of parasitic mite pests such as Varroa destructor, which attack endemic as well as commercial honeybees and broods 8 . Managing natural pollinators can pose a multifaceted challenge, particularly within protected cropping facilities that are specifically designed to ensure superior quality and consistency of fresh market produce through precise environmental control 7,9,10 .…”