Varroa Resistance Workshops Q&A

Just days away from the first of a series of six one-day workshops around New Zealand discussing breeding for varroa resistance in honey bees, the Bee Breeding NZ Group, led by Rae Butler and Linda Newstrom-Lloyd, answer their most frequently asked questions.

Those attending any of Bee Breeding New Zealand Group’s eight workshops on varroa resistance in July and August will be given the opportunity to inspect brood frames under microscope.

Will this workshop be suitable for new beekeepers? All beekeepers are welcome. These workshops are valuable for anyone seeking to better understand and work with varroa-resistant bees. They cater to all levels, whether you are a queen breeder, queen producer, or a consumer of purchased varroa-resistant queens. The network of informed feedback on the quality of queens and the effectiveness of methods is essential.

How much does it cost? The workshop costs $50+gst per person. The remainder is funded by the New Zealand Honey Charitable Trust. Invoices will be emailed to registered attendees before the workshop. Door sales are discouraged, as some venues may reach capacity. Please register or contact in advance.

What should I bring? If possible, please bring a frame of capped brood at the purple-eyed pupae stage. Two microscopes and other tools will be available.

Is the workshop focused solely on varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH)? No, the workshop will present six assays for identifying and selecting varroa-resistant bees. You will gain clarity on the advantages and disadvantages of these assays and field observations, so you can tailor your protocols to your preferences, budgets, and management style. We will explain how the term VSH has been interpreted in the USA, in contrast to its use in the EU. The workshop will include a demonstration of the Harbo Quick Test (brood inspection), based on research conducted in the USA at Baton Rouge.

Canterbury queen breeder Rae Butler will lead the Bee Breeding NZ Group’s workshops.

Will you cover Randy Oliver's method for selecting low-varroa hives? Yes. All varroa resistance approaches are discussed. Randy’s system falls within the category of methods that focus on mite monitoring and other field observations, which have proven highly successful. This approach does not directly measure hygienic behaviour. It measures and interprets mite population growth. Beekeepers are encouraged to adopt methods that suit their own operations and management style.

Does mite monitoring play a role in identifying and selecting varroa-resistant bees? Yes, mite monitoring is essential for identifying and selecting resistant colonies. It is the first step in screening to determine which of your colonies may have resistance to varroa. The workshop places strong emphasis on mite monitoring thresholds and trends, as well as practical decision-making.

Weren’t VSH hives poor producers with unstable genetics? This idea is a remnant of early research into varroa-resistant bees. Beginning in 1992, no one yet knew which trait, if any, made a bee colony resistant to varroa destructor. They had to start from scratch to identify a trait. To do this, they focused on finding a trait that could reliably predict resistance. They knew that later breeding efforts would combine the resistance trait with other desirable beekeeping traits to produce valuable bee stock with both resistance and other important traits. Ongoing research since those beginnings has shown that the resistant traits can be transferred into any bee stock. Many operations are using the VSH trait at a commercial scale, and the idea of unstable genetics for the VSH trait is a myth.

Will there be an online workshop? The first step is to attend in-person workshops. In future, if BBNZG receives strong support from beekeepers and researchers, it could also facilitate webinars.

For more information on workshops near you (in July and August) and to register, click here.