How can bees be saved from ticks?

How can bees be saved from ticks? - briefly

Implement integrated pest management that targets tick infestations on hives through acaricide‑treated strips, biological control agents such as predatory mites, and routine hive inspections. Complement these actions with habitat enhancement and minimized chemical stress to strengthen colony resilience.

How can bees be saved from ticks? - in detail

Beekeepers and researchers must address the threat of tick parasites that attach to adult workers and brood, reducing colony vigor and increasing mortality. Effective mitigation combines preventive management, direct control, and long‑term strategies.

Preventive management reduces tick exposure. Maintain hive spacing of at least 30 cm to limit tick movement between colonies. Install physical barriers such as fine mesh screens on hive entrances to block crawling arthropods. Regularly clear surrounding vegetation, especially low shrubs and leaf litter where ticks quest for hosts. Rotate apiary sites every 2–3 years to disrupt tick life cycles.

Direct control targets existing infestations. Apply acaricidal treatments approved for apiculture, such as formic acid or oxalic acid vapour, following label concentrations to avoid bee toxicity. Use temperature‑based methods: brief exposure of frames to 45 °C for 10 minutes eliminates attached ticks without harming brood. Implement mechanical removal by shaking frames over a white tray and manually collecting the parasites.

Biological approaches exploit natural enemies. Introduce entomopathogenic fungi (e.g., Beauveria bassiana) that infect ticks but spare bees. Encourage predatory mites that preferentially feed on tick eggs. Maintain floral diversity that supports these beneficial organisms.

Selective breeding produces colonies with increased resistance. Identify queen lines whose workers display grooming behaviours that dislodge ticks. Incorporate these genetics into breeding programs and monitor offspring for reduced tick loads.

Monitoring ensures timely intervention. Conduct fortnightly inspections of brood frames, counting attached ticks per 100 workers. Record data in a log to detect trends and evaluate treatment efficacy. Use sticky traps at hive entrances to capture wandering ticks and estimate population pressure.

Integrated pest management (IPM) unifies these tactics. Begin with habitat modification, add chemical or thermal treatments when thresholds exceed 5 ticks per 100 workers, supplement with biological agents, and reinforce resistance through breeding. Continuous monitoring guides adjustments, minimizing chemical reliance and preserving colony health.