Model evaluation of methods for Varroa jacobsoni mite control based on trapping in honey bee brood

Biotechnical Varroa mite control methods are based on the principle that mites inside brood cells are trapped and can then easily be removed from a honey bee colony. Here, a validated trap-comb model based on work on invasion rates of mites into brood cells is used to estimate and compare effectiveness of different trap-comb methods. Trapping with worker brood is labour intensive because a large amount of brood is needed to trap a sufficient number of mites for effective control. In addition, trapping with worker brood requires subsequent treatment of the capped brood to selectively kill the mites, because beekeepers want to save the brood. Trapping with drone brood demands fewer brood cells for effective mite control, and destruction of drone brood with trapped mites is common practice. Moreover, preparation of trap-combs with drone brood can be integrated into swarm-prevention techniques and will take little extra time. (C) Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris.