Disease

• In recent years one of the main threats to honeybees has been disease and parasites that weaken the funtionality and strength of the hive.
  • Pests like the Varroa mite, Tracheal mite, and small hive beetles weaken bees and reduce their abilities to serve the hive
    • varroa mite poses the biggest threat to honey bees. It feeds on the blood of bees and reporoces in their pupae.
      • many beekeepers have found that through encouraging swarming or changing the reproductive cycles this can pose a good attack against the mite.
    • tracheal mites are internal parasites that live in the bees respiratory system and are hard to detect. 
  • another threat to honeybees in foulbrood, or a virus that is highly lethal and contagious. It kills bee larvae after the cells are capped. Colonies affected must be burned immediately to prevent the spread.
  • Nosema is a condition that destroys the bees stomach lining, and spreads as a result of other bees trying to rid the waste. This is most harmful during the winter when bees cannot leave the hive.