title: Key management practices to prevent high infestation levels of Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies at the beginning of the honey yield season.
abstract: Varroa destructor is considered one of the main threats to worldwide apiculture causing a variety of physiological effects at individual and colony level. Also, Varroa mites are often associated with several honey bee viruses presence. Relatively low levels of Varroa during the spring, at the beginning of the honey yield season, can have a significant economic impact on honey production and colony health. Winter treatments against Varroa and certain management practices may delay mite population growth during following spring and summer improving colonies performance during the honey yield season. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with the presence of Varroa destructor in late spring in apiaries from temperate climate. A longitudinal study was carried out in 48 apiaries, randomly selected to evaluate V. destructor infestation level throughout the year. The percentage of infestation with V. destructor was assessed four times during one year and the beekeepers answered a survey concerning all management practices applied in the colonies. We used a generalized linear mixed model to determine association between risk of achieving 2% infestation on adult bees at the beginning of the honey yield season and all potential explanatory variables. The complete dataset was scanned to identify colonies clusters with a higher probability of achieving damage thresholds throughout the year. Colonies that achieved ≥2% of infestation with V. destructor during spring were owned by less experienced beekeepers. Moreover, as Varroa populations increase exponentially during spring and summer, if the spring sampling time is later this growth remains unobserved. Monitoring and winter treatment can be critical for controlling mite population during the honey production cycle. Spatial distribution of colonies with a higher risk of achieving high Varroa levels seems to be better explained by management practices than a geographical condition.
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina. Electronic address: agostinagiacobino@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Agostina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giacobino
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molineri
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bulacio Cagnolo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Julieta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merke
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orellano
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria AER Casilda, Fray Luis Beltrán 2436, 2170, Casilda, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ezequiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertozzi
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masciangelo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Reconquista, Ruta 11 Km. 773, 3567, Reconquista, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pietronave
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pacini
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salto
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km. 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Signorini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D056630:Beekeeping / Q000379:methods*; D001516:Bees / Q000469:parasitology*; D006722:Honey; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D057077:Varroidae
keywords: Apis mellifera; Longitudinal studies; Varroa destructor; Winter treatment