varroa

[ vahr-oh-uh ]

noun

1. a small mite, Varroa jacobsoni, that is a parasite of the honeybee.

Word History and Origins

Origin of varroa¹

First recorded in 1970–75; from New Latin; genus name, named after Marcus Terentius Varro ( def )

Example Sentences

The researchers found that beekeepers who used a combination of treatments for Varroa mites -- tiny parasites that can weaken and spread diseases to honey bees -- had higher winter colony survival than those who used only one type of treatment.

From Science Daily

Additionally, while weather significantly impacted winter colony survival, beekeepers using these integrated pest management strategies -- where multiple methods are used to control Varroa mites -- had higher colony survival rates even in harsh weather conditions.

From Science Daily

Data included information on pre- and post-winter colony numbers, how many years of experience the beekeeper had, whether and how they treated for Varroa mites, and whether and what they provided for supplemental feed.

From Science Daily

The study revealed that beekeepers who used treatments against Varroa mites in their apiaries had significantly higher bee survival than those who did not, and those who used multiple types of treatments had better survival than those who used a single treatment type.

From Science Daily

Soft chemicals -- naturally derived, organic compounds -- were as effective at increasing winter survival as hard chemicals, which are synthetic chemicals that have been shown to leave long-term residue in colonies and may promote populations of Varroa mites that are resistant to treatment.

From Science Daily