09/08/2026
The Varroa mite is a growing threat to honey bee colonies, adapting to Ohio's climate and resisting traditional miticides. The mites are found virtually anywhere that honey bees live, researchers say. The parasites burrow into the hexagonal cells that make up honeybee colonies; a family of mites feeds on developing bees, according to Reed Johnson, a professor of entomology at Ohio State University.
"They’re small, about the size of a pinhead,” Johnson said. “But relative to the size of a honey bee, it’s a huge parasite. It’s like us having a parasitic squirrel.”
Researchers at Central State University are fighting back by developing genetic stocks of mite-resistant bees to protect vital pollinators and our region's crops. Read the full story at the link in the comments ⬇️