| The first downturn came in the late 1980s when the parasitic varroa mite showed up in North America. |
| Orkney is one of the few places in Britain to be free of the deadly varroa mites that have devastated honey production in many parts of the world. |
| Earlier this year a dead varroa mite was found in a hive in North Canterbury, prompting a major investigation by MAF and restrictions on the area. |
| Scientists will examine the effectiveness of pesticides in protecting the bees from colony collapse disorder and varroa mite. |
| However, we have found little evidence of parasitization by varroa or tracheal mites. |
| Monthly samples of the fallen varroa showed that the screen insert reduced the mite populations by about 15 percent. |
