About the Book

Why do we need a book?

Varroa destructor (the varroa mite) is one of the worst threats facing kept honeybees today. Varroa and the viruses it spreads are responsible for so many colony deaths, and if left unchecked, they can wipe out an entire apiary within a year. Breeding honeybees for resistance to varroa is a complex topic, tangled in the biological and political landscapes of apiculture. Varroa resistance has been well-documented, often in populations of Western honeybee used for commercial purposes, but for all the information available, there is no definitive text detailing all the discovered methods of breeding resistant bees written specially for beekeepers.

What's in the book?

“Resisting Varroa” will be a book about three things:

One: It will be a catalogue of the experiences of both scientists and beekeepers in their efforts to breed and study Western honeybees that have developed resistances to the parasite Varroa destructor. These experiences will be presented in four central case studies and in other examples sprinkled throughout the next sections of the book.

Two: It will be a rough step-by-step guide on what to consider when you attempt to breed varroa resistance into your own stock. This section will discuss factors like selection criteria, breeding techniques and the impacts of the environment around your operation.

Three: This book will spring board your efforts by inspiring collaboration with like-minded beekeepers from all over the world. More and more, beekeepers and scientists are finding evidence that resisting varroa is possible. This book will hopefully help spread the word, and provide a responsible introduction to the practice of breeding varroa-resistant bees.

What will you get from the book?

By the end of the book, readers should have a thorough understanding of the challenges and benefits of varroa resistance breeding and be able to apply some of the practical techniques outlined in the chapters as they pertain to their own specific operations.