How Foundation May Affect Varroa Treatment
Beekeepers have many options for treating varroa mites in a hive, and direction for such treatment largely stems from the abundance of mites present.
As with anything in health and biology — whether with humans or honeybees — preventative measures are a safer route than relying on treatment once the disorder has set in. Varroa infestation can be looked at as a type of disorder in a hive, and for beekeepers, it feels as one that is inevitable.
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that this article is entirely based on secondary research rather than primary research (i.e., we have not conducted our own studies on the effects of foundation on varroa). The thoughts outlined below are purely speculation, though based on data already collected regarding varroa prevention and treatment.
The most typical and effective approach to mite treatment involves an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. This includes a combination of cultural, mechanical, and chemical practices to aid in both preventing and treating pests, including the varroa mite.
Think of this approach as a pyramid with toxicity and intervention increasing as it advances. Naturally, we start with the least toxic, more preventable methods before moving on to the riskier ones.
One of our core beliefs at Premier Bee is that bees will respond positively to any product that more closely mimics their own natural products. As manufacturers of foundation, our mission is to create a more accurate, healthier base upon which the bees will draw their comb.
“One of our core beliefs... is that bees will respond positively to any product that more closely mimics their own natural products.”
The early result seems to be overwhelmingly in support of this belief, and a possible “by-product” of this mission may be further prevention of varroa infestation. Here’s the basic logic:
Thinner cell walls in the comb allow for greater heat transfer between bees.
Premier Foundation’s 36% thinner cell walls lead to higher cell temperatures, which may inhibit the ability of mites to reproduce.
Now, once again, we must remind our readers that this is a hypothesis and has not been proven with any hard data. There are many unknown variables which we seek to test, but the early evidence seems to validate our questioning.
And as a final thought, we contend that any natural remedies for preventing or treating mite infestation are always worth considering. Perhaps there is a small effect. Perhaps there is no effect at all. But by doing nothing, a beekeeper is sure to make a mistake for his hive amidst the present threat of varroa.
We fully intend to coordinate with one or more master beekeeping programs to develop hard data on this hypothesis. We also encourage our current fans and customers to share the successes they have seen since incorporating Premier Foundation in their hives. More often, these success stories concern the bees’ productivity and output, which may or may not be correlated with varroa infestation.
Either way, it seems obvious to us that the bees are “swarming” to this healthier, more natural foundation upon which to draw their comb.