North Carolina beekeepers and experts collaborate to safeguard bees from mites.

MEBANE, N.C. (WGHP) — The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Pollinator Center is collaborating with a local beekeeper to examine honey and hives for harmful mites. These mites are increasingly resistant to the pesticides used by beekeepers, endangering their colonies. The focus is now on breeding bees that can naturally combat these pests.

UNCG’s Pollinator Center is working with King Cobra Apiary in Mebane to safeguard local bee populations from Varroa destructor mites. Kaira Wagoner, Director of the Center, noted significant colony losses in the U.S. over the past decade, attributing this to the mites, which are becoming resistant to miticides. “We’re investigating the factors contributing to that resistance,” she stated.