UNCG scientists aim to safeguard bees against parasites.

According to the USDA, Varroa mites decimated approximately 60% of commercial honey bee colonies across the U.S. from summer 2024 to spring 2025. Researchers at UNC Greensboro are investigating how these parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to miticides. The university's Plant and Pollinator Center is collaborating with King Cobra Apiary in Mebane to address this issue.

Dr. Kaira Wagoner, director of the Plant and Pollinator Center, is leading a team of Ph.D. students, undergraduates, and high school students to breed bees exhibiting hygienic behaviors that can effectively eliminate mites and infected eggs. Funding from NCInnovation is supporting the development of a tool for beekeepers to assess the hygienic activity of their colonies.