Californian Hybrid Bees Naturally Fight Varroa Mites, Study Finds
Researchers from UC Riverside report that a locally adapted Southern California honeybee population, often feral, shows strong resistance to Varroa destructor mites, with colonies led by Californian hybrid queens exhibiting 68% fewer mites and five times less need for chemical treatments; larval studies indicate mites are less attracted to these bees, suggesting a genetic basis for resistance that could inform breeding programs to improve bee health and crop pollination.