23/03/2022 (Agence Europe) – The selection of bee lines resistant to infestation by the parasitic mite varroa is effective but costly, concludes a pilot study conducted by the EurBeST consortium, the results of which were published on 14 March by the European Commission. This project, carried out between 2018 and 2021 in eleven EU countries and funded by the EU, explored the possibilities of increasing resistance to varroa mites in honey bees by selection, as well as ways to improve beekeepers’ access to this resistant material. The study confirms that some bees are able to develop defences and survive mite infestation, in particular by developing hygienic behaviour towards the parasite. The number of beehives in the EU is growing steadily (19 million in 2020). These hives are managed by 615,000 beekeepers. More info at: https://aeur.eu/f/wd (LC)