Influence of Hyperthermia Treatment on Varroa Infestation, Viral Infections, and Honey Bee Health in Beehives

作者：Xinjian Xu, Shujing Zhou, Jinrong Huang, Feng Geng, Xiangjie Zhu, Hossam F. Abou‐Shaara · 发表于：Insects · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/insects16020168 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Insect and Pesticide Research、Plant and animal studies、Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior

) colonies on a global scale. Varroa mite infestations in bee colonies are intricately linked with viral infections, collaboratively leading to diminished bee populations and accelerated colony losses. Extensive research has firmly established the correlation between varroa mites and viruses, underscoring the mite's efficiency in spreading viruses among bees and colonies. The effective control of varroa mites is expected to result in a decrease in viral infections within bee colonies. Research suggests that thermal treatments (hyperthermia) present a viable approach to combat varroa mites, with studies demonstrating the role of heat stress in reducing viral infections in affected bees. This article examines the extant literature surrounding the utilization of hyperthermia as a potential method to ameliorate the adverse impacts of varroa mites and their associated viral infections on honey bee colonies. It also outlines the thermal characteristics of these stressors. Diverse devices can be used for subjecting colonies to hyperthermia treatment, targeting mites both within and outside of brood cells. The application of thermal treatments, typically ranging between 40 and 42 °C for 1.5-3 h, as a method to reduce varroa mites and viral infections, has shown promise. Notably, the precise effectiveness of hyperthermia treatment in comparison with alternative varroa mite control measures remains uncertain within the available literature. The potential deleterious repercussions of th...