The BeeGuards members: Aleksandar Uzunov, Cecilia Costa and Giovanni Cilia are an important part of the author team on this breaking new article. You need to read.
First to confirm findings of the harmful Tropilaelaps mercedesae mite in Western Georgia (Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region). Infested honey bee colonies (of the Caucasian honey bee, Apis mellifera caucasica) across three beekeeping sites showed high levels of infestation. Tropilaelaps are spreading and create increasing concern for beekeepers. In these colonies, T. mercedesae was found alongside another harmful mite, Varroa destructor, both showing high reproductive success. This discovery raises alarms for beekeeping in Georgia and Europe, and immediate steps are needed to monitor and control its spread to protect bees and agriculture.
Download on: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385048575_First_Report_on_Tropilaelaps_mercedesae_Presence_in_Georgia_The_Mite_is_Heading_Westward