BEE-GUARDS inform:
Tropilaelaps mites are statutorily notifiable in the EU and infestation with Tropilaelaps spp. is subject to surveillance within the EU (see https://sitesv2.anses.fr/en/minisite/abeilles/leaflet-tropilaelaps-spp-beekeepers). BeeGuards continue to raise awareness among the beekeeping and scientific communities, as well as national and international authorities including the EU Commission. As our post suggests, our experts are currently studying Tropilaelaps and intensifying research in Georgia and China. In addition, we alerted beekeepers about this damaging mite with an informative leaflet translated into eight languages (https://beeguards.eu/downloads/), and in cooperation with Apimondia, we organised a specific Webinar to share knowledge on mite biology and improve preparedness (see https://youtu.be/K-yRRHLROdc?si=rF7kXUZNlyzlnyZl).
BeeGuards published work on mite detection techniques has led to changes in national and EU surveillance protocols for Tropilaelaps mites, as well as the beekeeping practice:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0301880
Earlier this year, the www.tropilaelaps.info website was launched as the most comprehensive online, free-of-charge repository of Tropilaelaps-related scientific and popular articles and media.
In short, BeeGuards is committed to preparing the EU Beekeeping sector and helping the community to counter the negative consequences of a Tropilaelaps invasion across the continent. Stay tuned for more information that will follow!
Cryopreservation workshop.
International cryopreservation workshop in Spain at Universidad de Zaragoza organized by Professor Jesús Yániz and his team. This task is a part of our workpackage 2: Breeding for resilience. Have a picture look.
Climate changes
Our climate is changing and we are seeing more intensive periods of unsettled weather. Our bees cannot forage in high winds or when it is raining, so how do they cope when they cannot forage? Scientists at Newcastle University have built a machine to simulate rainfall on colonies, whilst their neighboring colonies are left to fly freely in the Newcastle sunshine! BeeGuards will assess the physiological and immune responses of the bees, and assess how they respond to pathogen challenge. The results will help us understand how bees are coping with climate change, and allow us to design interventions that improve the resilience of our honey bees.
Queen bee – queen or machine?
Marin Kovačić, Croatia telling: In most languages, she’s called the queen or the mother. It always refers to something central, the core around which everything revolves. And so it is in the hive – queen bee is the soul of the colony, the one and only mother 
But… is she really a queen? Or just a highly efficient factory of pheromones and eggs?
In the video below, in just 1 minute – she lays 4 eggs! If she kept that pace all day, she’d lay an unbelievable 5,760 eggs! 
In reality, when the colony is at its peak, she lays “only” around 2,000 eggs a day. Fun fact: that’s also her approximate weight in milligrams. 
p.s. The queen in this video is in her third year of life – what we’d jokingly call a “granny”
An apiary is not just honey!
Beautiful and meaningful post from Magda Wilde, from Poland, one of our partners.
🐝 An apiary is not just honey – it’s first and foremost bees! 🐝
In the world of beekeeping, the protection and development of bees is a key challenge. That’s why the international @BeeGuards project, coordinated in Poland by @pasiekawilde and @inhort is a huge opportunity for our bees!
🌍 BeeGuards – a global initiative for bees
The BeeGuards project brings together experts, beekeepers and scientists from different countries to work together on innovative ways to protect bees. Through research on varroa, one of the greatest threats to bees, it is possible to develop effective strategies to combat this parasite.
Varroa research – key to the future of beekeeping
Varroa is a serious challenge for beekeepers around the world. Thanks to a partnership with @pasiekawilde, the BeeGuards project is becoming a testing ground for modern bee protection methods.
🤝 Invaluable support for bees
Thanks to BeeGuards, we can not only protect bees, but also educate and support beekeepers by providing them with the latest solutions and knowledge. This is a step towards healthier and stronger bee colonies, which are the foundation of ecology and agriculture.
📢 Together for the bees!
@pasiekawilde and @BeeGuards are proof that collaboration of beekeeping science and practice can bring real benefits to the environment we already know that and we thank you
🐝🌼❤@siedliskopasieka
#BeeGuards #PasiekaWilde #siedliskopasieka #BeeGuards #BeeProtection #Warrow #BeeKeeping #ScienceForBees 🐝
Stay turned on Tropilaelaps with international speakers.
3 hours of knowledge! Now online.
Originally held: 22 April 2025
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/K-yRRHLROdc
Did you miss our expert webinar on Tropilaelaps mites? The full recording is now live! Learn from leading scientists and experienced beekeepers about:
The biology and expanding distribution of Tropilaelaps mites in EuropeLatest detection and surveillance methodsEffective control strategies, including acaricide trials and cultural managementPreparedness and critical gaps for European beekeepers and beyond.
This event, jointly hosted by Apimondia Federation and BeeGuards, and with technical support by #auburnuniversity brought together top experts to discuss how to identify, monitor, and manage this emerging threat to honey bee colonies.
Whether you’re a beekeeper, researcher, or just passionate about bee health, this is essential viewing!
Follow the BeeGuards Tropilaelaps homepage. https://tropilaelaps.info/
Exciting BeeGuards publication on Tropilalaps
We are happy to announce that BeeGuards newest publication is in the air in the Bee World magazine. The hot topic now is the Tropilalaps mites slowly approaching europe. Find the article here https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.2025.2483730 and do your research on the exciting homepage: https://tropilaelaps.info/, where you find all you need to know.
Listen to our podcast www.beecast.eu
Listen to our podcast where we talk about our project, we go deeper, but we also talk about and with our partners. Meet our project and our partners. Enjoy the podcast while driving or doing something else.
Tropilaelaps mercedesae – a new threat for European beekeeping?
In 2024, Tropilaelaps was confirmed for the first time in Europe, infesting honey bee colonies in southwest Russia and Georgia. These reports mark a continued movement towards the west from origins in Asia. Migratory beekeeping and bee stocks sales are likely pathways for the rapid movement of this dangerous mite. Test your bees for Tropilaelaps.
Monitor your colonies for Tropilaelaps mites. Tropilaelaps mites are statutory notifiable pests in many different countries, and so you must inform your local authorities immediately if you have any suspicions that the mite is present. Mite samples and photographs can be useful evidence to share with the authorities. Beekeepers can reduce mite spread by considering importing or migrating bee stocks from regions with a low risk of mite presence.
How to detect the Tropilaelaps mite easy:
Have a closer look at this nice video. Please share with your colleagues all over europe.
Download our leaflet with the latest update on Tropilaelaps: https://beeguards.eu/?sdm_process_download=1&download_id=994