The project tested a unique heating method to eliminate the parasitic Varroa destructor, which can kill up to 70% of bee colonies, by using the Bee Breeding Box. This innovative beehive, made of stainless steel, incorporates a hyperthermic system and advanced heating device that uses a heat to eliminate the Varroa parasites. Unlike other hyperthermia-based solutions, the Bee Breeding Box integrates the entire heating and control system directly within the innovative stainless still hive, enabling to eliminate both adult and juveniles Varroa destructor inside the hive.
Prototypes were tested with a local scientist at a selected Serbian apiary, which housed 100 standard hives. The results showed that the system requires minimal labor and can achieve a Varroa juvenile destruction rate of 76–95%, even with reinvasion from neighboring hives. However, this mortality rate mainly affected the reproductive phase of the mites and was lower for adult mites.
The Bee Breeding Box system proves to be both feasible and practical for beekeepers. This low-labor, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly innovative solution reduces the workload for beekeepers and lowers the long-term costs of treating bee colonies.
In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme
