INNOBEE implements an innovative summer treatment at 15 experimental apiaries
As part of the INNOBEE project, an innovative summer treatment has been launched to support more sustainable control of Varroa destructor mites and safeguard honey bee colony health in Croatia and Serbia.
The pilot action is being implemented at 15 experimental apiaries: five operated by selected beekeepers in Croatia, five in Serbia and five managed by the project partners. At each apiary, 12 honey bee colonies of approximately equal strength were selected, with six assigned to the test group and six to the control group.
The innovative treatment began on 30 June 2026 by temporarily confining queens in specially designed cages for 25 days. This creates a brood-free period during which the mites remain exposed on adult bees, enabling more effective treatment with organic acids while reducing the use of conventional chemical acaricides.
Digital beekeeping scales with sensors and traps for monitoring the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) were installed at the experimental apiaries. Honey bee colony strength was assessed, the first annual sampling campaign was completed and Varroa infestation levels were determined. Collected samples are being stored for planned virological and parasitological analyses. Field data are being consolidated for statistical analysis, while preparations for the innovative winter treatment are under way.
The INNOBEE project (HR-RS00210) is implemented under the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia-Serbia Programme 2021-2027.
