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A Corrales company is using biomimicry to deliver fogging treatments to combat the global honey bee health crisis caused by parasitic mites.
Terra Vera, co-founded by Carlos Perea and Justin Sanchez, is an agricultural technology company focused on creating sustainable solutions for crop growth. They developed ApiVera, a treatment designed to protect honey bee colonies from environmental challenges such as malnutrition, disease and Varroa mite infestations. On Oct. 9, the company hosted a launch party and demonstration to showcase the technology.
Varroa mites are external parasites that feed on adult bees and their developing young, weakening and shortening their lives. The mites are evolving faster than bees can adapt, making them a serious threat to bee colonies.
“People who are using the existing treatment methods are not seeing results because their mite population is building resistance,†said Lawrence Rael, product development engineer for TerraVera.
According to New Mexico State University, Varroa mites are the leading cause of high honey bee colony mortality and integrated pest management is the most effective control method, reducing pesticide use and promoting healthier bees. In New Mexico, the number of honey bee colonies fluctuates between 3,100 and 6,000 each year, influenced by colony loss, hive splitting and the relocation of hives from other states.
About 23% of honey bee colonies in New Mexico were lost between January and June. During the first quarter, 91.9% of colonies were affected by Varroa mites — the highest rate in the nation — though this number dropped to 26.7% from April to June, according to a USDA honey bee report.
The ApiVera system Terra Vera created uses biomimicry and ultrasonic technology to help protect honey bee colonies from the mites and improve their overall health.
Biomimicry involves imitating how bees naturally interact with their environment to address the honey bee health problem caused by the mites. This approach delivers treatments that support bees’ biological needs while targeting mites.
According to Rael, the system uses ultrasonic technology, similar to a cold humidifier, to convert a mixture of water, amino acids, and mite-killing agents into a fine fog. This fog falls down into the hive, spreading evenly and coating the bees and surfaces.
Each treatment takes about six minutes, and beekeepers are advised to repeat it twice a week for about four to six weeks. The best time to treat is early spring, when the hives are starting to emerge from dormancy. After the treatment cycle, beekeepers can assess the mite load and determine if additional treatments are needed as the company continues to develop full treatment options.
“To my knowledge, we’re not concerned about tolerance being developed by the mites to our chemistry, and it’s because of the mechanism that we’re using to actually interact with oxygen organic cells very differently than the traditional digestive cycles,†Rael said.
Crowdfunding
According to Amanda Getchell Stevenson, marketing director for Terra Vera, a crowdfunding campaign for the ApiVera hive fogger will launch Nov. 15. Participants can preorder the all-in-one automated fogger and explore sponsorship opportunities or make donations to support the project.
Visit terravera.com/APIVera for more information or to preorder visit indiegogo.com/projects/automated-bee-hive-fogger/coming_soon.