Location: Invasive Species and Pollinator Health
Project Number: 2030-30500-001-006-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 30, 2028
Objective:
Varroa mites are among the gravest threats to honey bee colonies, and amitraz remains one of the few effective miticides in use. However, beekeepers are increasingly reporting treatment failures, and ascientific evidence confirms growing resistance of mites to amitraz. This project employs a novel solution: using RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down the expression of mite genes that allow them to detoxify or resist the effects of amitraz.
Approach:
ARS will identify and target key detoxification genes using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which silences those genes in mites. ARS aims to develop RNAi-based synergists that can be co-applied with miticides to restore and/or increase thier effectiveness.