Advanced selection program for Authentic Apis mellifera carnica

Queen breeding station Medokost & Medovita
work on Hygienic Behavior

The hygienic behavior of honey bees, particularly in response to Varroa mites, can be assessed through various methods such as the pin-killed brood test and the freeze-killed brood assay. These tests involve presenting bees with dead brood and observing the colony’s rate of removal of the dead brood. The Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) trait, which is an important behavioral trait for dealing with Varroa mites, can be measured using the pin-killed brood or freeze-killed brood assay. The pin-killed brood test entails wounding or killing a number of pupae inside capped cells with a needle, and then observing the rate at which the colonies remove the damaged or killed brood.

Tests are used to select colonies with improved hygienic behavior, which is crucial for controlling brood diseases and Varroa mites. The pin test is also an easier test to carry out due to its simpler nature, and colonies that score well on the pin test are often good candidates for VSH testing.