Honeybees are critical to pollination and therefore key to agricultural crops. However, bees are under relentless attack, especially from mites that can collapse entire bee colonies.

There are effective topical treatments for mite infestations, but inaccurate timing of applications may do more harm than good. Treatment schedules are designed to break the mites’ reproductive cycle. Premature application can let mite populations rebound before the growing season ends, while late application gives mites more time to attack bees.

Poor timing also drives treatment resistance, which can be passed along to neighboring hives.

So, when looking for culprits in honeybee colony collapse, it may be all in the timing.