Tropilaelaps: The Next Global Threat to Honey Bees with Dr. Maggie Gill
- Connecticut Beekeepers Association
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tropilaelaps: The Next Global Threat to Honey Bees
with Dr. Maggie Gill
In this presentation, Dr. Gill shares the latest research from her work in Thailand and the Republic of Georgia, where Tropilaelaps is now established and causing significant challenges for beekeepers. Discover how this mite differs from Varroa, why it reproduces so rapidly, how it spreads between colonies and apiaries, and why recent research is changing our understanding of its ability to survive colder climates.
The talk will also explore the latest findings on detection methods, transmission, mite biology and behavior, overwintering, and the effectiveness of current treatment options. Learn why some assumptions based on Varroa management may not apply to Tropilaelaps, and what this means for future bee health.
Whether you are a beekeeper, researcher, or simply interested in honey bee health, this presentation offers an up-to-date look at one of the most significant emerging threats facing apiculture and discusses what North American beekeepers can do now to improve preparedness and protect their colonies.Most beekeepers are familiar with Varroa, but another parasitic mite is emerging that could pose an even greater threat to honey bees worldwide. Tropilaelaps is a fast-reproducing brood parasite capable of causing severe colony losses, and its continued spread across Asia and into parts of Europe has raised growing concerns among researchers and beekeepers alike. With increasing global trade, climate change, and the movement of bees and beekeeping equipment, the risk of further spread is becoming an important issue for beekeeping around the world.
Speaker Details:
Dr Maggie Gill, Senior scientist at the UK’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Dr. Gill has become a respected voice in the international effort to safeguard pollinators.
PHIRA-Science was founded by Maggie Gill to support applied, independent research grounded in real-world pollination systems. A beekeeper for more than twenty years and an entomologist, Maggie works at the boundary between practice and research, where critical but under-explored questions often arise.
She established PHIRA-Science in response to the gap between academic research and the complex realities faced by beekeepers, land managers, and those responsible for pollination security. Many challenges facing pollinators - including emerging pests and diseases, nutritional stress, and interacting environmental pressures - require flexible, responsive research rooted in field experience.
Dr. Gill's work through PHIRA-Science focuses on honey bee health, pollinator nutrition, pests and diseases, and pollination system resilience. She collaborates internationally with universities, research institutes, government bodies, and practitioner communities, integrating robust experimental design with on-the-ground observation. She is recognized as a world leader in Tropilaelaps research, and is widely respected by beekeepers for producing science that reflects field realities. Alongside PHIRA-Science, Maggie is a Senior Scientist at Defra, where her work focuses on environmental land management and agri-environment schemes.
Extensionist science is central to her approach. Dr. Gill prioritizes knowledge exchange, co-developed research, and clear communication to ensure findings inform action and support those working directly with pollinators.
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