Véto-pharma apiary: 80 new colonies for Varroa Research

by Véto-pharma
12 February 2025
Our News
3 minutes of reading

In 2024, Véto-pharma celebrated ten years of the experimental apiary. Since its installation in 2014 with an initial stock of 100 hives, the number of colonies has steadily increased. Today, it has reached 380 colonies, a real asset for strengthening our research into innovative solutions to combat varroa mites.

1. A strategic pillar for research and innovation

Véto-pharma devotes 10% of its sales to Research and Development, with the main aim of identifying new molecules and forms of application for the registration of treatments against Varroa destructor. This essential investment aims to ensure a sustainable future for beekeeping by offering beekeepers innovative solutions to diversify their fight against this parasite.

The installation of a 100-colony apiary (Dadant) in 2014 in Chaillac (France), close to our industrial site dedicated to animal health, marked a turning point in our innovation strategy. In 2015, the opening of a research laboratory and the “Espace de Valorisation de l’Abeille“ (also called EVA, a Bee Awareness Center) strengthened our investigative capacity.

Here is our operation evolution over the years:

2015: + 50 colonies,
2018: + 100 colonies, expansion of nutrition and varroa studies,
2021: + 49 new colonies (in Langstroth hives),
2024: + 80 new colonies.

With this reinforced workforce, our Bee Innovation R&D team continues its commitment developing innovative solutions against varroa mites and yellow-legged hornets, as well as nutritional products.

2. A team that adapts its missions to the rhythm of the seasons

Although our experimental apiary, now 380 colonies strong, is dedicated to R&D and not to honey production, the members of our R&D apiary team adjust the action schedule according to the seasons, just like any other beekeeping operation, in order to stay as close as possible to “field” conditions.

Although bee activity slows down in winter, our team’s activity remains intense with several essential missions:

1 – Ensuring food reserves

One of the main causes of bee winter mortality is starvation. Even if good autumn feeding has been carried out, reserves should be monitored in January-February and fondant (sugar paste) added if necessary.

Add fondant (sugar paste) to the top frames.
Observe the hive entrances: large numbers of dead bees on the outside may indicate a problem with the food supply.

2 – Preparing equipment for the new season

Winter is the ideal time to maintain and renew our beekeeping equipment:

Clean and disinfect used frames, supers and smokers.
Repair hives and frames in anticipation of spring swarming.
Wax the brood and honey super frames. It’s important to rotate the brood frames and replace about one-third to one-fourth of the oldest frames each year.

3 – Monitoring the condition of hives

Even in the middle of winter, regular checks on the hives are essential. It’s not a question of opening the hives during periods of intense cold, but of checking certain external points:

Roofs and insulation: Hives need to be well protected from wind, rain and snow. An ill-fitting roof can lead to fatal water infiltration.
Bee activity: A slight buzzing in the ear against the hive indicates that the colony is alive and well.
Pests: Mice and other predators sometimes seek refuge in hives in winter. Installing entrance screens reduces this risk.
Varroa infestation management: If the number of varroa mites remaining after the end-of-season treatment is too high, a winter treatment is strongly recommended.

4 – Planning the coming beekeeping season

Winter is a good time to look ahead to the next season: Assess colony losses.
Plan the divisions and number of hives needed to set up new studies and monitor those in progress.
Varroa mite counts from spring to January (if winter treatment).

3. An active winter for a successful spring

Winter is therefore a strategic stage in ensuring that colonies recover as soon as the sun comes out. Through careful monitoring and rigorous preparation, our team ensures a dynamic and resilient apiary.

From May onwards, the team will resume its screening for new molecules activities , with the aim of offering innovative solutions to combat the varroa mite.

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