A review on green and sustainable technology in protecting honey bees against Varroa destructor

The greatest ecological impact of bees in nature is pollination. The production of 70% of the 124 main crops for worldwide human consumption depend on pollinators, mainly honey bees. Honey bees are usually subjected to numerous challenges due to their environment. The population of honey bee colonies in the UK has decreased rapidly due to Varroa destructor; parasitic mites that are harmful to bees. The common methods to control Varroa mites mostly involve a chemical treatment which is potentially dangerous for bees and their products. However, in recent years, the control method is innovating towards thermotherapy method of which thermal energy has been applied to control the mites. Additionally, there are also researchers who have applied green and sustainable technology in the thermotherapy method to control Varroa mites. This paper summarises the current status of honey bees in the UK and Varroa mites, the life cycle of the Varroa mites inside the beehives, an assessment of its control methods and a description of the thermotherapy treatment using green and sustainable technology.