Varroa destructor: a study on the biology of the main enemy of honeybee

Supervisor: prof. Desiderato Annoscia

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has been recognized as one of the main threats to modern apiculture and it is associated to the worldwide decline of honeybee colonies. The importance of honeybees for agriculture (and therefore humanity) is well known.

Although the importance of Varroa and its correlation to honeybee colony losses has been recognized worldwide, many details of the biology of this mite are still unknonw. Therefore, the aim of this PhD project is to study in detail the biology of V. destructor, after developing a convenient system to maintain/rear the mite under artificial conditions; this will allow to better understand the nutritional demands of the parasite and the stimuli triggering its reproduction. This in turn will help in the development of new strategies for the sustainable management of varroosis.

Biography and contacts

Silvia Parenzan was born in 1992 in Trieste (Italy). In 2014 she obtained the Bachelor degree in “Agricultural Science” at the University of Udine (110/110 cum laude). In 2017 she did a Master in “Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development” at the university of Florence (110/110 cum laude). From 2017 until 2019 she has been working on a research project at the Politechnic institute of Beja (Portugal). In the years 2020-2021 she has been working as main agronomist with multinational companies in the sector of medicinal plants. From January 2022 she has started a PhD course in Agricultural Science and Biotechnology at the University of Udine.

Email: parenzan.silvia@spes.uniud.it