A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population
<i>Varroa destructor</i> is by far the most serious threat to the western honey bee, <i>Apis mellifera</i>. A screen bottom board, a cultural method for mite control, is a modified bottom board with a screen that allows mites to fall onto a sticky board, or the grass or soil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/9/624 |
| _version_ | 1797553974134439936 |
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| author | Fang Liu Xinjian Xu Yuan Zhang Hongxia Zhao Zachary Y. Huang |
| author_facet | Fang Liu Xinjian Xu Yuan Zhang Hongxia Zhao Zachary Y. Huang |
| author_sort | Fang Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Varroa destructor</i> is by far the most serious threat to the western honey bee, <i>Apis mellifera</i>. A screen bottom board, a cultural method for mite control, is a modified bottom board with a screen that allows mites to fall onto a sticky board, or the grass or soil below the screen. Whether or not a screen bottom board can reduce varroa significantly has been controversial. Most studies show a trend of lower varroa populations in colonies with these boards, but the results are usually not statistically significant. To understand whether the negative results have been due to small sample sizes, or because the board is actually ineffective, we conducted a meta-analysis with seven published studies with a total of 145 colonies. Meta-analysis showed that the confidence intervals of the combined effect sizes were negative with a Hedges’ g of −1.09 (SE 0.39, 95% CI −2.0 to −0.19, <i>p</i> < 0.01), which suggests that the varroa population in colonies with screen bottom boards is significantly lower compared to those with traditional wooden floors. We thus conclude that the screen bottom board does have a significantly negative impact on the varroa population and can be part of tool kits for mite control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:24:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14859989d8f94704b753c5bfd27d3c2d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:24:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-14859989d8f94704b753c5bfd27d3c2d2023-11-20T13:21:34ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-09-0111962410.3390/insects11090624A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> PopulationFang Liu0Xinjian Xu1Yuan Zhang2Hongxia Zhao3Zachary Y. Huang4Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, ChinaCollege of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaYunnan Academy of Biodiversity, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, ChinaDepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA<i>Varroa destructor</i> is by far the most serious threat to the western honey bee, <i>Apis mellifera</i>. A screen bottom board, a cultural method for mite control, is a modified bottom board with a screen that allows mites to fall onto a sticky board, or the grass or soil below the screen. Whether or not a screen bottom board can reduce varroa significantly has been controversial. Most studies show a trend of lower varroa populations in colonies with these boards, but the results are usually not statistically significant. To understand whether the negative results have been due to small sample sizes, or because the board is actually ineffective, we conducted a meta-analysis with seven published studies with a total of 145 colonies. Meta-analysis showed that the confidence intervals of the combined effect sizes were negative with a Hedges’ g of −1.09 (SE 0.39, 95% CI −2.0 to −0.19, <i>p</i> < 0.01), which suggests that the varroa population in colonies with screen bottom boards is significantly lower compared to those with traditional wooden floors. We thus conclude that the screen bottom board does have a significantly negative impact on the varroa population and can be part of tool kits for mite control.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/9/624screen bottom boardwooden floor<i>Varroa destructor</i>honeybee |
| spellingShingle | Fang Liu Xinjian Xu Yuan Zhang Hongxia Zhao Zachary Y. Huang A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population Insects screen bottom board wooden floor <i>Varroa destructor</i> honeybee |
| title | A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population |
| title_full | A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population |
| title_fullStr | A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population |
| title_short | A Meta-Analysis Shows That Screen Bottom Boards Can Significantly Reduce <i>Varroa destructor</i> Population |
| title_sort | meta analysis shows that screen bottom boards can significantly reduce i varroa destructor i population |
| topic | screen bottom board wooden floor <i>Varroa destructor</i> honeybee |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/9/624 |
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