Miticide resistance has also occurred with products used to control crop pest mites. Resistance management is essential to prolong the useful life of fluvalinate. Varroa mites on brood comb. Resistance management is critical to protecting bees from miticide failures. Varroa resistance to miticides could result in widespread colony population crashes as shown in the remains of this once prosperous colony.
Resistance develops because individual varroa mites differ in their tolerance to a given miticide.
Repeated use of any single miticide removes the susceptible individuals from the population, leaving only the most resistant mites to reproduce. Over time, as each new generation is selected, the percentage of resistant individuals increases. Over enough time, the overall level of resistance in the pest population can be expected to increase to the point where the miticide fails to provide adequate control. However, scientists believe that beekeepers can reduce the rate of resistance development by using a resistance management strategy. Reduce the selection pressure on mite populations.