Effect of oral exposure to the acaricide pirimicarb, a new varroacide candidate, on Apis mellifera feeding rate.

Background: The ectoparasitic honey bee mite Varroa destructor is a main cause of the gradual decline in honey bees Apis mellifera. Beekeepers currently utilize a wide range of different synthetic acaricides, organic acids and essential oils to keep mite populations under control. Previous work has indicated that pirimicarb may be a new varroacide candidate.