Winterthur – The New Zealand beekeeping company Waiau Apiaries relies on Vatorex for sustainable parasite control in the production of its manuka honey. The two partner companies have started a trial with 600 heatable honeycombs from Vatorex.
Vatorex and the New Zealand beekeeping company Waiau Apiaries have joined forces to combat the Varroa mite without chemicals. The two companies have launched a medium-sized trial with 90 Vatorex bee colonies, Vatorex reported in a press release. The Winterthur-based company has developed an automated technology in which the bee pests are destroyed by heat treatment. On the South Island of New Zealand, 600 of the sensor-equipped heatable honeycombs from Vatorex are being used.
The collaboration with Waiau Apiaries represents Vatorex's first cooperation with a commercial third-party company, according to the press release. Testing the technology in New Zealand also offers Vatorex the opportunity to further improve its own brood detection algorithm. The company also wants to use the trial as preparation for large-scale Canadian trials planned for next April. ce/hs