Varroa destructor mites are the most serious health threat to managed honeybee colonies globally, causing colony collapse and individual bee suffering through parasitism and virus transmission.
Honeybees with heavy varroa infestations experience reduced lifespan, wing deformities that prevent flight, and compromised immune systems. Whether bees experience suffering in a morally relevant sense is debated, but the functional costs of infestation are severe. Proactive integrated pest management, including regular monitoring and timely intervention, substantially reduces colony health impacts.