V-eliminator, innovative solution for varroa fighting

Bees are critically important for the environment and to the economy. They ensure pollination for over 80% of crops and wild plants in Europe. It is estimated that pollinators, including honey bees, bumblebees and wild bees, contribute at least 22 billion EUR (265 billion annually worldwide), each year to the European agriculture industry.Yet in the past decades the number of bees in Europe has decreased by almost 25 %. Further decrease in bee population can therefore endanger the pollination. Besides the pesticides, one of the most important causes for decrease of bees is varroa.The main goal of the project is to develop a first laser based system for the mass elimination of varroa on honey bees. The laser used for removing varroa will offer much safer and more efficient solution to the varroa problem compared to existing solution.To reach TRL6 phase around 80 thousand EUR and 11 man/month (4 persons part time) of work has been invested. To accomplish the goal (TRL9), cca 900 thousand EUR and two years of work is needed, 8,5 persons full time.