Agricultural Research Service (ARS) entomologist Nick Calderone is developing natural plant extracts that are lethal to tracheal and Varroa mites that threaten honey bees. Tracheal mites enter the breathing tubes of bees and inhibit their breathing and flying abilities, while Varroa mites suck their blood and leave them weak and dying. Calderone, who is based at the ARS Bee Research laboratory in Beltsville, MD,is conducting large-scale field experiments in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas and ...