Norroa a Next Generation Approach to Varroa Mite Control
After more than a decade of development and thousands of real-world field trials, Norroa is here. With resistance to existing treatments on the rise and colony losses mounting, beekeepers across the country are looking for safer, smarter, and more sustainable solutions that save time and money. Norroa has proven to be an approach that can meet these challenges head on.
Varroa mites remain the single most destructive threat to honey bee health. Until now, most treatments have focused on “knockdown” strategies killing mites after they’ve already reproduced and spread viruses throughout the colony. Norroa offers something entirely new: it stops mite reproduction before it starts.
Norroa works by targeting a key protein involved in mite egg production. Its active ingredient, vadescana, is absorbed when mites come in contact with it while hiding under larvae before capping. Once absorbed, mites lose the ability to reproduce, preventing population buildup and the downstream harm to bees. Because Norroa prevents reproduction instead of killing mites outright, this targeted approach to varroa has no impact on adult bees, queens, brood, or humans.
Norroa is safe and simple to apply with no mixing, measuring, or special gear required during application. It is made in the USA, is fully EPA registered with tolerance exemptions in honey and wax.
Norroa provides long-lasting protection—up to 18 weeks (4.5 months) from a single application. Field trials have shown Norroa to be the longest-lasting mite control product available, keeping mite levels low throughout an entire season. Colonies treated with Norroa also showed significantly higher winter survival, especially when applied early or as part of an integrated strategy.
With conventional treatments losing effectiveness, the timing of Norroa’s release is critical. It’s the first new miticide mode of action in nearly a decade, giving beekeepers a powerful new tool to help maintain colony health.
How to use Norroa:
The active ingredient in Norroa is called vadescana and is incorporated into a sugar syrup and comes pre-measured and pre-mixed in a pouch. Each brood box requires two pouches per dose.
Application is simple: peel back the labeled sticker to expose the built-in perforations, allowing bees access to the syrup. Place the pouches directly on top of the brood frames or on the bottom board. The bees will fully empty the pouches in a day or two, at which point the empty pouches can be removed
Once the syrup is stored in the brood nest, nurse bees begin using it as brood food. This is critical to how Norroa works. When varroa mites hide under the larvae just before cell capping, they encounter Norroa during the final larval feedings. Even a small amount is enough to stop mite reproduction. If syrup stores remain in the brood area, mite levels will remain steady and suppressed.
For best results, apply when:
- Mite levels are low (always monitor before treatment)
- Open brood is present
- Honey supers are not on the hive
Because it’s formulated as a syrup, follow typical feeding rules, avoid application during heavy nectar flows, and wait about a week after treatment before adding supers. The window between treatment and super placement is generally no more than 10 days.
If mite levels are already high, Norroa can still be used as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. Trials in Florida have shown that combining Norroa with a knockdown treatment either applied just before or alongside it can result in excellent mite control and strong overwintering survival.
Norroa is a major step forward in varroa control. It adds a powerful, safe, and easy to use option to every beekeeper’s IPM strategy, especially important as resistance to conventional treatments grows.
Visit www.norroa.com to learn more.
In the fight against Varroa, now there’s Norroa.