Petition for Stronger Management of Invasive Pests Threatening Honeybees and Native Pollinators

We, the undersigned members of the beekeeping industry and supporters of pollinator health, respectfully request meetings with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and specific members of Congressional agricultural committees to discuss the urgent need for stronger programs addressing invasive pests threatening honeybees and native pollinators.

Specifically, we call for:

1. A greatly strengthened and well-coordinated national response to the Yellow-Legged Hornet (YLH) invasion.
2. Immediate planning and proactive measures to prevent the introduction and establishment of Tropilaelaps mites in North America.

Background

Two major invasive pests pose severe and immediate threats to managed honeybees as well as native pollinators:

• Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina)
• Tropilaelaps mites (Tropilaelaps spp.)

The Yellow-Legged Hornet (YLH) was confirmed in Georgia and South Carolina in 2023, following the earlier discovery and successful eradication of the Asian Giant Hornet in Washington State. Unfortunately, unlike the Giant Hornet, the YLH population is spreading rapidly, and many experts now believe eradication may only be possible if immediate, decisive action is taken—by 2026 at the latest.

Current Challenges

While we commend the dedication of those currently working on this issue, the existing management system is inadequate, allowing the YLH to expand unchecked. Research from Europe demonstrates that once established, YLH populations devastate local ecosystems—preying not only on honeybees, but also on native bees, butterflies, beetles, and other vital pollinators.

Similarly, the U.S. remains vulnerable to the Tropilaelaps mite, a parasitic pest that could cause catastrophic losses to beekeepers and wild pollinators alike. Previous responses to invasive pests—such as the spread of Varroa mites in the 1990s—show how delays, poor coordination, and insufficient education can turn manageable outbreaks into nationwide crises.

Our Request

We urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with Congress and state agencies, to:

• Allocate increased funding and personnel to invasive pest detection, containment, and eradication efforts.
• Improve interagency coordination and rapid-response protocols.
• Engage industry experts and beekeepers in planning and implementation to ensure practical, science-based action.
• Invest in public awareness and education programs to prevent accidental spread.

Protecting pollinators is essential to agriculture, ecosystems, and food security. Immediate, united action against invasive species such as the Yellow-Legged Hornet and Tropilaelaps mites is critical to safeguarding the future of pollination in North America.

We, the undersigned, respectfully request an urgent meeting to discuss and strengthen national prevention and eradication programs for these invasive threats.
 

Tropilaelaps Prevention Program

Tropilaelaps (tropi) mites pose a very real and serious threat to commercial honey bee operations in North America as well as many other native pollinators. This threat is a very real and serious threat to our national pollination services and industry.

Looking at Australia’s example in Varroa prevention, there are valuable lessons to be learned from their experience. Australia was successful in delaying Varroa’s establishment for over 20 years, despite its rapid progression in the rest of the world. They set the model with cultural practices that prove it is possible to protect our interests by delaying the incursion of Tropi. 20 years extra without this devastating mite in North America would be a huge success.

There are also lessons in their failure. By ignoring the possibility infestation, their governmental system was unprepared to manage Varroa. Not only did their lack of an implementable plan fail the pollination industry once Varroa was discovered, but such poor planning promoted rapid spread. Lack of industry and beekeeper understanding and experience was very costly.

Should we choose to benchmark both successes and failures, we know we can do better and develop and implement plans to succeed with the real and present danger of Tropi.

We would also ask that any program had stakeholder approval benchmarks in place to make sure we hit all the metrics.

• Signage and information at ports
• Sentinel apiaries
• Public awareness campaign
• Movement / restriction plan.
• Replacement cost program
• Productive discussions with Canada and Mexico
• Path thru EPA (example yellow legged hornet poison)
• Research on treatments (an MOA for varroa has never materialized)
• Legal program for genetics (queens) from at risk area