Research & Publications

Tropilaelaps - lithium chloride

A 2015 combined Hungarian and Thailand universities study on novel control strategies for honeybee health against the escalating threat of the Tropilaelaps mercedesae mite provides early evidence of vulnerability to lithium chloride (LiCl) when administered in sugar syrup. The chemical is currently being investigated as a control against multiple mite in other agricultural settings.

Tropilaelaps, in experiments, was found to be 3.5 times more sensitive to lithium chloride than the Varroa destructor mite in both test and field conditions around brood.

The importance of this finding lies in the need to find novel araricidal (kills or controls mites and ticks) treatments. The tropi mite demontrates potential to form resistance to multiple ad hoc treatments used by local beekeepers. Lithium chloride is able to access mites within capped brood, is less toxic to honey bees, and is not prone to accumulate in hive products such as honey and wax.

Results demonstrate toxicity to the mites in a dose-dependent manner. The  published mortality curve plotted time against concentration to show 50% and 90% mortality rates. Lithium residues from micro dose trickling was found in honey to be within safe limits.

The study concludes lithium chloride is a potent araricide against Tropilaelaps mercedesae, that the mite is more susceptible that varroa, that the resultant tremor serves as a reliable biomarker, on resistance, the unique mineral based action is distinct from current chemical treatments, and that lithium is a natural trace element already in honey. 

Further research is needed to focus on optimising dosage for efficiency while maintaining residue levels within acceptable levels.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.15.694363v1

High Sensitivity of Tropilaelaps mercedesae to Lithium Chloride: A Novel Acaricidal Candidate for Honey Bee Health

Éva Kolics, Pichet Praphawilai, Bajaree Chuttong, Judit Poór, Balázs Kolics

bioRxiv 2025.12.15.694363; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.15.694363