Here, we present the results of an online international survey concerning the adoption of good beekeeping practices and proper biosecurity measures for the management of varroosis in Apis mellifera. The survey was designed as a risk assessment tool by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Association (Apimondia), the Center for Analytics Research & Education (CARE) at Appalachian State University, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lazio e Toscana (IZSLT). The data collected investigated the beekeeping techniques, treatments, and training beekeepers adopt concerning the varroa mite. The idea was to validate a tool able to collect and compare, in the different areas of the world, the management measures adopted by beekeepers to face this major parasitic disease of honey bees. The survey was disseminated online for a period of 14 months (January 2019–March 2020) through the FAO website. A total of 861 responses were received, most of them from the Americas (20.9%) and Europe (74.7%). Concerning the control measures useful in combating varroa, the results showed an overall awareness of the usefulness of biosecurity measures in beekeeping (BMBs), which we compare across regions. The majority of the beekeepers (89.9% in the Americas and 82.8% in Europe) were interested in additional bee health training and, at the same time, were willing to connect themselves with veterinary experts specialized in bees. This is an indication that beekeepers recognize the importance of training and experts’ advice. This study revealed the efficacy of the survey adopted as a useful assessment tool that will be further disseminated, even in geographic regions heretofore not investigated, to provide useful information on the status of the beekeeping sector.

Background/Objectives: In a collaborative effort, FAO, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Association “Apimondia”, the Appalachian State University, and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e Toscana (IZSLT), the FAO Reference Centre for Animal Health and Food Security Discipline Apiculture, health, and biosecurity, designed an online international survey (“Knowledge, Awareness and Practice”-KAP) as a risk assessment tool to validate biosecurity measures able to prevent and control the main honeybee (Apis mellifera subsp.) infectious diseases. Methods: The KAP survey was disseminated through various channels for 14 months (January 2019–March 2020). Beekeepers’ knowledge on nosemosis, American foulbrood (AFB), and European foulbrood (EFB) management was assessed. Beekeepers’ attitudes were investigated by asking them to provide a score called “Acceptance by beekeepers”. Results: Of the 410 respondents, the majority of them (68.3%, n = 252) were from Europe. European beekeepers (n = 252) considered “Highly acceptable” the following practices: removing combs that show signs of dysentery and feeding colonies for nosemosis; the quick identification and management of affected hives for American foulbrood and European foulbrood. Instead, the following practices were considered as not acceptable by beekeepers: for nosemosis, the use of antibiotics and sampling of hive debris for early detection; for American foulbrood and European foulbrood, the shook swarm, the destruction of the whole apiary, as well as their treatment with antibiotics. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the validity of the present “Knowledge, Awareness and Practice” (KAP) survey to validate the best practices for the main infectious honeybee diseases, considering the pragmatic point of view of beekeepers. Sustainable practices for disease control are preferred by the European beekeepers. While having an adequate knowledge base for the early detection of the investigated honeybee diseases, European beekeepers tend to be aware of the health status of their hives, embracing advanced, practice-oriented training. Authors highlight that the selection of practices and their validation should be revised on a regular basis, to be adapted in a timely manner to the current infectious honeybee disease situation, in order to build up a resilient and effective stock of practices.