Ailanthus Altissima (Mill.) and Varroa Destructor (Anderson & Trueman) - Two Alien and Invasive Species with Impact on the Environment and on the “Hive System”

In past times, very often, human curiosity and the attraction towards “exotic” animal and plant species aimed at enriching public and private gardens, led to the introduction of alien species, as in the case of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.), species proved invasive, with serious consequences for the environment, as it is able to colonize entire territories in a short time at the expense of the native flora that characterized them and which is increasingly replacing faster. In the same way it happened with regard to the “Hive System” with the introduction in Europe and in Italy of the mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman), endemic parasite of the Cerea Bee, which once “reached” the colonies of Apis mellifera , through the uncontrolled import of queen bees and swarms, it has spread to an epidemic character and is still the undisputed scourge of Italian beekeeping, with serious repercussions on agricultural production and safeguarding the biodiversity of the different ecosystems of the Italian peninsula.