Some acaricides used as alternative controls against Varroa destructor, for example formic acid or essential oils, are not always sufficiently effective. We propose as complimentary measures the removal of drone brood or the division of young colonies in spring. These interventions serve to retard the development of varroa populations, and thus reduce the pressure of infestation. They have the advantage of being able to be carried out at the height of the beekeeping season when recourse to chemotherapy would present serious risks of contamination of the honey harvest