Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in commercial honey bee colonies treated with beta plant acids (original) (raw)
Related papers
Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2016
Varroa (Varroa destuctor Anderson and Trueman) populations in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies might be kept at low levels by well-timed miticide applications. HopGuard Ò (HG) that contains beta plant acids as the active ingredient was used to reduce mite populations. Schedules for applications of the miticide that could maintain low mite levels were tested in hives started from either package bees or splits of larger colonies. The schedules were developed based on defined parameters for efficacy of the miticide and predictions of varroa population growth generated from a mathematical model of honey bee colony-varroa population dynamics. Colonies started from package bees and treated with HG in the package only or with subsequent HG treatments in the summer had 1.2-2.
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2014
Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman 2000 (Acari: Varroidae) is an ectoparasitic mite of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Honey bee colonies require extensive management to prevent mortality caused by varroa mites and the viruses they vector. New miticides (Thymovar and HopGuard) to manage varroa mites were evaluated during the spring and fall treatment windows of the Canadian prairies to determine their effectiveness as part of an integrated management strategy. Thymovar and HopGuard were evaluated alongside the currently used industry standards: Apivar and formic acid. Results demonstrated that Apivar and formic acid remain effective V. destructor management options under spring and fall conditions. Applications of Thymovar during spring were associated with a reduction in brood area, and therefore should be limited to the fall season. The miticide HopGuard was not effective in managing V. destructor, and alteration of the current delivery system is necessary. This study demonstrates the potential for new effective treatment options to supplement currently used V. destructor integrated pest management systems.
Controlled Infestation of Honeybee Colonies with Varroa Destructor Females
Journal of Apicultural Science, 2019
The development of female Varroa destructor mites in the bee colonies was examined in the apiculture season through a developed research system in which bee colonies were experimentally infested with fifty V. destructor females. Differences in infestation rates were observed between the control group (C) and the infested group (E). The average number of female mites per colony was determined at 513 in group E and 261.6 in group C. Natural daily mortality reached 0.16 mites in group E and 0.09 mites in group C. In group E, the number of V. destructors increased 7.96 to 13.32-fold, subject to colony. The size of V. destructor populations increased at a higher rate in group E than in group C (F= 12.39, P= 0.047). At the end of the experiment, the percentage of infested honey bee workers was determined at 0.97% in group E and 0.46% in group C. The results of this study confirmed that V. destructor mites continue to proliferate rapidly in honey bee colonies, and that the population growth rate in bee colonies and apiaries has to be closely monitored due to growing levels of resistance to acaricides.
Continuous management of Varroa mite in honey bee, Apis mellifera, colonies
Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is the major challenge for beekeeping worldwide. Therefore, various methods and materials for Varroa control have been suggested and tested including; plant extracts, essential oils, biological agents, mechanical methods and some chemicals. This paper aims to present the available options for Varroa control and to survey the performed comparative studies among these options. This paper can be considered as a good guide for researchers during their studies on Varroa control. The presented review highlights that still more comparative studies among Varroa control options under different ecological conditions are strongly required. Basically the performed researches have been concentrated on testing chemical materials and essential oils while relatively few studies have been done on the other control options. It is concluded that the Varroa mite should be continuously (monthly) managed within honey bee colonies using mechanical methods or treatment with essential oils (mainly thymol). In severe cases, and especially during the fall and not during honey seasons, the use of chemical materials can be done with preference to oxalic or formic acid.
Stress responses of honey bees to organic acid and essential oil treatments against varroa mites
Journal of Apicultural Research, 2017
Natural medicines such as formic acid, oxalic acid, thymol and menthol have recently been used as alternative treatments against the honey bee parasitic mite varroa. The aim of this study was to observe and examine their impact on Heat Shock Proteins (HSP 70) in the brain tissues of bees. For this purpose, seven different treatment groups were created using various concentrations and administrations of formic and oxalic acid and thymol-menthol mixtures, including positive (untreated) and negative controls. The results showed that in the groups exposed to the varroa treatments, HSP 70 results were lower than those of the non-treated groups. HSP 70 results were lowest in the thymol-menthol mixture exposed group among the treated groups. We conclude that it would be more beneficial to prefer natural medicines against varroa, which lead to lower HSP 70 results which are the molecular determinants of stress. Respuestas de estré s de las abejas de la miel a tratamientos con ácidos orgánicos y aceites esenciales contra los ácaros de varroa Recientemente se han usado las medicinas naturales como el ácido fó rmico, el ácido oxálico, el timol y el mentol como tratamientos alternativos contra el ácaro varroa parásito de la abeja de la miel. El objeto de este estudio fue observar y examinar su impacto en las proteínas de estrés térmico (PET 70) en los tejidos cerebrales de las abejas. Con este propó sito, se establecieron siete grupos con diferentes tratamientos usando varias concentraciones y administraciones de las mezclas de ácido fó rmico con ácido oxálico y de timol-mentol, incluyendo controles positivo (sin tratar) y negativo. Los resultados mostraron que en los grupos expuestos a tratamientos de varroa, los niveles de PET 70 fueron más bajos que para los grupos sin tratar. Los resultados de PET 70 fueron más bajos en el grupo expuesto a la mezcla timol-mentol entre los grupos tratados. Concluimos que sería más beneficioso preferir las medicinas naturales contra la varroa, que llevan a unos resultados más bajos en las PET 70, que son los determinantes moleculares del estrés.
Italian Journal of Animal Science, 2010
This study was carried out to determine the effects of Thymovar ® and BeeVital ® on reducing Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) damage in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in spring season. Average percentage of Varroa infestation level was determined as 24.27 on adult workers before the treatments. The drugs were applied two times on 25 September and 16 October 2006. Average percentage of Varroa infestation levels were determined as 5.18%, 10.78% and 35.45% after the first application, 1.90%, 7.05% and 61.15% after the second application in Thymovar ® , BeeVital ® and control groups, respectively. Average efficacies of Thymovar ® and BeeVital ® were found to be 96.91% and 88.66%, respectively. Difference between drug efficacies on Varroa mite was found significant (P<0.01). There was no queen, brood and adult honeybee mortality in all group colonies during the research.
Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2006
Strips coated with conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschinkoff; Deuteromycetes: Hyphomycetes) to control the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman) in colonies of honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were compared against the miticide, tau-fluvalinate (Apistan®) in field trials in Texas and Florida (USA). Apistan and the fungal treatments resulted in successful control of mite populations in both locations. At the end of the 42-day period of the experiment in Texas, the number of mites per bee was reduced by 69-fold in bee hives treated with Apistan and 25-fold in hives treated with the fungus; however mite infestations increased by 1.3-fold in the control bee hives. Similarly, the number of mites in sealed brood was 13-fold and 3.6-fold higher in the control bee hives than in those treated with Apistan and with the fungus, respectively. Like the miticide Apistan, the fungal treatments provided a significant reduction of mite populations at the end of the experimental period. The data from the broodless colonies treated with the fungus indicated that optimum mite control could be achieved when no brood is being produced, or when brood production is low, such as in the early spring or late fall. In established colonies in Florida, honey bee colony development did not increase under either Apistan or fungal treatments at the end of the experimental period, suggesting that other factors (queen health, food source, food availability) play some major role in the growth of bee colonies. Overall, microbial control of Varroa mites with fungal pathogens could be a useful component of an integrated pest management program for the honey bee industry.
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2019
The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is amongst the most serious problems of honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) around the world including Pakistan. The present study estimates the mite density through powdered sugar roll method and evaluates the effectiveness of five miticides (fluvalinate, flumethrin, amitraz, formic acid, and oxalic acid) on A. mellifera colonies in German modified beehives. The results indicated that by treating the bees with one strip and two strips of fluvalinate per colony; the mite population remained below the economic threshold level (ETL) for 14 days and 25 days, respectively. Treatment of flumthrin @1 strip and @ 2 strips per colony resulted in mite population suppressed for 14 days and 39 days, respectively below ETL. Application of Amitraz @ 2 mL per 1.5 L water after every three days interval on sealed brood effectively controlled mites below ETL for 21 days. Formic acid @10 mL per colony applied through plastic applicator proved effective (below 3 mites per bee sample) for 24 days and oxalic acid applied through shop towel method resulted in mite population control for fifteen days. Use of powdered sugar roll method for easy sampling of Varroa mites and application of acaricides on precise economic threshold level during different seasons of the year for integrated management of Varroa mite is hereby advocated by current studies.