Controlling varroa mites infesting honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) Using some essential oils and amitraz under colony conditions

Abstract

The biggest difficulty for beekeepers in the globe is the Varroa mite. So, the honey production and the mortality of adult honeybees are damaged by this pest. Therefore, this study tested some essential oils and chemicals (amitraz), for the control integrated on Varroa destructor and affected of (Apis mellifera L.). Five essential oils (garlic oil, Peppermint oil, Cinnamon oil, thyme oil, Lavender oil) of plant natural products and chemical pesticide (amitraz), the Varroa mites infected in the honeybee colonies were examined and the falling mites were monitored by a sticky card on the base of the hive. Data was recorded after 1,3, 7, 15, 22 days of treatment, under colony conditions. The natural approaches employed in the control and spread of bee illnesses have been demonstrated to be effective. Garlic oil and thyme oil were found to be particularly efficient against Varroa Mites and honeybees (Apis mellifera L.), Garlic oil has surpassed all other treatments to reduce the amount of Varroa with a substantial change following treatment of(Mean± Std. Error) (9.330± 2.392) throughout the study, with increased Varroa mortality in all treatments compared to during the pretreatment phase. Also, the daily dead bees were counted during the study period, there were insignificant differences between honeybee colonies with different treatments in the daily dead worker bees treated with certain oils and chemicals. In addition, all the treatments were safe for worker bees at the applied dose. The natural approaches employed in the control and spread of bee illnesses have been demonstrated to be effective, and that essential oils can improve the health of bee families.