Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the role of level infestation of the Varroa destructormite on virgin queen's acceptance, mating success and pre-oviposition period when their introduced into Carniolan honeybee, Apis mellifera colonies. According to level infestation of mite, the colonies were divided into three groups, each contained 15 colonies, low (5% ± 0.3); moderate (12% ± 0.7) and high (20% ± 0.9). The results showed that the varroa level significant influence virgin queen's acceptance, mating success and somewhat influence their onset of oviposition. The results mentioned that, low infestation level was more accepted and reached mating success 100% than both moderate and high levels (mating success were 91.67% and 80.0%, respectively). Pre-oviposition periods were (8.9 ± 1.05; 11.1 ± 0.89 and 11.6 ± 1.45 days), recorded at low, moderate and high mite infestation levels, respectively. Beekeepers can get an economic benefit from introducing queen bees and improving introduction acceptance and mating success by control varroa mite before queen introduction.
Highlights
Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman, 2000) formerly named Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans is potentially the main parasite of Apis mellifera L
The aim of the present work was carried out to determine the influence of different population levels of varroa mites on queen introduction, mating success and onset of ovposition in Carniolan honey bee
To help beekeepers to increase colony production, improve queen quality, introduction acceptance and mating success, we studied influence of varroa mite infestation on queen's acceptance mating and initiation of oviposition in Carniolan honeybee
Summary
Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman, 2000) formerly named Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans is potentially the main parasite of Apis mellifera L. High infestation of varroa in colonies that lack innate mite suppression characteristics, cause the collapse of untreated colony in a few years .Colony collapse is due to mite infestation, and to secondary viral, bacterial and fungal infections (Hung et al, 1996). This parasite has spread rapidly and infests most of the worlds Apis mellifera causing much concern to beekeepers (Rinderer et al, 2001 and Sanford, 2001). Beekeepers introduce queens to queenless colonies they have made by dividing existing colonies to increase the number of colonies they own
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