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Effect of environmental factors on the population of Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera l. Colonies

Authors:
Asha Poonia at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University
Asha Poonia
  • Chaudhary Bansi Lal University
Rachna Gulati at CCS Haryana Agricultural University
Rachna Gulati
S.K. Sharma
S.K. Sharma
S.K. Sharma
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Maximum number of mites was observed in second fortnight of May (38 and 51 mites/per hive) which was found significantly positively correlated with maximum (r = 0.659) and minimum (r = 0.648) temperature. However, V. destructor population was found negatively correlated with relative humidity (-0.416) and sunshine hours (-0.023). Rainfall was found none significantly correlated (0.019) with V. destructor population. Data suggested that during summer months, when temperature is high and flower availability is less, mite population increases in Apis mellifera L. colonies
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23
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Save Nature to Survive
8(1&2): 23-25, 2014
EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE POPULATION
OF VARROA DESTRUCTOR IN APIS MELLIFERA L. COLONIES
ASHA POONIA*, RACHNA GULATI AND S. K. SHARMA
1Departments of Zoology and Aquaculture, CCS HAU, Hisar -125 004 (Haryana), INDIA
2Directorate of Research; 3Entomology, CCS HAU, Hisar (Haryana), INDIA
e-mail: asha.poonia@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
Varroa mite (Acari: Mesostigmata), parasitizing the European honeybee, Apis
mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is responsible for loss of more than 50% of
Apis mellifera colonies worldwide (Shaw et al., 2002; Topolska et al., 2010;
Martin et al., 2012; Nazzi et al., 2012). 90 per cent apiaries and 50 per cent
colonies of state of Haryana are affected by this mite (Gulati et al., 2009). This
mite which feeds on haemolymph of brood and adult bees causes colony disorder,
weakness, decreasing brood and deforming immature and mature bees (Kotwal
and Abrol, 2013)
The temperature relations within honey bee colonies are complex, as honey bees
thermoregulate their colonies according to the season and the presence or absence
of brood (Seeley and Heinrich, 1981). Varroa destructor preferentially reproduces
on at 32·5-33·4ºC temperature as it is the temperature on which drone brood
maintained (Le Conte et al., 1990). Various workers have tried to investigate the
relationship of Varroa destructor population with abiotic factors in Apis mellifera
colonies (Martin, 1995; Crane, 1978; Harbo, 2000; Webster et al., 2000; Harris
et al., 2003; Underwood and Currie, 2003; Bahreini et al., 2004; De Guzman et
al., 2007; Kotpal, 2008). In Hisar, Haryana various abiotic factors (Temperature,
rainfall, sunshine hours, relative humidity) shows a wide range in a year. Present
investigation was carried with the objective to study the effect these abiotic factors
on the population of Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera colonies in Hisar, Haryana.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experiment was conducted in CCS Haryana Agricultural apiary from May
2009 to February 2010. Three colonies statistically comparable in terms of Varroa
infestation, colony strength, brood, pollen and honey area were taken for the
experiment.
There are three standard methods of Varroa population estimation (Ritter, 1981;
De Jong et al., 1982; Branco et al., 2006; Dietemann et al., 2013) i.e.
1. Acaricides to kill all mites in a colony. Mites fall to the bottom of the hive and
can be counted.
2. Without the use of acaricides, the natural mortality can be quantified from the
bottom of the hive to determine the population size of the live mites.
3. The infestation rates of adults and brood can be estimated from adult and
brood samples.
All three methods (using acaricides, monitoring natural mite fall and assessing
infestation levels) were found to provide comparable results (Branco et al., 2006).
First method could not be chosen as it involved killing of the Varroa mites, which
could not be used as samples of natural Varroa population needed to be taken
throughout the year. Third method also could not be chosen as it involved killing
ABSTRACT
Maximum number of mites was observed in
second fortnight of May (38 and 51 mites/per
hive) which was found significantly positively
correlated with maximum (r = 0.659) and
minimum (r = 0.648) temperature. However,
V. destructor population was found negatively
correlated with relative humidity (-0.416) and
sunshine hours (-0.023). Rainfall was found
none significantly correlated (0.019) with V.
destructor population. Data suggested that
during summer months, when temperature is
high and flower availability is less, mite
population increases in Apis mellifera L.
colonies.
KEY WORDS
Varroa destructor
Apis mellifera
temperature, relative humidity, rainfall,
sunshine hours
Received : 22.10.2013
Revised : 06.04.2014
Accepted : 12.05.2014
*Corresponding author
24
ASHA POONIA et al.,
of brood, thus, interrupted with the natural population of Apis
mellifera. In this light, monitoring natural mite fall was used to
know colony infestation rate of Varroa destructor in Apis
mellifera colonies. In this method mites that die naturally or
due to grooming behaviour of bees get dislodged from bees
and can be collected from the bottom board of the hive in
debris. This natural mite fall count can be used to estimate
colony infestation. This method has been used by various
workers (Devlin, 1998; Dietemann et al., 2013). Ants were
prevented from access to bottom boards by using a hive stand
resting in water containers over which ants cannot walk
(Dietemann et al., 2013). Dirt accumulated in water containers
was cleared regularly so that ants could not reach the hive.
Data on weather parameters viz., maximum and minimum
temperature (ºC), relative humidity (%), rainfall (mm) and bright
sunshine hours (h) was collected from Department of
Meteorology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
(Haryana) in order to correlate these factors with seasonal
abundance of V. destructor in A. mellifera colonies.
Correlation matrix was calculated between V. destructor
incidence and abiotic factors to see their effect on population
build up of mite.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows the population of V. destructor from May 2008
to February 2009. To find the relationship between biotic
(number of V. destructor in A. mellifera colonies) and abiotic
factors (maximum and minimum temperature, relative
humidity, rainfall and sunshine hours), correlation matrix was
calculated and presented in Table 2. The study revealed that
among abiotic factors, maximum and minimum temperature
played a significant role in the population build up of V.
destructor. The mite population was significantly positively
correlated with the maximum (r = 0.659) and minimum (r =
0.648) temperature. The positive values of correlation
coefficient revealed that as the maximum temperature with in
a range from 18.6 to 39.6ºC and minimum temperature within
a range from 3.3 to 26.3ºC increased, there was a
corresponding increase in V. destructor population. The
maximum population of V. destructor was found in the month
of May when maximum temperature fluctuated between 36.4
to 39.6°C which indicated that a higher temperature around
38°C favoured the buildup of mite population. It is also evident
from Table 2 that there is a negative correlation between V.
destructor population and relative humidity, sunshine hours,
but it was non significant. Similarly, non-significant relation
between V. destructor population and rainfall was recorded
in present investigation.
Differences in mite population due to climatic variation are
reported by several workers. Earlier studies reported that level
of Varroa mite infestation was lower in tropical regions as
compared to temperate regions. Underwood and Currie (2003)
observed maximum mite fall at 35°C when various doses of
Table 1: Comparative sampling methods to record Varroa destructor
population in Apis mellifera colonies
Date of observation Number of mites (Mean ±
S. D.)/ colony*Sticky paper
05.05.08 36.00 ± 2.00
12.05.08 38.00 ± 2.00
19.05.08 51.50 ± 5.00
26.05.08 35.00 ± 3.00
02.06.08 23.00 ± 2.00
09.06.08 14.00 ± 2.00
17.06.08 13.50 ± 2.00
24.06.08 11.00 ± 3.00
01.07.08 10.50 ± 1.00
07.07.08 18.00 ± 5.00
14.07.08 18.50 ± 2.00
21.07.08 18.50 ± 5.00
28.07.08 19.50 ± 2.00
05.08.08 20.50 ± 5.00
11.08.08 9.50 ± 2.00
19.08.08 7.50 ± 2.00
26.08.08 7.00 ± 2.00
02.09.08 4.50 ± 2.00
08.09.08 9.50 ± 2.00
15.09.08 9.50 ± 2.00
24.09.08 12.00 ± 2.00
29.09.08 9.50 ± 2.00
08.10.08 8.50 ± 2.00
15.10.08 8.50 ± 2.00
22.10.08 2.00 ± 0.00
30.10.08 0.00 ± 0.00
06.11.08 0.00 ± 0.00
No mites were noticed from 09.11.08 to 25.12.08
24.12.08 2.50 ± 1.00
01.01.09 1.00 ± 0.00
07.01.09 1.00 ± 0.00
15.01.09 1.00 ± 0.00
19.01.09 1.00 ± 0.00
No mites were noticed from 23.01.09 to 30.04 09
*Average of three colonies
Table 2: Correlation matrix between Varroa destructor population and weather parameters
Treatments No of mites on Temperature (ºC) Relative Sunshine) Rainfall
Sticky paper Humidity hours (0.0 to 21
(32 to 89%) (0.04 to10.2h mm)
Maximum Minimum
(18.6 to39.6ºC) (3.3 to25.8ºC)
No of mites on Sticky paper 1.00
Maximum Temperature (°C) 0.659*1.00
Minimum Temperature (°C) 0.648*0.887*1.00
Relative Humidity (%) -0.416NS -0.224NS 0.077NS 1.00
Sunshine hours (h) -0.023NS -0.063NS -0.162NS -0.492*1.00
Rainfall (mm) 0.019NS 0.132NS 0.243NS 0.269NS -0.449*1.00
*Significant at 0.05 % level; NS= Non significant
25
EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE POPULATION
formic acid at different temperatures were applied. Populations
of Varroa increase very rapidly in some regions such as Europe
but remain at a low level in some tropical countries (De Jong
et al., 1984; Ruttner et al., 1984). De Jong et al. (1984)
attributed this to a lower rate of reproduction in temperate
conditions. Woyke (1987) reported a high infestation rate of
A. mellifera colonies by Tropilaclaps clareae in Southern
Vietnam and a low rate in northern Vietnam. Harris et al.
(2003) also reported correlation beween ambient temperature
and relative humidity with growth of mite populations during
10 year study period (1993-2002). Webster et al. (2000) also
reported that total mite fall follow temperature regime. A
modest positive correlation was found between proportion
of mite fall and mean daily high temperature (r = 0.515),
overall mean weekly temperature (r = 0.508) and weekly
mean low temperature (r = 0.452). The reason attributed was
that weather has sub-lethal effect on mites as in case of heat
treatment which is used to kill mites in brood cells (Martin,
1995; Harbo, 2000) and in entire hives (Crane, 1978). Bahreini
et al. (2004) calculated correlation between Varroa mortality
with temperature and relative humidity. Kotwal et al. (2013)
has also observed similar results of Varroa population in
various months in 2006-07 and 2007-08 with peak of
population in March.
Kotwal (2008) in Jammu and Kashmir (India) recorded
significant negative correlation with rainfall and evening relative
humidity during 2006-07 whereas significant negative
correlation was obtained with minimum temperature in 2007-
08. However, in the present study, relative humidity and
rainfall had no significant relation with the population build
up of V. destructor in A. mellifera colonies.
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Research
  • Jan 2019
Field demonstration were orchestrate during July 2015 to June 2016 in Apis mellifera L. colonies perpetuated by the Department of Entomology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, situated at 33.3N° latitude, 70.70 °E longitude and 1256 m above mean sea level (Amsl). The scrutiny was under taken to documentation the seasonal incidence of diseases and enemies of A. mellifera under stationary and migratory conditions. The European foulbrood disease infestation array from 0 to 29 per cent in stationary and 1.12 to 4.90 per cent during migratory period. The disease prevalence was assuredly correlated with temperature, colony strength and rainfall. Sac brood disease incidence was evidenced with 8 per cent brood infestation only in the month of April, 2016. The population of ectoparasitic mites i.e. Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps clareae was recorded by three different methods viz. sticky paper, per 100 bees and visual examination. The incidence of V. destructor and T. clareae was observed during summer months when the temperature was high and relative humidity was low under stationary conditions. No mites were remarked during migratory period.
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... Field diagnosis of European foulbrood and Sac brood disease was carried out on the basis of standard symptoms. The frequency of ectoparasitic mites (Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps clareae) (Fig 1) in brood and adults were recorded in selected colonies of A. mellifera by using three different methods (Asha et al. 2013, Poonia et al. 2014 [3,23] of mite estimation (visual examination, sugar dusting and per 100 bee methods) during July 2015 to June 2016 in the university apiary, Nauni, Solan as well in migratory colonies in the plains of Haryana. The statistics on incidence of diseases and enemies were transformed using the square root transformation as per the method described by Gomez and Gomez (1986) [19] , subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared using a least significant difference test. ...
... Field diagnosis of European foulbrood and Sac brood disease was carried out on the basis of standard symptoms. The frequency of ectoparasitic mites (Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps clareae) (Fig 1) in brood and adults were recorded in selected colonies of A. mellifera by using three different methods (Asha et al. 2013, Poonia et al. 2014 [3,23] of mite estimation (visual examination, sugar dusting and per 100 bee methods) during July 2015 to June 2016 in the university apiary, Nauni, Solan as well in migratory colonies in the plains of Haryana. The statistics on incidence of diseases and enemies were transformed using the square root transformation as per the method described by Gomez and Gomez (1986) [19] , subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared using a least significant difference test. ...
... Varroa mite appeared in February, 2016 (8mites/ colony) which increased in March (12 mites), April (24 mites), May (29 mites) and reached its peak during June (45 mites).Similar trend in mite population has been observed when 100 bees from a colony were put in a glass bottle with 15g sugar. The mite population was significantly more in June, 2016 (15 mites/ 100 bees) and May (12 mites [23] . Sharma (2010) [27] while screening A. mellifera against Varroa have reported low to high Varroa infestation during different seasons at Nauni. ...
Periodical prevalence of brood pestilence and epizoan mites in Apis mellifera L. underneath stationary and migratory surroundings of Himachal Pradesh
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2019
Field demonstration were orchestrate during July 2015 to June 2016 in Apis mellifera L. colonies perpetuated by the Department of Entomology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, situated at 33.3N° latitude, 70.70 °E longitude and 1256 m above mean sea level (Amsl). The scrutiny was under taken to documentation the seasonal incidence of diseases and enemies of A. mellifera under stationary and migratory conditions. The European foulbrood disease infestation array from 0 to 29 per cent in stationary and 1.12 to 4.90 per cent during migratory period. The disease prevalence was assuredly correlated with temperature, colony strength and rainfall. Sac brood disease incidence was evidenced with 8 per cent brood infestation only in the month of April, 2016. The population of ectoparasitic mites i.e. Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps clareae was recorded by three different methods viz. sticky paper, per 100 bees and visual examination. The incidence of V. destructor and T. clareae was observed during summer months when the temperature was high and relative humidity was low under stationary conditions. No mites were remarked during migratory period.
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... Anderson & Trueman, 2000) was recorded in A. mellifera colonies in stationary conditions at fortnightly intervals during July 2019 to February 2020 was presented in Table 4. The incidence was recorded by using two methods viz., Visual Examination and Sugar Dusting methods (Asha et al., 2013, Poonia et al., 2014. The data on correlation of Varroa incidence with colony and weather parameters is presented in Table 4. Varroa incidence showed significantly negative correlation with brood area {r = -0.522 ...
... During the period of absence of incidence of Varroa mite, it was observed that colony strength and brood area was considerably high. The present finding got support from the observations of different workers who have found the correlation of Varroa incidence with temperature and rainfall (Deosai and Chhuneja, 2012), Asha et al., (2013) and Poonia et al., (2014) and has also reported positive correlation of Varroa incidence with temperature and rainfall. Also the incidence of Varroa mite was found at its peak during September and October during the study period. ...
Studies on the seasonal incidence of enemies of Apis mellifera L. in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh.
Thesis
  • Nov 2020
The present investigations entitled “Studies on the seasonal incidence of enemies of Apis mellifera L. in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh” were carried out from July 2019 to February 2020 in the colonies of Apis mellifera L. maintained by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Morena situated at 26.47°N latitude, 77.98°E longitude, and 177m AMSL. The investigations were undertaken to record the seasonal incidence of diseases, pests, and other enemies of A. mellifera L. under stationary conditions. The European foulbrood disease incidence ranged from 0 to 16 percent which was negatively correlated with colony strength and brood area. Sacbrood disease incidence ranged from 0 to 7.30 percent. The population of ectoparasitic mites i.e. Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps clareae were recorded by two different methods viz. visual examination and sugar dusting method. In the Visual examination method, the infestation of Varroa mite was recorded maximum and minimum i.e. 14 and 4 percent in first Fortnight of September 2019 and the first fortnight of July 2019, respectively, and the infestation of Tropilaelaps mite was recorded maximum and minimum i.e. 13 and 2 percent in the first fortnight of November 2019 and second fortnight of September 2019, respectively. Whereas, in the Sugar dusting method, the infestation of Varroa mite was recorded maximum and minimum i.e. 35 and 10 mites in first Fortnight of October 2019 and the first fortnight of July 2019, respectively and the infestation of Tropilaelaps mite was recorded maximum and minimum i.e. 22 and 6 mites in the first fortnight of October 2019 and second fortnight of November 2019, respectively. The highest population of larvae, pupa, and adult of Greater wax moth was recorded as 176, 72, and 19 in the second fortnight of September 2019, the second fortnight of September 2019, and the second fortnight of October 2019, respectively. Also, the lowest populations of larvae, pupa, and adult were recorded as 5, 5, and 2 in the first fortnight of September 2019, the first fortnight of August 2019, and the first fortnight of August 2019, respectively. Among enemies, the incidence of Vespa auraria was maximum i.e. 333 wasps visit/day in the second fortnight of September 2019. Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) bird was first time reported in A. mellifera colonies at KVK, Morena and was observed to eat 32 to 160 bees while sitting on the electric wire during its visits in a day and 10 to 55 bees while sitting on alighting board. Survey studies revealed that beekeepers of the study region were somewhat aware of the modern techniques of beekeeping and different management practices against various diseases, pests, and enemies. Many of them are using scientific techniques of beekeeping and their management. They have adequate knowledge of the availability of natural floral sources and have detailed knowledge about migratory routes to be followed during the dearth periods. The average landholding per person in this study area is quite low, even many people being landless, were totally dependent on beekeeping for their livelihood. Hence, apiculture has formed a major source of employment for them. Herewith the honey production, queen rearing, and multiplication of honeybee colonies are being commonly practiced in the study area.
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Fauna of Haryana
Book
  • Jan 2020
The results of the above-mentioned field surveys and the information available in earlier publications, when pooled together, resulted in a consolidated account of 2,490 species and subspecies belonging to 1,421 genera pertaining to 34 groups of animals comprising protozoans (43 species), invertebrates (1,755 species), and vertebrates (692 species) from the state of Haryana.
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Ecology and population biology: Growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) populations in Russian honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2007
  • ANN ENTOMOL SOC AM
The growth rate (r) of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) populations in Russian and Italian honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colonies was monitored from 2001 to 2003 in Baton Rouge, LA. Over this period, our results consistently showed lower mite growth in the Russian than in the Italian colonies. In 2001, instantaneous growth rates per week (r7) were r7 = 0.191 ± 0.011 for mites in Italian colonies and r7 = 0.137 ± 0.012 in Russian honey bees for 24.3 wk. These growth rates were equivalent to 159.1- and 61.6-fold increase, respectively. Divergence in r7 values also was observed in 2002 when Russian colonies supported a lower growth rate of r7 = 0.061 ± 0.016 (9.3-fold increase) than the Italian colonies (r7 = 0.122 ± 0.01 or a 31.7-fold increase) did after 26 wk. The lowest rate of r7 = 0.021 ± 0.011 (a 1.4-fold increase) was recorded for Russian honey bees in 2003, whereas the Italian bees in that year supported r7 = 0.145 ± 0.009 (an 18.9-fold increase) after 19 wk. This low growth rate of mite populations in Russian colonies may be attributed to several factors. Notably, as this study showed, Russian bees were less attractive to varroa mites. Furthermore, the Russian stock supported low proportions of brood infested and fewer multiply infested cells in both worker and drone brood, reduced mite reproduction, and extended phoretic period.
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Reproduction of Varroa jacobsoni in cells of Apis mellifera containing one or more mother mites and the distribution of these cells
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 1995
This study was carried out in Devon, UK, using Apis mellifera colonies that were naturally infested with Varroa jacobsoni. Study frames with uniform areas of similarly aged sealed brood were used in order to reduce the possibility of fluctuations in infestation rate occurring. Cells were examined at regular intervals and their contents (mother mites and offspring at different stages of development, alive or dead) were determined. A total of 908 worker cells containing 1334 mother mites and 2671 drone cells containing 3455 mother cells were found in the 3228 worker cells and 16 252 drone cells examined. The number of cells containing different numbers of mother mites did not differ significantly from a random (Poisson) distribution, irrespective of brood type (drone or worker), at any constant infestation level. The maximum number of viable adult offspring (male and female) observed in a single drone or worker cell was 16 and eight respectively. The mean number of eggs laid per mite in both drone and worker cells showed a small but steady decline as the number of mites per cell increased. Mortality of the offspring in drone cells containing up to four mother mites remained steady for the first three offspring then increased as the number of offspring in the cell increased. There was little difference in the number of viable female offspring produced in cells containing one or two mites. Competition or effects between the mother mites were less important than between their offspring and competition at the feeding site may be the major factor in offspring mortality.
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Dependence on Climate of the Virulence of Varroa Jacobsoni
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2015
Within the last 15 years Varroa jacobsoni has become a subject of concern to beekeepers in many parts of the world. First noted as a parasite of the Asian honeybee species Apis cerana in 1904, the mite has spread to Apis mellifera and has been carried by man with these bees to many countries in Europe, Africa, and South America. The effect of Varroa on Apis mellifera colonies is often severe. There are reports of extensive colony mortality due to Varroa in Europe, the Near East, and South America: from USSR, Bulgaria, China, Japan, Turkey, Iran, German Federal Republic, Argentina, and Uruguay. ln Bulgaria, parasitized colonies reportedly begin dying in autumn of the first year of the infestation, and frequently all colonies within an apiary die within 3-5 years. However, in Paraguay and Brazil where the mites have been present for at least 10 years, there have been no reports of colony deaths. This article examines the evidence about the virulence of Varroa in tropical, subtropical, and temperate parts of South America. Ali of the Varroa there are apparently descended from a population introduced into Paraguay in 1971 in an influx of bees from Japan. Yet the effect on beekeeping has varied greatly in the different parts of the continent. The hotter regions of South America, where Varroa infestations are less severe, are populated mostly by Africanized bees. This raises the possibility that this tropically adapted bee might have some resistance to the mites. We are investigating the hypothesis that genetic factors are involved; however, even within the part of Brazil totally occupied by Africanized bees, we find higher mite infestation in cooler regions.
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Winter colony losses in Poland
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2010
In 2006, Poland had 39,000 registered beekeepers with 1,092,000 colonies. Whilst during the winter of 2006-7 colony losses were ~9.9%, during the winter of 2007-8, as in many other European countries, losses were high; on average ~15.3% . Investigation of samples performed at WULS suggests that V. destructor and associated viruses were probably the main causes of colony losses during the winter of 2007-8. Results obtained at NVRI in both years show that the contribution of V. destructor and Nosema spp. to colony losses was similar, but we have to take into account that these samples were from preselected apiaries; those with losses above 30%, and that results obtained at WULS relate to the percentage of apiaries, while those obtained at NVRI relate to the percentage of samples. In conclusion, our data suggest that V. destructor and associated viruses as well as Nosema spp. were the principal causes of local losses. We cannot, however, exclude the impact of pesticides used in agriculture, especially the long term influence of sublethal dosages.
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A study of the efficacy of formic acid in controlling Varroa destructor and its correlation with temperature in Iran
Article
  • Jan 2004
European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies infested with varroa (Varroa destructor) were used to compare the effect of treatment with tau-fluvalinate (Apistan®) and formic acid (65%) during a 3-year period from 1998 to 2000. Twenty colonies were divided into 5 treatment groups, each with 4 replications. The groups were treated with either tau-fluvalinate (AP) or four applications of 20 ml (for a total of 80 ml (FA80)), 30 ml (FA120), 40 ml (FA160) or 50 ml (FA200) of 65% formic acid per colony applied over 16 days. The percentage mite mortality due to experimental treatment was determined using the sticky board method. Total mite mortality in the treatment groups over the 3-year period was 93.25% in the AP group, 60% in FA80, 75% in FA120, 59.5% in FA160 and 69.55% in FA200. Treatment with formic acid was as effective as Apistan only in the third year when comparatively high ambient temperatures were recorded during sampling periods; in year 3 the average temperature was 19.44°C and mite mortality was 83% (AP), 89.25% (FA80), 95.25% (FA120), 75.67% (FA160) and 92% (FA200). In years one and two, mite mortality was higher in the Apistan group than in all formic acid groups, but none of the formic acid groups differed from one another. The there was a significant (r = 0.0181) correlation between formic acid mite mortality and temperature, but no such relationship (r = -0.05) between mite mortality and relative humidity.
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Comparative population dynamics of Tropilaelaps Clareae and Varroa Jacobsoni mites on honeybees
Article
  • Jan 1987
A high infestation rate of honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies by Tropilaelaps clareae mites was found in Afghanistan and southern Vietnam and a low rate in northern Vietnam. The rate of infestation by Varroa jacobsoni was low in both parts of Vietnam. The ratios of brood: worker infestation by T. clareae ranged from 13·5–16·0 in Afghanistan and southern Vietnam and 26·1–36·9 in northern Vietnam. The corresponding ratios for V. jacobsoni were 0·8 in southern Vietnam and 2·9–8·2 in the north. These data suggest that in the colder areas V. jacobsoni mites remain outside sealed brood for a shorter time, resulting in a more rapid population increase there. Some measures of population for T. clareae mites in honeybee colonies with low (26%) and high (72%) rates of infestation were as follows: 1·3 and 2·3 females were found on average per brood cell, 18 and 7·3% of females were infertile, one female produced an average of 1·3 and 1·9 descendants, and the mean overall numbers of mites per brood cell were 2·9 and 5·1. The population of T. clareae increases at a geometrically greater rate than that of V. jacobsoni, owing mainly to the fact that mites of the former species remain outside sealed brood cells for only a small fraction of the time spent outside by the latter. The ratio of males to females for all T. clareae mites, old and young, present in brood cells was 1:4. On the average one old female produced 0·6 males and 1·4 females. In the offspring the ratio of males to females was 1: 2·3. The mean infestation rate of drone brood by V. jacobsoni was 5·1 limes that of worker brood, whereas for T. clareae the rate was 1·5 times as great for worker brood. Thus it would be practically useless to remove drone brood from honeybee colonies as a control measure for T. clareae.
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