فاعلية استخدام بعض الزيوت العطرية النباتية لمكافحة حلم الفاروا Varroa destructor في نحل العسل Apis mellifera L.

Abstract EN

Honeybee insects are economically important in pollinating many agricultural plants.

Honeybees are exposed to many diseases and parasitic pests such as the powerful parasite, varroa mites, which has become resistant to traditional treatment used to combat it.

Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficiency of three kinds of essential plant oils including black seed oil, mustard oil and olive oil used to test in controlling varroa mites in honey bee colonies.

The study was performed in January 2018, at movable apiaries in the western region in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during three periods of the control after 24, 48 and 72 hours.

To test the efficiency of the method in control and learn which oil has the most effect, we used the evaporation technique by using a smoker to burn off a piece of sackcloth saturated with oil per colony or by placing a paper saturated with oil at the bottom of the hives.

Results showed that fumigation of a piece of sackcloth saturated with mustard oil after 24 hours resulted in effectiveness of 72.8%, black seed oil 63.6%, mixed oils 62.1% and finally olive oil 54.2% compared to 22.5 % in control group.

While, placing paper saturated with oil at the bottom in the hives treatment by mustard oil 51.3% next mixed oils 50.6%, then olive oil 37.8% and the least effective black seed oil 33.5% in comparison with control group 43.2 %.

In addition, the method of using fumigation of a piece of sackcloth saturated with oil proved more effective than the placing paper saturated with oil.

When comparing the means of varroa mites of control variant with essential oils, the highest mean was found when using mustard oil (87.5) in control, and the lowest when using olive oil (38.5).

In conclusion, the most effective essential oils in controlling varroa mites is mustard oil for being a safe natural product for honeybees and its products.