Evaluation of some plant oils for controlof varroa mite (Vharroa jacobsoni Oudemans in honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus, Hymenoptera Apidae)‎ colonies

Abstract EN

The study consisted of two experiments which carried out during 2014 growing season.

One conducted in the laboratories of the college of Agricultural Sciences, university of Sulaimani, and the other one was in Bazian apiary at 34 Nº and 38 Km west of Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Six plant oils in different concentrations were used for control of varroa and studying their effect on honey bees in laboratory and apiary.

The results showed that the highest number of fallen varroa''1.747''occurred at 100% thyme, while the lowest was ''1.000'' at 100% mint.

The number of dead bee workers under laboratory condition.

Were ''2.307''when using thyme at 100%, but the lowest was 1.000 at 100% rosemary oil under laboratory condition.

In the field experiment, betony oil(50%) recorded the highest number of fallen varroa''43.33'' after four weeks of application while the lowest were ''1.833''was for eucalyptus(50%) after two weeks.

Results showed that, thyme oil with 50% concentration had the best results among other plant oils according to the results in both laboratory and apiary.