In honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.), usage of different organics compounds and their effects to colony performance against Varroa destructor infestation

Abstract

In this study, the efficiency oxalic, thymol and lactic acid against Varroa destructor mite and their effects on colony development in colonies established by queen bees in 2010, Erzurum region were searched. Test colonies were chosen randomly and four working groups (oxalic acid, thymol, lactic acid and control group) from ten colonies in each group were formed. In autumn, mite infestation level, sealed brood areas, bee population, organic acid efficiency, Varroa destructor number of worker brood area and the number of dead adult bee after medicine in groups were determined. At the experimental result, the efficiencies of oxalic acid, thymol and lactic acid group against Varroa destructor were obtained respectively %84.90±5.60, %90.10±3.03, and % 79.50±3.78. According to obtained results, difference between organic compounds efficiency degrees for Varroa destructor were found statistically important (P<0.05). Also, after medicine died adult bee number in oxalic acid group were different from thymol and lactic acid group (P<0.05).