Evaluación de dos modelos de pisos trampa para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor Oud. sobre la abeja Apis mellifera L.

Abstract

The study was carried out between 18 August and 30 December 2004 in the Experimental Apiary and in the Health Laboratory of the Catholic University of Temuco, located in Campus Norte, Rudecindo Ortega 02950 in the city of Temuco. The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of anti-varroa (AV) floor traps as a method for the physical control of the mite Varroa destructor. The study was carried out on ten colonies of Apis mellifera bees in Langstroth hives, with two models of AV floor traps: five tube model anti-varroa floor traps (AVT) (Tl) and five mesh model anti-varroa floor traps (AVM) (T2), which were placed in the bottoms of the hives. The evaluation consisted of the observation and daily count of varroa mites which fell onto the base sheets of the AV floor traps with each treatment, identifying live and dead mites in order to make a comparison and determine the effectiveness of each type of trap. The efficiencies determined for the mesh and tube AV traps were 19.76% and 15.87%, respectively. Both types are options for the physical control of the varroa mite and may form part of an integrated mite control strategy.