IPM For Honeybee Mites Varroa Destructor And Tropilaelaps Clareae: Control of Ectoparasitic Honeybee mites with soft chemicals

Honeybees can be threatened by various pests and diseases. The most common pests are Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Varroidae: Acari) and Tropilaelaps clareae Delfinado and Baker (Laelapidae: Acrina) that can provokes big loss in apiculture of Pakistan. It feeds on haemolymph of larva, pupa and adult bees during the whole life. Contamination of colony due to mites may leads to decrease in body weight, deformation and even death. The efficacy of different organic acids and essential oils were evaluated for the control of ectoparasitic mites V. destructor and T. clareae that threat honey bee Apis mellifera ligustica (Apidae : Hymenoptera) population world-wide. Based on my research findings, it is recommended that regular re-queening with hygienic queen, use of modified bottom boards along with three applications of 4 gm thymol+3.2% Oxalic acid in mid winter at weekly intervals, two application of 65% formic acid in mid summer fortnightly and apistan strips should be hanged in late summer for a period of one month for successfully controlling of both ectoparasitic mites (V. destructor and T.clareae) of A. mellifera and for the production of quality honey yield.

Ph.D. Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agricultural University, Rawalpindi, (Pakistan).Principal Scientific Officer, Honeybee Research Institute, NARC, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council,Islamabad, Pakistan.