EFFECT OF SOME ARTIFICIAL DIETS HONEYBEE INFESTATION LEVEL WITH ECTOPARASITIC MITEVARROA DESTRUCTOR

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant protection Dept. Faculty of Agric., Minia Univ., Minia ; Egypt.

2 Plant protection Dept. Faculty of Agric., AI.Azhar Univ., Assuit, Egypt.

Abstract

The effect of feeding honeybee colonies with five different diets on the level of
Varroa infestation was studied during spring. summer and autumn seasons of 2003.
It could be concluded that the lowest rate of Varroa infestation was noticed in
colonies that. fed on diet 5 ( 1 part cooking potatos : 1 part defatted soya flour) during
spring and autumn, while in summer the lowest rate was observed with diet 4 (2 parts
bean flour: 1 part date paste: 1 part skimmed milk ).
The highest population growth of Varroa destructor was detected during
summer with an average of 9.11% I while during spring and autumn seasons. The
population was nearly similar (7.75 and 7.55 %. respectively).