Assessment of Selected Acaricides for Controlling Varroa destructor in Hybrid Carniolan Honeybee Colonies | ||||
| Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology | ||||
| Article 2, Volume 16, Issue 8, August 2025, Page 405-412 PDF (608.71 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jppp.2025.403682.1359 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
R. A. Taha  1; A. M. Abo-Eladab1; Asmaa M. Nagah2; Toka F. Mashaal2
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| 1Plant Protection Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, 12619 Giza, Egypt. | ||||
| 2Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study evaluated the efficacy of selected acaricides against Varroa destructor and their safety to hybrid Carniolan honeybee workers under laboratory and field conditions. In residual contact bioassays, flumethrin, abamectin, and amitraz showed the highest toxicity to V. destructor, with LC50 values around 1–2 µg/mL after 24–48 hrs, while oxalic acid and thymol exhibited substantially higher LC50 values (50–80 µg/mL), indicating lower but meaningful efficacy aligned with organic beekeeping practices. Honeybee worker assays revealed that abamectin and alumethrin posed significant risks (LC50 < 20 µg/mL at 48 h), whereas amitraz demonstrated lower bee toxicity (LC50 in the range of 190–200 µg/mL), and oxalic acid and thymol were safest (> 300 µg/mL). Field trials conducted during March–April 2025 in Metoubes district, Kafr El Sheikh province, confirmed these patterns after four weekly treatments, infestation levels in adult workers fell from 10.83% (control) to 3.33% (amitraz), 3.84% (oxalic acid), and 5.17% (thymol). Brood infestation dropped similarly from 11.92% (control) to 3.75–5.92% across treatments. Mean weekly mite fall also increased markedly in treated colonies. These results emphasize the importance of integrating highly effective miticides like amitraz with safer organic options (oxalic acid, thymol) for sustainable varroa management that reduces mite pressure while safeguarding colony health. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Varroa destructor; Apis mellifera; acaricide toxicity; integrated pest management; bee safety | ||||
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