A preliminary laboratory study of thymol nanoemulsion effect on naturally nosema-infected honey bee workers | ||||
| Mansoura Journal of Biology | ||||
| Volume 69, Issue 2, June 2024, Page 56-64 PDF (1.33 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mjb.2024.446938 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Noran K. Gamal Eldin* 1; Ahmed A. Ebeid1; Abd El-Raouf M. Sallam1; Nasr K. Basuny2; Waleed Kh. Elaidy1 | ||||
| 1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt | ||||
| 2Department of Beekeeping Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Honey bees health is a common current concern due to the colony collapse disorders worldwide as a result of diseases, pests and pollution. The implications of excessive and unwise use of pesticides have been motivated researchers to seek safe control strategies as essential oils of medicinal plants. Thymol is a natural component of thyme essential oil known for varroacidal and antimicrobial properties but there are no reports about thymol nanoemulsion effect on honey bees. There was an epidemic of nosema during the experiment and Nosema spp. spore count indicates to potency of the treatments but honey bee worker mortality percentages indicate to their safety limits. This experiment was carried out under lab condition for 16 consecutive days. The highest mortality percentages were recorded with thymol nanoemulsion (NTh) 0.01 ppm, thymol (Th) 100 ppm, NTh 10 ppm and NTh 50 ppm. The highest spore count was recorded in NTh 0.1, 50 and 100 ppm with significant differences. The highest sugar syrup consumption rate was recorded in NTh 0.1 and 50 ppm. This may be due to high Nosema spore count that consumes more carbohydrates for germination and propagation in the worker midgut. Pollen consumption insignificantly increased until the 7th day and decreased due to the worker hypopharyngeal glands could not secret royal jelly and reserved it because no brood to feed in such experiments of caged bees. Thymol nanoemulsion of 25, 10, and 1 ppm seem to be promising as a novel health-supporting and nosema-control approach. Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings for more reliability, especially with honey bees and their vital role in cross-pollination and environmental sustainability. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| honey bees; diseases; control; thymol; nanothymol | ||||
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