Efficacy of eco-friendly formulations against honeybee mite, Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera colonies in Uttarakhand - A novel approach

Abstract

Studies to manage the ectoparasitic brood mite, Varroa destructor infestation in the colonies of Apis mellifera (L.) at Dineshpur, District Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand were conducted applying eco-friendly formulations, i.e. spraying of cow urine (desi breed) @ 25% and 100% and plant decoctions prepared in cow urine and water @ 5% (10- 15 ml/hive), leaf powders of neem (Azardiracta indica L.), Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) and ajwain powder (Trachyspermum ammi L.) ( @ 5g/hive), sulphur powder (@ 100 mg /hive) and thymol powder (@ 500 mg/hive) with two applications in a month revealed that the cow urine 100 per cent, significantly reduced brood mite infestation (77.80%) with highest mean mite fall (50.06%) and highest sealed worker brood area (892.84 cm2) followed by ajwain powder with reduction in brood mite infestation (70.17%), mite fall (48.40%), sealed worker brood area (740.34 cm2), after 4 weeks of treatment followed by neem leaf powder and cow urine @ 25 per cent, jatropha leaf powder, thymol and sulphur powder. The plant decoctions prepared in cow urine and water showed average mite fall (25.00% to 28.00%), reduction in brood mite infestation (54.32% to 66.50% ) in with decrease in sealed worker brood areas (190.17 to 333.33 cm2 ). It has been concluded that the tested eco-friendly formulations cow urine, neem leaf powder, ajwain and jatropha leaf powder were significantly reduced the mite infestation in treated bee colonies with significant increase in sealed worker brood area without adversely affecting the workers and queen activities in comparison to sulphur ,thymol and plant decoctions.