The application of formic acid to treat varroaatosis in bees in organic animal husbandry

Abstract

The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of formic acid as an antiparasitic agent against the varroa mite. The research seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the antiparasitic agent against the varroa mite and to determine the possibility of using formic acid in organic apiculture. The study was carried out in the nomadic apiaries of Volgograd (apiary 1), Olkhovsky (apiary 2) and Dubovsky (apiary 3) districts of the Volgograd region. The nests were formed by the pairing method with 5 experimental and control families in each apiary after the central beehive (end of July, beginning of August) before the preparation of the bee families for wintering by shrinkage. The authors carried out antiparasitic measures using a gel containing 85% formic acid in the experimental groups twice with an interval of two weeks. The gel is contained in sachets of 30 grams each. The authors placed formic acid over the frames under the canvas (at the rate of 1 sachet per bee colony). The experimental results showed that the treatment measures in the experimental groups had a positive effect on all apiaries. In those groups where formic acid was used, the number of mites decreased by 14.3-28.2% and did not exceed 3.8%. At the same time, in the control groups, the number of mites increased. The treatment measures had a positive effect on the overwintering of the bees. Bee mortality in the autumn-winter-spring period in the experimental groups did not exceed 8.3%. In contrast, in the control families, the wastage was no lower than 18.8%. Also, in two apiaries, one family each died in the control groups. Honey productivity, in the end, was also higher in the experimental groups. The experimental groups produced at least 27.42 kg of honey. The control groups had 17.9 kg of honey per family. Profitability in the experimental groups ranged from 40.87 in Apiary 2 to 60.62% in Apiary 3. This was less than 24.47 per cent in the control apiaries.