Biological activity of some plant extracts on Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) and Iranian honeybee (Apis mellifera meda)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
A. Rahimi 1
R. Rashed 2
B. Abdulla 3
1 Animal Science Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sanandaj, Iran.
2 Horticulture Department, Collage of Agricultural Engineering Science, University of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
3 Biology Department, College of Education, University of Salahaddin, Erbil, Iraq.
Abstract
 Research and development of new natural and safe veterinary medicaments to treat honeybee (Apis mellifera) varroosis caused by Varroa destructor is an essential step on the path to embarking on organic beekeeping. One of the feasible alternative treatments being used for their control is plant extracts. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the acaricidal and insecticidal activity of extracts of Ferula assa-foetida, Euphorbia serrata, Achillea millefolium, and Salvia rosmarinus plants on Varroa mite and its host in honeybee colonies in Kurdistan province, Iran during 2021 to 2023. In this research, all the different concentrations of the studied plant extract caused mite mortality without severe harmful effects on worker bees (adults and brood). Based on the results of statistical analysis, the concentration of 50% extract of F. assa-foetida plant showed the most significant effect on the mortality percentage of Varroa mite (88.1 ± 1.3 %) in the studied honey bee colonies which its difference was significant compared to other different concentrations of studied plants extract (p<0.01). An acceptable safety margin for bees (eggs, larvae, adult workers, and queen) were observed after employing the extracts over a 20 days treatment period in the current experiment. Therefore, it is possible to recommend the concentration of 50% F. assa-foetida extract as a suitable alternative to synthetic acaricides to control the Varroa mites in the honeybee colonies.


 

Keywords

             1.     Abbott, W.S. 1925. A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. J. Econ. Entomol., 18 (2): 265-267.
2.      Adams, R.P. 2007. Identification of essential oil components by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 4th edition, Allured Publishing Corporation, Carol Stream, USA.
3.      Adamczyk, S., Lázaro, R., Pérez-Arquillué, C., Conchello, P. and Herrera, A. 2005. Evaluation of residues of essential oil components in honey after different anti-Varroa treatments. J. Agric. Food Chem., 53 (26): 10085–10090.
4.      Damiani, N., Liesel, B., Matías, D., Marcangeli, A. and Eguaras, J. 2022. Repellent and acaricidal effects of botanical extracts on Varroa destructor. Parasitol. Res., 108 (1): 79–86.
5.      Delaplane, K.S., Van der Steen, J. and Guzmán-Novoa, E. 2013) Standard methods for estimating strength parameters of Apis mellifera colonies. J. Apic. Sci., 52 (1): 1-12.
6.      Dietemann, V., Nazz, F., Martin, S.J., Anderson, D.L., Locke, B., Delaplane, K.S., Wauquiez, Q., Tannahill, C., Frey, E., Ziegelmann, B., Rosenkranz, P. and Ellis, J.D. 2013. Standard methods for Varroa research. In: Dietemann V, Ellis JD, Neumann P (Eds) The COLOSS BEEBOOK, volume II: standard methods for Apis mellifera pest and pathogen research. J. Apic. Res., 52 (1): 1-54.
7.      Farid, P., Ghasemi, Y., Gholami, A., Mehregan, I. and Mohagheghzadeh, A.
2008. Antimicrobial essential oil from Smyrniopsis aucheri. Chem Nat Compd, 44 (1): 116-118.
8.      Giusti, M., Sabelli, C., Di, Donato, A., Lamberti, D., Paturzo, C.E., Polignano, V., Lazzari, R. and Felicioli, A. 2017. Efficacy and safety of Var terminator, a new formic acid medicine against the Varroa mite. J. Apic. Res., 56 (13): 162-167.
9.      Islam, N., Amjad, M., Haq, E. and Naz, F. 2023. Comparative field efficiency of the extracts of plant materials for controlling Varroa destructor about brood development in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. IJB, 16 (1): 126-138.
10.  Islam, N., Amjad, M., Ehsan-ul-Haq, M., Stephen, E. and Naz, N. (2016). Management of Varroa destructor by essential oils and formic acid in Apis mellifera Linn. colonies. J. Entomol. Zool. Stud., 4 (8): 97-104.
11.  Noor, I., Muhammad, A., Ehsan, U. and Falak, N. 2020. Comparative field efficiency of the extracts of plant materials for controlling Varroa destructor about brood development in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. IJB, 16 (1): 126-138.
12.  Radakovic, M., Stevanovic, J., Djelic, N., Lakic, N., Knezevic-Vukcevic, J., Vukovic-Gacic, B. and Stanimirovic, Z. 2013. Evaluation of the DNA damaging effects of amitraz on human lymphocytes in the Comet assay. J. Biosci., 38(1): 53-62.
13.  Rahimi, A. and Pariichehreh, S. 2024. Evaluation and introduction of a new plant-based formulation to control Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) in honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera). J Entomol Soc Iran, 44 (4): 417-428.
14.  Rahimi, A., Kahrizi, D., Mirmoayedi, A., Zarei, L. and Jamali, S. 2023. Genetic Characterizations of the Iranian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera meda Skorikov 1929) Populations Using the Microsatellite DNA Markers. Biochem Genet, 61(6): 2293-2317.
15.  Rahimi, A., Mirmoayedi, A., Kahriz, D., Zarei, L. and Jamali, J. 2022. Molecular genetic diversity and population structure of Iranian honey bee (Apis mellifera meda) populations: Implications for breeding and conservation. J Plant Dis Prot, 129: 1331–1342.
16.  Ramsey, S.D., Ochoa, R., Bauchan, G., Gulbronson, C., Mowery, J.D., Mowery, A., Lim, D., Joklik, J., Cicero, J.M., Ellis, J.D., Hawthorne, D. and vanEngelsdorp, D. 2019. Varroa destructor feeds primarily on honey bee fat body tissue and not hemolymph. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 16 (5): 1792-1801.
17.  Ramzanpour, A. and Ykhchali, M. 2020. Study on the effect of Ferula pseudalliacea (Family: Apiacea) extract on Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) infestation in honeybee (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apis melifera) by injection method. Iran. J. Vet. Res., 15 (4): 85-92.
18.  Sammataro, D., Degrandi-Hofman, G., Needham, G. and Wardell, G. 1998. Some volatile plant oils as potential control agents for Varroa mites (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies (Hymenoptera: Apidae). American bee journal, 138(9): 681–685.
19.  Sanda, K., Koba, K., Akpagana, K. and Tchepan, T. 2001. Teneur et compostion chimique de l´huile essentielle de Ocimum basilicum L. et Ocimum gratissicum L. a diferentes periodes de recolte apres semis. Rivista italiana EPPOS, 31 (2): 3–7.
20.  Shaddel Tilly, A., Mahri Sis, N., Aghajanzadeh Golshani, A., Asadi Disney, A. and Ahmadzadeh, A. 2008. Investigating the effect of using tobacco, pecan and mountain thyme plants in controlling honey bee Varroa mite. J. Agric. Sci., 4 (2): 67-72.
21.  Tavassoli, M., Ghanbarpoor, L. and Shamsi, L. 2021. Study of pesticide effects of Matricaria chamomilla extract on Argas persicus Ticks. J. Vet. Res., 73 (2): 135-139.
22.  Zemene, M., Bogale, B., Derso, S., Belete, S., Melaku, S. and Hailu, H. 2015. A review on Varroa mites of honey bees. AJE, 8 (3): 150-159.
Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 October 2025