CONTROL OF VARROA DESTRUCTOR ANDERSON AND TRUEMAN (ACARI: VARROIDAE) ON APIS MELLIFERA LINGUISTICA BY USING THYMOL AND FORMIC ACID IN POTHWAR REGION OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) is the most devastating pest for beekeeping in Pakistan.Two acaricides i.e., thymol (powdered form) and formic acid were tested on Apis mellifera linguistica coloniesfor the management of Varroa mites in modified German and traditional Langstroth beehives. At first thymol was applied in two doses (2 and 4 gm) at weekly interval and the data were taken for four weeks. Efficacy of thymol 4 gm was better on bee colonies as compared to those treated with 2gm thymol. In modified German bee hives more mortality of mites was recorded due to thymol treatment as compared to traditional bee hives. In the next step both thymol and formic acid were compared for their effectiveness against Varroa mite. The results indicated that, formic acid (30ml/hive) had better efficacy than thymol 4gm. Both the acaricides were more effective on modified German beehives as compared to traditional Langstroth bee hives. No queens were lost, and no adult honeybee mortality was observed in any of the colonies during the experiment.