Comparison of infertility of Varroa destructor in resistant and control colonies of the Iraqi honeybee (Apis mellifera meda)

Abstract

In the current study, the infertility of Varroa mite was compared in resistant (VSH) and control honeybee colonies at the University of Garmian of Iraq. At each stage, the infestation rate, the percentage of fertile mites, the percentage of infertile mites, the number of cells containing mite eggs, and the number of protonymphs and deutonymphs were counted. Percentages of infestation in resistant and control colonies were 6.2 ± 0.9 and 10.9 ± 1.2, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the percentage of infested cells between the control and resistant groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, 56.3% of the resistant colonies and 37.50% of the control colonies showed hygienic behaviour (VHS). Resistant colonies showed hygienic behaviour (VHS) regarding the removal of infested pupae and reducing the infestation in colonies compared to control colonies. Mean total infertility in resistant and control colonies were 1.4 ± 0.4 and 1.1 ± 0.3, respectively. Also, the total mean of protonymphs, deutonymphs, and eggs in resistant and control colonies were 0.06, 1.3 ± 0.4, and 2.6 ± 0.8 in resistant colonies and 0.2, 1.3 ± 0.8, and 2.6 ± 1 in control colonies. The results showed that VSH behaviour in adult bees reduces the rate of infestation by Varroa mites in pupas.