Control of Tropilaelaps clareae mite by using formic acid and thymol in honey bee Apis mellifera L. colonies

The proposed research work was conducted in March, 2008 at Honeybee Research Institute of National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad on Apis mellifera lingustica honeybee colonies infested with the Tropilaelaps clareae. Treatments were given by dividing experimental 36 colonies into two groups (Formic acid and Thymol). Formic acid (70%) and Thymol were applied in six treatments including control (T0=0.0 ml, T1=5ml, T2=10ml, T3=15ml, T4=20ml and T5= 25ml) and (To=0.0g, T1=5g, T2=10g, T3=15g, T4=20g, and T5=25g) respectively with three replications for five weeks. The treatments were given randomly by using complete randomized design (CRD). The maximum number 782 and 518 of mites collected in mite collection trays treated with 25 ml formic acid and 25 g of thymol. The highest efficacy of formic acid and thymol against T. clareae on honeybee was 97 and 95.3%. In formic acid group T5 (25 ml) yielded the maximum honey 22.54 kg/colony. In thymol group, T5 (25g) yielded the maximum honey 20.7 kg/colony. From all the results it was clearly observed that all the treatments of formic acid and thymol are effective against the T. clareae. It was observed that during whole experiment no queens were lost and there was no adult honeybee mortality in any of the colonies.