Varroosis control with organic acaricides.

Abstract

The purpose of this trial is to analyze the efficacy of the mixture of two selected essential oils, menthol and carvacrol, since they have a high antiparasitic and acaricidal power. They could be a very useful alternative in the control of Varroa destructor in beehives, being the most damaging pathogen in this productive sector for many years. This parasite affects all the individuals present in the hives, even causing their death. In the past, this problem was not so serious, since a hive could be left untreated and prosper, but due to the globalization of trade, it is now a worldwide disease that needs to be controlled by treating the hives to avoid losses. We want to investigate this type of natural products, since it has been demonstrated that they do not have so many negative effects in comparison to the products used in beekeeping from the beginning, those of chemical origin. Since these chemical products have been used from the beginning in an uncontrolled way, they have originated resistances against this dangerous parasite. In addition, the use of this type of products leaves traces of residues in the by-products obtained from this practice, such as wax, but this does not occur with natural products. Another beneficial aspect of the use of essential oils is that they help the health of the hive itself in addition to combating this mite, since they have biological properties that extend the life of the bees, such as being anti-tumorous. It has also been seen that they can act in the reproductive phase of varrosis, in which they are found inside the bee brood cells at the time of metamorphosis of the precious future bees that are in the form of larvae. This gives an advantage in being able to fight the disease at all stages of the parasite's life. With all these positive aspects of natural products, we only seek to study the ideal doses to make them more effective and thus be able to improve the health of our bees and the envaronen itself by not using chemical products that end up polluting.