Measures to protect bee health against varroosis in Montenegro

Abstract

Varroosis is a disease of bees and their brood caused by Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite (acarine). This parasite is present throughout the year in bee colonies feeding on hemolymph from adult bees, larvae and pupae. Varroosis is also present in the beekeeping of Montenegro. Measures to prevent varroosis include beekeeping on favorable terrains, early detection of diseases, control of newly procured colonies, application of the principles of good beekeeping practice, control of treatment efficiency etc. Diagnostic examination for varroosis is carried out once a year - until the end of March in all bee colonies. For mite control, only registered products should be used. In Montenegro, natural preparations are registered - Apiguard (based on thymol) and Api Life Var (based on thymol, eucalyptus oil, camphor and L-menthol). Varroa quickly becomes resistant to synthetic chemical preparations based on compounds, such as amitraz, coumaphos, synthetic pyrethroids - fluvalinate and flumethrin. In addition to gaining resistance, there is a great danger of depositing residues in bee products. Such bee products are a source of contamination for humans through the consumption of bee products (honey, royal jelly, propolis, etc.) and bee wax is a source of contamination through cosmetic products that contain it. Therefore, these synthetic preparations should not be used for the treatment of bee colonies against varroa.

Varooza je bolest pčelinjeg legla i pčela koju izaziva ektoparazit, krpelj (akarina) Varroa destructor. Ovaj parazit je prisutan tokom cele godine u pčelinjoj zajednici i hrani se hemolimfom pčela, larvi i lutki. Mere za sprečavanje varooze se sastoje u primeni principa dobre pčelarske prakse, pčelarenju na povoljnim terenima, ranom otkrivanju bolesti, kontroli novonabavljenih društava, kontroli efikasnosti lečenja i dr. Dijagnostičkom ispitivanju na varoozu podležu jednom godišnje - do kraja marta, svi pčelinjaci. Za uništavanje krpelja treba koristiti samo registrovane preparate. U Crnoj Gori su registrovani prirodni preparati - Apiguard (na bazi timola) i ApiLife Var (na bazi timola, eukaliptusovog ulja, kamfora i levomentola. Varoa veoma brzo stiče rezistenciju na sintetičke hemijske preparate na bazi jedinjenja kao što su amitraz, kumafos, sintetički piretroidi - fluvalinat i flumetrin. Osim sticanja rezistencije, postoji velika opasnost od deponovanja rezidua u pčelinjim proizvodima. Takvi pčelinji proizvodi su izvor kontaminacije za ljude preko konzumiranja pčelinjih proizvoda (med, matična mleč, propolis i dr.), a pčelinji vosak predstavlja izvor kontaminacije preko kozmetičkih preparata koji ga sadrže. Zbog toga ova sredstva ne treba koristiti za tretiranje pčelinjih društava protiv varoe.