Insecticidal Activity of Sage (Salvia Officinalis) Essential Oil to Varroa Destructor (Acari: Varroidae) and Apis Mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

The need to find alternative systems of the fight against Varroa mite without application of chemicals and provide healthy bee products resulted in investigation of application of different plant essences to arthropod control. In order to perceive the sage essential oil (Salvia officinalis) bioactivity, contact residual toxicity of mites and bees was examined in the laboratory conditions. The chemical composition of essential oil was determined by standard GC and GC/MS methods. Different doses of the sage essential oil dissolved in acetone (0.1–10 μl/Petri dish) were applied in Petri dishes and left to dry for 20 minute at a room temperature. Following this period of time, ten honey bees and five adult female mites were added in each Petri dish and they were all maintained in controlled conditions (T = 30°C, Relative humidity = 60%). Survival of examined honey bees and Varroa mites was recorded two times, after 24 h and 48 h. The most prominent toxic effect on the examined Varroa mites was observed after 24 h and 48 h, with application of 10 μl of sage oil (the average values for dead mite individuals were 3.25 and 3.50, respectively). Recorded biological activities of the oil tested in different doses on both honey bee and Varroa mite revealed opportunity to proceed with further investigation by selecting the most appropriate variants and combinations of the most prominent individual components of the examined sage oil.