Investigation of honey bee colonies in terms of mesostigmatid mites in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey is in an essential geographic position for transmitting honey bee diseases from Asia to Europe. This study investigated Tropilaelaps mercedecae and Euvarroa sinhai, a potential risk for European beekeeping, for the first time throughout Turkey. In addition, the situation of varoasis has been comprehensively revealed. In total, 1199 colonies in 401 apiaries were examined in 40 provinces of Turkey. About 200 workers and a 10-cm² honeycomb with capped brood cells were collected from each hive. While Tropilaelaps and Euvarroa species were not found, varroasis was detected in all 40 provinces. The prevalences were recorded at 69.3 ± 2.7 (95%CI) in apiaries and 45.5 ± 2.4 (95%CI) in hives. All of the investigated samples were Varroa destructor Korean (K) haplotypes. At the end of the study, it was determined that varroasis was still endemic and spread throughout the country with a slight increase. Also, Tropilaelaps sp, a severe danger for European beekeeping, is not yet found in Apis mellifera colonies in Turkey.

Keywords:

• Parasitic mites
• Varroa destrutor
• Tropilaelaps mercedecae
• Euvarroa shinai
• infestation rate
• Apis mellifera
• Turkey

Disclosure statement

The authors report that there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the TAGEM under Grant number TAGEM/HSGYAD/G/18/A5/P3/736.