Ocorrência de Varroa destructor em abelhas africanizadas em região semiárida do Brasil.

Abstract

Varroa destructor is the most harmful ectoparasite to Apis mellifera bees, it can parasitize both adult bees and offspring, feeding on the hemolymph and fatty tissues of these insects, introducing in the process, several viruses that can cause the total decline of the colony . The population dynamics of this mite in Africanized bees in the high backlands of Paraíba are still little studied and known by beekeepers in the region. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the infestation rates of this mite in Africanized bee colonies in the municipalities of Aparecida – PB and São Francisco – PB, in order to describe its population dynamics in the locations. To this end, between the months of March and May 2020, three collections were made of approximately 300 specimens of adult bees removed from central nest frames, and around 100 sealed offspring that were kept in containers and taken to the Entomology Laboratory to calculate the percentages of infestation in the two biological stages. The results demonstrated the occurrence of Varroa destructor in all colonies analyzed in both municipalities, however, the population dynamics of the mite varied between these locations, in Aparecida – PB the majority of colonies had an infestation rate of 0.1-2% in both the biological stages analyzed, in São Francisco, the highest percentage of colonies had infestation in their offspring between 12.1->15%, and in adults between 2.1-4%. Varroa infestation rates in Africanized bee broods in São Francisco – PB indicate a moderate degree of varroatosis, requiring intervention by beekeepers.