Pêche et production animale

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Occurrences and Distributions of Honeybee (Apis mellifera Jemenetica)Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor) in Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Desalegn Begna

One of the key steps in successful beekeeping depends on the ability to identify encountering problems as early as possible. Widespread losses of honeybee colonies have been reported from Tigray region, Ethiopia due to unknown factor(s). With objective of identifying possible reasons for the honeybee colony death and dwindling, diagnostic survey was conducted in 10 districts of Tigray region in October and November, 2010. Totally 200 honeybee colonies were randomly sampled and inspected internally and externally for adult bee brood diseases and pests. All the surveyed areas tested positive to varroa mite with infection levels ranging 37.5% to 100%. With no clues on how and when the mite introduced, high bee colony mobility (marketing), ranches to and from which bee colonies collected and redistributed. Natural bee colony swarm and migration are regarded as causing high rates of varroa mite distributions in the region. The first testimonial for the existence (occurrence) of varroa mite was considered to be extensive loss of honeybee colonies. But what are less certain are the magnitudes of its effects on honeybees and their products in the region. For the region with special white honey and with high government focus on beekeeping, the occurrence of varroa mite is a great threat to the subsector. This study reported, for the first time, the presence of varroa mite and indicated the most likely occurrence of varroa mite attendant disease called DWV in the country. Therefore, parallel to setting up of control experiments in identifying the mite species and its effects on honeybees and their products, special apiculture extension should be designed to curtail factors enhancing intra and inter apiaries disseminations of the mite. Beside the investigation of varroa mite, for the first time, this study unveiled the newly added genetic material to biodiversity of the country.