Unprecedented first record of infestation level Acarapis woodi (Rennie) and overwintering ability in Savojbolagh regions of Alborz province in Iran

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate additional observations on the honeybee tracheal mite of colonies harboring highest and lowest infestations level of A. woodi and we evaluated various lines of Iranian honey bees for different characteristics such as mite intensity, bee population, colony weight change and tracheal mite infestations as well as their winter survival. We evaluated the overwintering ability of candidate breeder lines of Iranian honey bees, most of which are resistant to both Varroa destructor and Acarapis woodi (Rennie), during 2013-2015. Our results indicate that Iranian honey bee colonies (headed by original and supersedure queens) can successfully overwinter in the northwest provinces, thus, chemical treatment to control mites and feeding of colonies during winter must be used to increase winter survival of these Turkey-hybrid bees. It is necessary that researches in order to prevent the transmission and spread of the parasite in our country be performed.