The Use of Medicinal Aromatic Plants Against Bee Diseases and Pests

Abstract

Nowadays, aromatic plants and oils have significant contributions in growth performance, regulation of the digestive system and struggle with disease factors in farm animals. In beekeeping, many synthetic drugs are used against bee diseases and pests. Medicinal aromatic plants and oils, whose beneficial effects are known, are used in beekeeping in order to overcome the mentioned problems by natural means. In multiple researches it has been reported that herbs and essential oils of thyme, clove, mint, lemongrass, cinnamon, grapefruit, rosemary, marigold, laurel, eucalyptus and tea tree have lethal effects against mites, bacteria and fungi. When used appropriate doses, aromatic oils do not cause any toxic effects on the bee colony and have no negative effects on colony development. In addition, the use of medicinal aromatic herbs and oils in beekeeping supports organic production, as well as preventing residue problems in bee products (honey, beeswax and others).

Keywords

• Aromatic oil
• Beekeeping
• Good production practices
• Honeybees

References

1. Abd El Wahab, T., Ebadah, I., & Zidan, E. (2012). Control of Varroa Mite by Essential Oils and Formic Acid with Their Effects on Grooming Behaviour of Honey Bee Colonies. Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research. 2(8), 7674-7680.
2. Albo, G. N., Henning, C., Ringuelet, J., Reynaldi, F. J., De Giusti, M. R., & Alippi, A. M. (2003). Evaluation of some essential oils for the control and prevention of American Foulbrood disease in honey bees. Apidologie, 34(5), 417-427.
3. Alippi, A. M., Ringuelet, J. A., Cerimete, E. L., Re, M. S., & Henning, C. P. (1996). Antimicrobial activity of some essential oils against paenibacillus larvae, the casual agent of american foulbrood disease. Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants, 4(2), 9–16.
4. Allam, S., & Zakaria, M. (2009). Stimulation effects of the essential oils on the sensory and defensive behaviors of Egyptian honey bees towards Varroa invasion. Acarines: Journal of the Egyptian Society of Acarology, 3(1), 29-36.
5. Altundağ, Ş., & Aslım, B. (2005). Kekiğin bazı bitki patojeni bakteriler üzerine antimikrobiyal etkisi. Orlab On-Line Mikrobiyoloji Dergisi, 3(7), 12-14.
6. Amrine, J., Noel, B., Mallow, H., Stasny, T., & Skidmore, R. (1996a). Essential oils used to control mites in honey bees. Retrieved from www.wvu.edu/agexten/Varroa/oils.htm
7. Amrine, J., Noel, B., Mallow, H., Stasny, T., & Skidmore, R. (1996b). Results of research: using essential oils for honey bee mite control. Retrieved from: http://www.natuerliche-bienenhaltung.ch/pdf/Essential_Oils_for_mite_control.pdf
8. Ansari, M. J., Al-Ghamdi, A., Usmani, S., Al-Waili, N., Nuru, A., Sharma, D., ... Omer, M. (2016). In vitro evaluation of the effects of some plant essential oils on Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment, 30(1), 49-55.

9. Ariana, A., Ebadi, R., & Tahmasebi, G. (2002). Laboratory evaluation of some plant essences to control Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae). Experimental & applied acarology, 27(4), 319-327.
10. Aurori, A.C., Bobis, O., Dezmirean, D.S., Mărghitas, L.A., & Erler, S. (2016) Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) as potential antiviral treatment in naturally BQCV infected honeybees. Virus Research 222(2016), 29–33.
11. Bakar, M. A., Aqueel, M. A., Raza, A. B. M., Ullah, M. I., Arshad, M., Sohail, M., & Molina-Ochoa, J. (2017). Evaluation of Few Essential Oils for the Management of Parasitic Bee Mites, Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Apis mellifera L. Colonies. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 49(6), 2005-2010.
12. Bakar, M. A., Aqueel, M. A., Raza, A. B. M., Mahmood, R., Qadir, Z. A., Arshad, M., & Sohail, M. (2019). Evaluation of essential oils for the management of parasitic bee mites, Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in vitro. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research, 32(4), 566-571.
13. Bekret A., Çankaya S., & Silici S. (2015). Bal Arısı Şurubuna Katılan Bitki Ekstraktı ve Yağlarından Oluşan Karışımının Koloni Gelişimi ve Bal Verimi Üzerine Etkileri. Türk Tarım – Gıda Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi, 3(6), 365-370.
14. Bento, M. H. L., Ouwehand, A. C., Tiihonen, K., Lahtinen, S., Nurminen, P., Saarinen, M. T., ... Fischer, J. (2013). Essential oils and their use in animal feeds for monogastric animals--Effects on feed quality, gut microbiota, growth performance and food safety: a review. Veterinarni Medicina, 58(9), 449–458.
15. Blenau, W., Rademacher, E., & Baumann, A. (2011) Plant essential oils and formamidines as insecticides/ acaricides: what are the molecular targets? Apidologie 43, 334–347.
16. Burgett, M. (1980). The use of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) for attracting honeybee swarms. Bee World. 61: 44-46.
17. Calderone, N.W., H. Shimanuki, & G. Allen-Wardell. (1994). An in vitro evaluation of botanical compounds for the control of the honey bee pathogens Bacillus larvae, and Ascosphaera apis, and the secondary invader B. alvei. Journal of Essential Oil Research. 6:279-287.
18. Chen, X., Wang, S., Xu, Y., Gong, H., Wu, Y., Chen, Y., … Zheng, H. (2019). Protective potential of Chinese herbal extracts against microsporidian Nosema ceranae, an emergent pathogen of western honey bees, Apis mellifera L. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aspen.2019.08.006
19. Cho, J. H., Chen, Y. J., Min, B. J., Kim, H. J., Kwon, O. S., Shon, K. S., & Asamer, A. (2006). Effects of essential oils supplementation on growth performance, IgG concentration and fecal noxious gas concentration of weaned pigs. Asıan Australasıan Journal Of Animal Sciences, 19(1), 80-85.
20. Costa, C., Lodesani, M., & Maistrello, L. (2010). Effect of thymol and resveratrol administered with candy or syrup on the development of Nosema ceranae and on the longevity of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in laboratory conditions. Apidologie, 41(2), 141-150.
21. Damiani, N., Gende, L. B., Maggi, M. D., Palacios, S., Marcangeli, J. A., & Eguaras, M. J. (2011). Repellent and acaricidal effects of botanical extracts on Varroa destructor. Parasitology research, 108(1): 79-86.
22. Davis, C., & Ward, W. (2003). Control of chalkbrood disease with natural products (Pub. No: 03/07). Rural industries Research and Development Corporation., 23 pp.
23. Demirel, M., Keskin, G., & Kumral, N. A. (2019). Varroa Mücadelesinde Sentetik Ve Organik Akarisitlerin Kullanım Olanakları. Uludag Bee Journal, 19(1), 96-109.
24. Emsen, B. & Dodoloğlu, A. (2015). The efficacy of thymol and oxalic acid in bee cake against bee mite (Varroa destructor Anderson&Trueman) in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi.21: 41-45.
25. Fuselli, S. R., de la Rosa, S. B. G., Eguaras, M. J., & Fritz, R. (2008). Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Citrus essences on honeybee bacterial pathogen Paenibacillus larvae, the causal agent of American foulbrood. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 24(10), 2067-2072.
26. Gashout, H. A. & Guzmán-Novoa, E. (2009). Acute toxicity of essential oils and other natural compounds to the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, and to larval and adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Journal of apicultural research, 48(4), 263-269.
27. Ghasemi, V., Moharramipour, S. & Tahmasbi, G. (2011). Biological activity of some plant essential oils against Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), an ectoparasitic mite of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Experimental and applied acarology, 55(2), 147-154.
28. Glavan, G., Novak, S., Božič, J., & Kokalj, A. J. (2020). Comparison of sublethal effects of natural acaricides carvacrol and thymol on honeybees. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, 166, 104567.
29. González-Gómez, R., Otero-Colina, G., Villanueva-Jiménez, J. A., Peña-Valdivia, C. B. & Santizo-Rincón, J. A. (2012). Repellency of the oily extract of neem seeds (Azadirachta indica) against Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae). Experimental and applied acarology, 56(3), 261-270.
30. Güneş, N., Aydın, L., Belenli, D., Hranitz, J. M., Mengilig, S., & Selova, S. (2017). Stress responses of honey bees to organic acid and essential oil treatments against varroa mites. Journal of Apicultural Research, 56(2), 175-181.
31. Higginson, A.D., Gilbert, F.S., & Reader, T. (2007). Reduction of visitation rates by honeybees (Apis mellifera) to individual inflorescences of lavender (Lavandula stoechas) upon removal of coloured accessory bracts (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Entomologia Generalis, 29, 165–178.
32. Hundal, J. S., Wadhwa, M., & Bakshi, M. P. S. (2016). Effect of supplementing essential oils on the in vitro methane production and digestibility of wheat straw. Journal of Animal Research and Nutrition, 1(3).
33. Imdorf, A., Bogdanov, S., Ochoa, R. I., & Calderone, N. W. (1999). Use of essential oils for the control of Varroa jacobsoni Oud. in honey bee colonies. Apidologie, 30(2-3), 209-228.
34. Ismail, A. M., Ghoniemy, H. A., & Owayss, A. A. (2006, January). Combatting honeybee Varroa mites by plant oils alone or in an IPM program. In The 2nd conference of Farm Integrated Pest Management, (pp.172-185).
35. Kammon, A. M. (2017). The Future Use of Medicinal Plants as Alternatives to Antibiotics in Animal Health and Production. Microbiol Rev, 12(4), 564-582.
36. Khan, S. U., Anjum, S. I., Ansari, M. J., Khan, M. H. U., Kamal, S., Rahman, K., … Khan, D. (2019). Antimicrobial potentials of medicinal plant’s extract and their derived silver nanoparticles: A focus on honey bee pathogen. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 26(7), 1815-1834.
37. Kouache, B., Brada, M., Saadi, A., Fauconnier, M. L., Lognay, G., & Heuskin, S. (2017). Chemical composition and acaricidal activity of Thymus algeriensis essential oil against Varroa destructor. Natural product communications, 12(1), 1934578X1701200138.
38. Küçükyılmaz, K., Kıyma, Z., Akdağ, A., Çetinkaya, M., Atalay, H., Ateş, A., … Bozkurt, M. (2017). Effect of lavender (Lavandula Stoechas) essential oil on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and antioxidant status of broilers. South African Journal of Animal Science, 47(2), 178-186.
39. Li, L., Lin, Z. G., Wang, S., Su, X. L., Gong, H. R., Li, H. L., … Zheng, H. Q. (2017). The effects of clove oil on the enzyme activity of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Arachnida: Acari: Varroidae). Saudi journal of biological sciences, 24(5), 996-1000.
40. Lin, Z., Su, X., Wang, S., Ji, T., Hu, F. L., & Zheng, H. Q. (2020). Fumigant toxicity of eleven Chinese herbal essential oils against an ectoparasitic mite (Varroa destructor) of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Journal of Apicultural Research, 59(2), 204-210.
41. Losa, R. (2001). The use of essential oils in animal nutrition. Cahiers Options Mediterraneennes, 54, 39-44.
42. Manning, R., Speijers, J., Harvey, M., & Black, J. (2010). Added vegetable and fish oils to low‐fat pollen diets: effect on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) consumption. Australian journal of entomology, 49(2), 182-189.
43. Mert, G., Yücel, B., & Kösoğlu, M. (2007). Bal Arısı Hastalık ve Zararlıları İle Organik Mücadele Yöntemleri, Hasad Hayvancılık, 261,263, 62-64, 52-58.
44. Niculae, M., Spînu, M., Şandru, C. D., Brudaşcă, F., Cadar, D., Szakacs, B., & Mateş, C. I. (2009). Antimicrobial potential of some Lamiaceae essential oils against animal multiresistant bacteria. Lucrări Științifice Medicină Veterinară Timișoara , 42, 170-175.
45. Novak, J., Zitterl‐Eglseer, K., Deans, S. G., & Franz, C. M. (2001). Essential oils of different cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. and their antimicrobial activity. Flavour and fragrance journal, 16(4), 259-262.
46. Pătruıcă, S., Moț, D., & Popovıcı, D. (2017). The effect of using medicinal plant extracts upon the health of bee colonies. Retrieved from https://www.rombio.eu/docs/RBL-10675.pdf
47. Palazzolo, E., Laudicina, V., & Germana, M. (2013). Current and Potential Use of Citrus Essential Oils. Current Organic Chemistry, 17(17), 3042-3049.
48. Pinheiro, I. M., Luz, J. H. S., Souza, L. F. N., Oliveira, A. C., Oliveira, E. E., Aguiar, R. W., ... Tschoeke, P. H. (2019). Effects of Lippia sidoides Cham.(Verbenaceae) essential oils on the honey bees, Apis mellifera (Apidae: Hymenoptera), foraging. Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas, 36(E), 31-41.
49. Porrini, M. P., Garrido, P. M., Gende, L. B., Rossini, C., Hermida, L., Marcángeli, J. A., & Eguaras, M. J. (2017). Oral administration of essential oils and main components: Study on honey bee survival and Nosema ceranae development. Journal of Apicultural Research, 56(5), 616-624.
50. Razavi, S. M., Asadpour, M., Jafari, A. & Malekpour, S. H. (2015). The field efficacy of Lepidium latifolium and Zataria multiflora methanolic extracts against Varroa destructor. Parasitology research, 114(11), 4233-4238.
51. Rusenova, N., & Parvanov, P. (2009). Antimicrobial activities of twelve essential oils against microorganisms of veterinary importance. Trakia Journal of sciences, 7(1), 37-43.
52. Sabahi, Q., Gashout, H., Kelly, P. G., & Guzman-Novoa, E. (2017). Continuous release of oregano oil effectively and safely controls Varroa destructor infestations in honey bee colonies in a northern climate. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 72(3), 263-275.
53. Simitzis, P. E. (2017). Enrichment of Animal Diets with Essential Oils—A Great Perspective on Improving Animal Performance and Quality Characteristics of the Derived Products. Medicines, 4(2), 35.
54. Su, X., Hua, Q., Zhao, D., Fei, Z., & Zheng, H. (2016). The effect of essential oils of Truestar Anisetree against mites in honeybee colonies. Journal of Environmental Entomology, 38(6), 1251-1255.
55. Tauber, J. P., Collins, W. R., Schwarz, R. S., Chen, Y., Grubbs, K., Huang, Q., ... Evans, J. D. (2019). Natural Product Medicines for Honey Bees: Perspective and Protocols. Insects, 10(10), 356.
56. Tutkun, E. (2016). Arı Akarı (Varroa Destructor) Mücadelesinde Timol’ün Kullanılması. Arıcılık Araştırma Dergisi, 8(1), 1-5.
57. Tutun, H., Koç, N., & Kart, A. (2018). Plant Essential Oils Used Against Some Bee Diseases. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 6(1), 34-45.
58. Ünal, A., & Kocabağli, N. (2014). Effect of different dosages of oregano oil on performance and some blood parameters in lambs. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi. 61, 199-204.
59. Witherell, P. C., & Bruce, W. A. (1990). Varoa mite detection in beehives: evaluation of sampling methods using tobacco smoke, fluvalinate smoke, amitraz smoke and ether-roll. American Bee Journal. 130(2), 127-129.
60. Zeng, Z., Zhang, S., Wang, H., & Piao, X. (2015). Essential oil and aromatic plants as feed additives in non-ruminant nutrition: a review. Journal of animal science and biotechnology, 6(1), 7.