Detection of Varroa destructor Mite and Nosema spp. in Bee Samples From Bulgaria

Year 2022, Volume: 14 Issue: 1, 21 - 26, 29.07.2022

Delka Salkova , Kalinka Gurgulova

Abstract

This study is focused on the investigation of honey bee samples for the presence of the two most common and widely distributed honey bee parasites. In a two-year period during 2020-2021, 185 bee samples were tested. All samples were examined by morphological and light microscopic methods. The obtained results showed that 32.43% of bee samples were infested with Varroa destructor. The degree of infection in the bees ranged from 0.5% to 60%. Spores of Nosema spp. were established in 25.40% of samples with a degree of invasion in the range from 3x105 to 26x106 per bee. Mixed infections of both parasites were observed in 32.43% of the samples. Negative samples were with the lowest value of 9.74%.

Keywords

Honey bee, Bee pathogens, Infestation rate, Bulgaria

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