title: Biological activity of some plant essential oils against Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), an ectoparasitic mite of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae).
abstract: This experiment was conducted to evaluate acaricidal activity of the essential oils of Thymus kotschyanus, Ferula assa-foetida and Eucalyptus camaldulensis against Varroa destructor under laboratory conditions. Moreover, fumigant toxicity of these oils was tested on Apis mellifera. After preliminary dose-setting experiments, mites and honey bees were exposed to different concentrations of the oil, with 10 h exposure time. Essential oil of T. kotschyanus appeared the most potent fumigant for V. destructor (LC(50) = 1.07, 95% confidence limit (CL) = 0.87-1.26 μl/l air), followed by E. camaldulensis (LC(50) = 1.74, 95% CL = 0.96-2.50 μl/l air). The lowest acaricidal activity (LC(50) = 2.46, 95% CL = 2.10-2.86 μl/l air) was attributed to essential oil of F. assa-foetida. Surprisingly, among the three oils tested, essential oil of T. kotschyanus had the lowest insecticidal activity against A. mellifera (LC(50) = 5.08, 95% CL = 4.54-5.06 μl/l air). These findings proved that essential oil of T. kotschyanus has potential of practical value for use as alternative acaricide in the management of varroa in apiaries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, PO Box 14115-336, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moharramipour
authors.forename: Gholamhosein
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tahmasbi
mesh_terms: D056810:Acaricides / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology*; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000737:chemistry; D005309:Ferula / Q000737:chemistry; D005651:Fumigation; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D057077:Varroidae
chemical_list: D056810:Acaricides; D009822:Oils, Volatile