Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine

Comparative dynamics of varoosis of honey bees in Ukraine for the period 2008-2011 and 2018-2021

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Abstract

**Varroa destructor** mite is considered the primary biotic threat to A. mellifera of European origin. The mite population can lead to the loss of a bee colony within the first year of infestation. Within an apiary, varroosis leads to the manifestation of viral diseases, increases susceptibility to insecticide poisoning, and raises material and labor costs for anti-varroosis measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of the varroosis epizootic process by comparing infestation rates over the decades between 2008-2011 and 2018-2021 in different regions of Ukraine. The material for statistical analysis was provided by the annual reporting forms No. 2-Vet "Report on the work of state veterinary medicine laboratories." The average bee varroosis infestation rate for 2008-2011 was 3.8%. The infestation level during this period ranged from 1.2 to 5.1%. For the period 2018-2021, the average bee varroosis infestation rate was determined to be 2.4%. The decrease in varroosis infestation from 3.8% to 2.4% is observed with the improvement of the epizootic situation in the northern and central regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Sumy, Chernivtsi, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions. During the years of research, Zakarpattia and Lviv regions consistently remained in a temporarily favorable risk zone due to developed package beekeeping, in which spring anti-varroosis treatments of bee colonies are conducted. Our research confirms the impact of geographical and climatic factors on the invasiveness and prevalence of the disease. The wide selection of therapeutic and preventive drugs allows for the development of more effective schemes and techniques for anti-varroosis treatments of bee colonies in apiaries. However, certain chaotic and fragmented scientific and production research efforts do not allow for a reduction in the dynamics of invasiveness in all administrative regions of Ukraine.

Keywords

Varroa destructor, varroosis, varroatosis, spread, epizootic process, invasiveness, risk zones

Suggested citation
(2022). Comparative dynamics of varoosis of honey bees in Ukraine for the period 2008-2011 and 2018-2021. Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 18(4). https://doi.org/dopovidi2022.04.010
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