Lemon essential oil: an acaricide for bee parasites

This study focuses on the application of a treatment based on lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum) against Varroa jacobsoni, a major pest of the Tellian honeybee (Apis mellifera intermissa), with the aim of combating this scourge affecting our beekeeping industry and subsequently increasing honey production. Pre-treatment results revealed infestation rates at the experimental site ranging from 0.0067 per cent to 10.64 per cent, with an average of 5.32 per cent. This demonstrates the heterogeneity of infestations within hives depending on bee density, which poses a challenge in monitoring the population dynamics of this parasite. After treatment, the acaricidal effect of Citrus limonum essential oil was evident in the higher mortality rate observed with dose D1 (0.25%), which stood at 32.56 per cent. The chemical treatment using oxalic acid and Apivar yielded better results than those achieved with the plant-based treatment.