Status of Pests in Honeybee (A. Mellifera L.) and Their Control Measures Applied in Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts of Nepal

Abstract

This research was done in the pocket area of Jutpani, Padampur and Pithuwa VDCs of Chitwan district and Pragatinagar, Mukundapur and Gaindakot VDCs of Nawalparasi district of Nepal during spring (15 March - 27 April) and rainy (17 July - 28 September) seasons in 2010. Altogether, 139 honeybee pests were collected including three families, two orders and three species. Two species of mites were Tropilaelaps clareae and Varroa jacobsoni and one species of Wax moth Galleria mellonella (Greater wax moth) were observed that causes damage in the beekeeping industry. Mites belonged to the family Tarsonemidae and Varroidae while Greater wax moth belonged to the family Pyralididae. The family Tarsonemidae was the major pests during spring season while the family Pyralididae was the major pests during rainy season. The species diversity of pests during spring season was found to be 0.99 in Chitwan and 1.03 in Nawalparasi district while during rainy season was found to be 1.07 in both the districts. Among the 42 flowering plants studied, 22 were nectar and pollen yielding bee plants, five were pollen yielding bee plants and 15 were nectar yielding bee plants during the study period in both the study sites of the apiaries. Most beekeepers used apistan, formic acid, few used Sulphur, some used domestic herbal pesticides (Centella asiatica, Azadirachta indica, Adhatoda vesica) and IPM methods were seen rarely being practiced for the control of mites and management of the pests that occurred in beekeeping. For the control of Greater wax moth, beekeepers used fumigation of aluminium phosphide, Para-dicholobenzene and few used net. The problems of beekeepers were ecological, socio-economical and management in the study sites. The ecological problems were 95.8% in Chitwan and 87.5% in Nawalparasi district. The mean percentage of socio-economical problems was 69.8% in Chitwan and 50.5% in Nawalparasi district. The mean percentage of management related problems was 63.2% in Chitwan and 60.4% in Nawalparasi district.