The Study on the effect of tobacco, harmel and thymus Plants on Varroa, a honey bee parasite

Varroa is one of the most dangerous honey bee parasites, which causes serious damages to the bee industry. By now, various herbal and chemical drugs had been used against the parasite. In this research, the effect of 7 treatments including: tobacco, harmel and, thyme extracts, tobacco, harmel and thymus smokes and a control were studied on Varroa in honey bee colonies as a completely randomized design (CRD) at three replications. The rate of hive contamination to Varroa at the beginning and end of the experiment and daily rate of varroa and worker bee mortality were recorded. There was no significant difference between experimental hives in view point of contamination to Varroa, at the beginning of the study. However, significant dissimilarity was found out among treatments at the end of experimental period. Mortality rate of Varroa in different days and the whole period of the study was significantly different in treatments. Results revealed that tobacco and harmel extracts caused the most Varroa and honey bee mortality, respectively.