Study of management and hygienic status of honey bee colonies in the north of West Azerbaijan province and its impact on pests and diseases

In the present study, the status of management and hygienic of honey bee colonies in the north of West Azerbaijan province and their impact on pests and diseases were studied in 2020. The apiaries of 8 cities of this province were selected and subjected to field studies. We selected 12 apiaries from each city and grouped them into four groups of three colonies, including groups 0 to 100, 100 to 200, 200 to 300, and 300 to 400 colonies. From apiaries up to 100 colonies, 10 colonies, 100 to 200 colonies, 15 colonies, 200 to 300 colonies, 20 colonies, and 300 to 400 colonies, 25 colonies were randomly selected as a sample, numbered, and subjected to field studies. Selected samples were studied in terms of eggs, larvae, pupae, population, pests and diseases, and if pests and diseases were observed, their contamination was visually determined and recorded. Also, the selected colonies were examined in terms of the amount of produced honey, the presence of Varroa mites and yellow bees and their relationship with the number of colonies, their location in different places, the use of drugs and chemical pesticides used to control Varroa mites, Nosema and American foulbrood, the impact of migration to the tropics and the attempt to replace the queen. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the GLM method in SAS software. According to the results, the majority of beekeepers in this province were in the age range of 30 to 40 years, and only 21.9% of the youth of this province were engaged in this beekeeping profession. The results showed that the mean of produced honey has a significant relationship to the variables of location and number of hives. The average production of honey in Poldasht and chaypareh cities was higher than in other counties studied. Varroa mite had a significant relationship with the variable of place and drug of the control Varroa mite so that Varroa mite infection was more in Chaldoran city than other cities. The results of the present study showed that the Apistan drug had the greatest effect on the control of Varroa mites. The results of this study showed that increasing the management and health efficiency of bee colonies can have a significant effect on controlling pests and diseases and increasing the performance of bee colonies.