Assessing the health status of honey bee colonies and presenting a management approach to pests and diseases control in the apiaries

Like other organisms, honey bees have various pests and diseases that lead to significant losses in their populations every year and reduce the quantity and quality of colony products. Knowledge and skills in preventing, diagnosing, treating and controlling honey bee pests and diseases can play an important role in apiary management and honey bee health. Diagnostic methods applicable for common pests and diseases of honeybees are fundamentally different from those for livestock. Honeybee colonies may be affected by various biotic and abiotic factors. This study overviews the diagnosis of the most common pests and diseases of honey bees and provides a practical approach to control them in the honey bee apiaries