Comparative investigation the effects of Chamomile and Walnut shell extract with Apistane on the control of Varroa mites in honey bee

In this study, the effects of chamomile extract and walnut green husk were investigated to control Varroa mite. To conduct this study after selecting an apiary infected with Varroa mites in Lorestan province, 18 Langstroth beehive were exposed to the extract and smoke of medicinal plants after identifying the population and determining the level of initial infection. Six treatments with three replications including control treatment (without drug use), Apistan strip treatment, chamomile plant extract treatment as a spray, chamomile smoke treatment treatment, walnut green skin extract treatment as a spray and walnut green skin smoke treatment for five days were examined in selected hives. The results showed that comparing the mean effect of experimental treatments on different days and the whole period on Varroa mite indicates that walnut green shell smoke had the greatest effect and was able to equal the Apistan strip (P> 0.05). Other treatments including chamomile extract and smoke and walnut green husk extract had significant effects on the control of Varroa mite and had a significant difference with the control group (P<0.05). Also, the highest mortality occurred in the control group, which had a significant difference with other treatments (P <0.05) . There is no statistically significant difference (P> 0.05). And from all treatments, chamomile smoke had the least lethal effects on bees. Therefore, considering the harmful effects of chemicals used to control Varroa mite, the use of chamomile and especially the skin Walnut green in the form of smoke is recommended to control this mite.