Phytotherapy an alternative to pest and disease control of bees

Abstract

The honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) has been the most widely used bee due to its pollination and honey production capacities. Currently, beekeeping encompasses several health problems, which have drastically affected the populations of beehives in production. Among the diseases affecting bees are: American foulbrood, European foulbrood, limebrood, stonebrood, nosemiasis, acariosis and varroasis, among others. The Varroa destructor mite, which acts as a vector of different diseases and is recently associated with colony collapse syndrome. This mite affects bees during the phoretic and reproductive phase. However, the indiscriminate use of synthetic acaricides, in addition to having a harmful impact on the environment, affects the safety of products derived from the hive. In addition, they have originated resistance in V. destructor populations. This has forced the development of new strategies and treatment alternatives, such as the use of various plants native or endemic to the region (milling, extracts, oils and/or dehydrated powdered extracts). Plant essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds, mainly terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and alcohols, which have a wide range of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, so the addition of essential oils of clove, eucalyptus, mint, rosemary, oregano and cinnamon can be beneficial in the apiary. The uses of these products can minimize production costs, encouraging producers to use these products.