Treatment with Lithium Chloride to Combat Varroa destructor Mite Infestation in Honeybee Colony

Abstract

Varroa destructor parasitic mites are one of the most serious threats to the health of honeybee colonies today. Lithium chloride (LiCl) has been proven to be very effective in eradicating mites in single bees. The aim of this study was to investigate whether lithium chloride can reduce the mite population in beehives when used under natural conditions in beekeeping. A bee colony consisting of 12 hives was studied. For the treatment, 2 g of LiCl salt for each hive was dissolved in a sugar solution. 100 mL of the prepared 47 mM LiCl solution was sprayed into the bee spaces of each hive for seven consecutive days. To assess hive infestations, clean white traps coated with Vaseline were placed at the base of the hives daily to catch falling mites. Before(14 days), during (7 days), and after the treatment (7 days), fallen mites were counted every day in each hive. Before the treatment,the average number of fallen mites per day was 2.54 (SD = 1.46). During the treatment with lithium chloride solution, the average number of fallen mites increased significantly to 13.33 (SD = 11.40) mites per day (p < 0.001). On the fourth day of treatment, the number of fallen mites reached its peak at 19.08 (SD = 13.91) per day, after which it began to decrease. On the seventh day after the treatment, the number of fallen mites reached its lowest point, averaging 1.17 (SD = 1.19) per day. Comparing the results before treatment with those one week after the treatment, there was a significant reduction of more than 50% in the fallen mite counts(p < 0.05). The research findings suggest that lithium chloride treatment can effectively manage Varroa destructor mite infestations in bee colonies, leading to a significant decrease in mite populations in hives.