Chinese Journal of Entomology (1995) 15, 287-294

Yue-Wen Chen, Inn-Jei Horng and Kai-Kuang Ho (1995)
[The effect of formic acid on Varroa jacobsoni and the honeybee colony]
Chinese Journal of Entomology 15 (4), 287-294
Abstract: The honeybee mite Varroa jacobsoni Oudeman is the most serious pest of the honeybee in Taiwan. This study evaluates the possibility of utilizing a formic acid board to control this mite. Placing the formic acid board on the top of the comb, frames produced the most effective results. There were no significant differences in mite control between application of 6ml/day, and 8ml/day of formic acid. Both dosages gave more than an 80 % control rate of Varroa mites. There were no significant differences in the survival rates of adult bees among, different dosage treatments of formic acid from 2ml/day to 8ml/day. But treatments of 6ml/day and 8ml/day decreased capped worker cells an average of 15 % and 58.5 % , respectively. These treatments also influenced the amount of feeding by the bees on sugar syrup and pollen cake, but the influence of the 6ml/day treatment was less than the 8ml/day treatment. Application of 6ml/day of formic acid to control Varroa jacobsoni in a colony is recommended, and at this dosage adverse effects can be neglected.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Chinese)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Varroa destructor		Taiwan