Comparing Effect of Plant-derived Oils on Varroa destructor Infesting Honeybee, Apis mellifera

In this research, we evaluated the application of different plant-derived oils (Thymol, Spearmint, Tea tree oil and mixture of spearmint and lemongrass) as control agents against the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor in the field. Four treatments of each tested material were applied to each colony during the treatment period. Data showed that all four tested compounds were effective in controlling Varroa oil and spearmint was the most effective substance as it had an efficiency of 85.9%, followed by spearmint& lemongrass and tea tree oils with an efficiency of 84.3% and 80.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, Thymol treatment had a lower efficacy, 78.1% compared to the other treatments and the natural mortality in control colonies was 12.3%,