Bee Studies 2022, Vol 14, Num, 1     (Pages: 021-026)

Detection of Varroa destructor Mite and Nosema spp. in Bee Samples From Bulgaria

Delka Salkova 1 ,Kalinka Gurgulova 2

1 Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Department of Experimental Parasitology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
2 Primavet-Sofia Ltd., Sofia, Bulgaria
DOI : 10.51458/BSTD.2022.24 Viewed : 2381 - Downloaded : 656 This study is focused on the investigation of honey bee samples for the presence of the two most common and widely distributed honey bee parasites. In a two-year period during 2020-2021, 185 bee samples were tested. All samples were examined by morphological and light microscopic methods. The obtained results showed that 32.43% of bee samples were infested with Varroa destructor. The degree of infection in the bees ranged from 0.5% to 60%. Spores of Nosema spp. were established in 25.40% of samples with a degree of invasion in the range from 3x105 to 26x106 per bee. Mixed infections of both parasites were observed in 32.43% of the samples. Negative samples were with the lowest value of 9.74%. Keywords : Honey bee Bee pathogens Infestation rate Bulgaria