ABSTRACT
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of varroa infestation at different levels on the development of body weight (BW) and some reproductive organs of honeybee drones reared in healthy and varroa infested honey bee colonies summarized data are as follow: The heaviest body
weight was recorded for one days old drones recording 259.62 mg for healthy drones and ranging 234.48 – 205.17 mg for varroa infested ones according to the level of mite infestation to the colonies there after the weight decreased gradually with age until recording the lightest body weight for 21 days old drones 198.34 mg for healthy and 172.07–154.87 mg infested drones. The highest weigh of testes recorded for one day old drones in both healthy 34.14 mg and varroa infested drones 22.89 – 6.92 mg. There after the tests weight decreased gradually until recording the test weight for 21 days old drones. On the other hand, vesicula seminalis and mucus gland started their development soon after drone emergence or early where thin volumes increased gradually until reached the highest on the 17th day of age, the testes weigh recording 1.95 mg, volume vesicula seminalis 3.21 and volume Mucus gland was 5.52 mm3 for healthy drones, and ranged 2.21 mm3 and 4.26 mm3 in level infestation 2-5% and 1.01 mm3 and 2.93 mm3 in level infestation < %30 for varroa infested drones respectively. A significant negative correlation was detected between the level of varroa infestation (%) and both body weight and the development of the studied reproductive organs. There for, it is
recommended to control varroa infestation in honey bee colonies, especially in early spring or late winter to produce healthy and potent drones of higher reproductive potential to be capable of making successful mating of virgin queens. |
