The Acaricidal Activity of Essential Oil Vapors and Its Effect on the Varroa Mite Varroa destructor

Nikoletta G. Ntalli (), Maria Samara, Theodoros Stathakis, Myrto Barda, Eleftheria Kapaxidi, Elektra Manea-Karga, Sofia Gounari, Georgios Goras, Konstantinos M. Kasiotis and Filitsa Karamaouna
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Nikoletta G. Ntalli: Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Pesticides, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Maria Samara: Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Pesticides, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Theodoros Stathakis: Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Pesticides, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Myrto Barda: Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Pesticides, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Eleftheria Kapaxidi: Laboratory of Acaralogy and Agricultural Zoology, Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Elektra Manea-Karga: Laboratory of Pesticides’ Toxicology, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Sofia Gounari: Laboratory of Apiculture, Institute of Mediterranean & Forest Ecosystems, ELGO DHMHTRA, 11528 Athens, Greece
Georgios Goras: Laboratory of Sericulture and Apiculture, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos Str. 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Konstantinos M. Kasiotis: Laboratory of Pesticides’ Toxicology, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece
Filitsa Karamaouna: Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Pesticides, Scientific Directorate of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta Str., 14561 Athens, Greece

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-11

Abstract: Νatural compounds such as lactic, acetic, formic, and oxalic acid and thymol are currently registered for use against Varroa destructor in apiaries in Europe. Complex botanical extracts are yet to be authorized, despite their beneficial ecofriendly profile and advantages in terms of resistance management. This study examined the fumigant activity of the essential oil (EO) of oregano, clove, lavender, dittany, bay laurel, sweet orange, peppermint, blue gum, and lemon balm against V. destructor in laboratory bioassays (Petri dishes). The most effective EOs were those of Origanum vulgare , Syzygium aromaticum , and Origanum dictamnus. These three EOs yielded 33.75% carvacrol, 58.64% eugenol, and 69.77% carvacrol and exhibited significant activity from 18 h of exposure to 0.0013 μL/cm until 48 h of exposure to 0.0068 μL/cm 3 . Origanum vulgare ’s first calculated LC 50 value was 0.003 μL/cm 3 after 24 h of mites’ exposure to EO vapors. The LC 50 values stabilized for oregano, clove, and dittany at 0.001, 0.002, and 0.002 μL/cm 3 of 24 h exposure, respectively. This first indication of fumigant miticidal activity in Petri dishes is a promising first step before scaling up to field experiments.

Keywords: botanical acaricides; natural miticides; bees; apiculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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