Seasonal Variations of Pests and Parasites Associated with Honeybees (Apis mellifera adansonii) in Southwestern Nigeria

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1 Academic Journal of Entomology 1 (1): 01-06, 2008 ISSN IDOSI Publications, 2008 Seasonal Variations of Pests and Parasites Associated with Honeybees (Apis mellifera adansonii) in Southwestern Nigeria O.A. Lawal and A.D. Banjo Department of Plant Science and Applied Zoology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, P.M.B 2002, Ogun State, Nigeria Abstract: This study examines the seasonal variations of pests and parasites of Apis mellifera adansonii in south western Nigeria. This involved quantitative data collection on the pests and parasites from a total of nineteen selected bee farms at different locations within the states of south-western Nigeria. The selection of the bee farms in the states were based on the four main ecological zones (Lowland Rain Forest, Guinea savannah, Derived savannah and Mangrove forest). Twenty three animal species representing sixteen families, twelve orders, five classes and three phyla were encountered. All the species encountered were found in dry season and not all in wet season. Mites were lacking in both seasons in all the study sites. Most of the pests/parasites belongs to the class Hexapoda (lnsecta) followed by Mammalia, Reptilia, Arachnida and Gastropoda, respectively. At the ecological level the total number of frequency of occurrence of pests and parasites were 528 in Derived savannah, 489 in Lowland rain forest, 274 in Guinea savannah and 130 in Mangrove forest. There were more species of pests and parasites encountered in dry season than the wet season and no record of presence of mites in both seasons. Key words: Seasonal variation Pests Parasites Honeybees Southwestern Nigeria INTRODUCTION good and bad year with relationships between sunshine and rainfall since honey records began in 1928, both Honeybees plays vital role in the environment by noted that years with yield above 751b per colony in that pollinating both wild flowers and many agricultural crops century at the time fitted into a pattern of warm, sunny, as they forage for nectars and pollen, in addition to high summers while in years with yield below 151b per producing honey, beeswax and other bee products. colony the temperature was below the average and in The essential and valuable activities of honeybees years with 51b per colony high summers were cool and depend upon beekeepers maintaining a healthy almost sunless. Thus, hot or cold weather affect both the population of honeybees, because like other insects bee flora and the bee itself. and livestock, honeybees are subject to many diseases Wix [5] Discovered that beekeepers never want a and pests attack [1]. single weather and also noted that cold, dry winters were Weather is one of the most important factors less hazardous than wild damp winters, as dampness is a that influence productivity in beekeeping. It has great greater danger than cold. Based on these observations, influences on the bee flora as well as the bee itself. Cooper [3] favoured the research for a low temperature Beekeeping includes understanding the seasonal colony bee, but this also means that such a bee cannot perform cycle and managing the colonies in such a way as to during high temperatures or in regions with high obtain a large adult colony population to coincide with temperature. the major nectar flow in an area. Success in this results in Gamze et al. [6] Reported that the market for honey the maximum honey flow for the beekeeper [2]. in Turkey has fluctuated due to climate conditions and In earlier work by Cooper [3] and Hurst [4] examined the impact of some bee diseases and pest like Varroa certain aspect of yield and temperature. They outlined mites. Positive improvements on control methods using Corresponding Author: Dr. O.A. lawal, Department of Plant Science and Applied Zoology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, P.M.B 2002, Ogun State, Nigeria 1

2 soft chemicals and organic acids against pests and from different parts of the world and Anderson and diseases, organizing courses on beekeeping by Turkish Trueman, [9] reported that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa Agricultural Government has now increase the chances destructor is the most serious pest of managed honeybee of exports. Apis mellifera world wide. We included a survey The flowering of plants and, more importantly, nectar for this parasite in our study. Since there is dearth of flows, are influenced by seasonal weather patterns and comprehensive record on seasonal variations of pests honey bee colony responds to these changes. When and parasites affecting honeybee production in resources of both pollen and nectar are plentiful, the Nigeria, this study was embarked upon to ensure colony is stimulated to raise more brood and thus the successful and profitable beekeeping enterprises colony population increases. When resources are low, especially as the business is just becoming popular in brood-rearing decreases and the colony population south-western Nigeria. decreases [2]. The yield of honey depends on a succession of MATERIALS AND METHODS flowering plants to produce a regular supply of pollen and nectars over the season; a population of bee to This study was carried out in nineteen different harvest and process pollen and nectar and suitable locations within the six states of south western Nigeria weather to enable the plants to grow and to secrete located within latitude 6 34 N-8 44 N, longitude 3 18 E- nectars and to allow the bees to collect it. The average 4 50 E and Elevation m (Fig. 1). yield from an apiary depends also on the strength of the In Nigeria there are two main seasons of the year, the individual colonies; the incidence of swarming within the rainy/wet season (May-September) and the dry season apiary [7] and competition for forage between nectar (October-April). The bee farms used in this study were consumers. selected arbitrarily in all the six states (Lagos, Ogun, The life of bee colony is based around three periods, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun ) based on the four main that is the build up season (when nectar flow is increases ecological zones (Lowland Rainforest, Guinea savannah, slowly at the beginning of the dry season); nectar flow Derived savannah and Mangrove forest). A minimum of season (when plants secrete large amount of nectar 11 colonies and maximum of 38 colonies were studied in and the middle of dry season) and dearth season (when each state, depending on the numbers of colonies at each nectar flow is decreases slowly, the beginning of the wet bee farm. Visits were made to the bee farms during both season) [8]. seasons in the company of the bee farm owners. Samples Beekeeping is becoming popular due to of the honeybees, pests and parasites found associated encouragement from the Nigeria government through with the honeybee hive in each selected bee farms were the activities of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and National Poverty Eradication Project on self empowerment (NAPEP). Higher institutions of learning, also encouragement from some Non Governmental organisations(ngos) such as Justice and Development of Peace Commission (JDPC) by creating awareness and organising trainings and workshops for the people through the Bee friendly Society of Nigeria (Ijebu-Ode Chapter), Centre for bee research development (CEBRAD) in Ibadan, Bee conservations project (BCP) in Lagos, Bee craft in Abeokuta, also beekeeping programmes are now being undertaken by Higher institutions and many more. Honeybee colonies are subject to a number of natural stress inducers and enemies including weather, natural disasters, pests, predators, parasites and diseases [4] There have been many reports of attacks of honeybees Fig. 1: Map showing locations of the study area in by pests, parasites, predators, pathogens and diseases south-western Nigeria 2

3 collected and preserved in 70% alcohol for taxonomic identifications. Video records were made of the activities of all pests and parasites at the times of visit. Still shot and macrographs were taken to facilitate identification, enumeration and population estimation. RESULTS The species with highest frequency of occurrence at both dry and wet seasons are Aethina tumida (adult) 437,133; Wax moth larvae, 121, 22; Aethina tumida (larvae) 118,18; and Crematogaster lineolata, 117,19; respectively (Table 1). There are twenty three species (82.9 %) during the dry season and thirteen species (17.1%) in the wet season. All the pests/parasites encountered in all the study areas were found during the dry season while in the wet season not all were found. Mites were not found in both seasons (Table 1). The total number of individual species encountered was higher in dry season than in the wet season. The mean value of Macrotermis nigeriense was the highest in both the dry and wet seasons despite that Aethina tumida (adult) has the highest number at both dry and wet seasons (Table 2). At the ecological level the total number of frequency of occurrence of pests and parasites were Table 1: The seasonal variations of the occurrence of pests/parasites in the study areas Frequency Frequency of of occurrenceoccurrence during during wet Pests/parasites present Class dry season season Total % Pheidole barbata Insecta Stagmomantis spp Insecta Brachytrypes spp Insecta Zonocerus variegatus Insecta Macrotermis nigeriense Insecta Belongaster spp Insecta Aethina tumida (adult) Insecta Aethina tumida (larvae) Insecta Wax moth larvae Insecta Acherontia atropos Insecta Aeshna spp Insecta Crematogaster lineolata Insecta Oecophylla smaragdina Insecta Achoria grisella Insecta Galleria mallonella Insecta Aeshna spp Insecta Periplaneta americana Insecta Opiliones spp Arachnida Archachatina maginata Mollusca Slug Mollusca Snake Reptilia Hemidachtylus fasciatus and H. brookii Reptilia Agama agama Reptilia Rattus rattus Mammalia Tracheal mite Arachnida Varroa mite Arachnida Total 1178(82.9%) 243(17.1%) Table 2: The total number/mean of individual pest/parasites encountered during the seasonal survey Dry season Wet season Total No of Mean of No of Mean of No of Mean of Pests/parasites present individuals found individuals found individuals found individuals found individuals found individuals found Pheidole barbata Stagmomantis spp Brachytrypes spp Zonocerus variegatus Macrotermis nigeriense Belongaster spp Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Rattus rattus Acherontia atropos Hemidachtylus fasciatus & H. brookii Agama agama Opiliones spp Aeshna spp Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla smaragdina Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Snake Archachatina maginata Slug Periplaneta americana Total

4 Table 3: Frequency of occurrence of pests/parasites in each ecological zone at different seasons Lowland rain forest Derived savannah Mangrove forest Guinea savannah Ecological zones Pests/parasites present Dry season Wet season Total Dry season Wet season Total Dry season Wet season Total Dry season Wet season Total Pheidole barbata Stagmomantis spp Brachytrypes spp Zonocerus variegatus Macrotermis nigeriense Belongaster spp Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Rattus rattus Acherontia atropos Hemidachtylus fasciatus & H. broockii Agama agama Spider Aeshna spp Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla smaragdina Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Snake Archachatina maginata Slug Periplaneta americana Total Table 4: The Mean population of the Pests/parasites present during the seasons in different ecological zones Dry Wet Season ecological zones Pests/parasites present Sum Mean Sum Mean Total sum Total mean Lowland rain forest Pheidole barbata Stagmomantis spp Zonocerus variegatus Macrotermis nigeriense Belongaster spp Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Rattus rattus Acherontia atropos Hemidachtylus fasciatus and H. broockii Spider Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla spp Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Snake Archachatina marginata Slug Periplaneta americana Total

5 Table 4: Continued Derived savanna Pheidole barbata Stagmomantis spp Brachytrypes spp Macrotermis nigeriense Belongaster spp Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Rattus rattus Acherontia atropos Hemidachtylus fasciatus and H. brookii Agama agama Spider Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla spp Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Periplaneta americana Total Mangrove forest Pheidole spp Stagmomantis spp Macrotermis nigeriense Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Rattus rattus Acherontia atropos Aeshna spp Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla smaragdina Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Total Guinea savanna Pheidole barbata Zonocerus variegatus Macrotermis nigeriense Belongaster spp Aethina tumida (adult) Aethina tumida (larvae) Wax moth larvae Hemidachtylus fasciatus and H. broockii Crematogaster lineolata Oecophylla smaragdina Achoria grisella Galleria mallonella Total in Derived savannah, 489 in Lowland rain forest, In lowland rain forest, the Mean population of the 274 in Guinea savannah and 130 in Mangrove Pests/parasites present at both dry and wet seasons forest. There were more species of pests and and 52.7, guinea savannah, and 38.50, mangrove parasites encountered in dry season than the wet forest and and derived savannah and season (Table 3) (Table 4). 5

6 Analysis of variance of the number of pests/visitors There are more species of pests/parasites in different ecological zone shows that there was a encountered in dry season than wet season and no record significant difference in the number of pests/parasites in of mites found in both seasons. different ecological zone at p<0.05. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DISCUSSION I thank the managements of Olabisi Onabanjo With the accumulating evidence of general variations University, for the financial support towards the field in seasons, it is of interest to show the trend of seasonal trip. My appreciation to Mr Bidemi Ojeleye (Director variations of pests and parasites through the frequency CEBRAD) and Mr Ebenezer Oloyede for making all visits of occurrence and the diversity of pests and parasites of possible even into their beefarms. honeybees in south western Nigeria. There has not been published research work on this in south western REFERENCES Nigeria and beekeeping business is gaining recognition now in Nigeria. 1. FAO, Honeybee diseases and Pests: a practical The frequency of occurrence of pests/parasites was guide. Agricultural and Food Engineering Technical more in dry season than the wet season (Table 1). All the Report. pests/parasites encountered in all the study areas were 2. Jay, S.C., The essence of beekeeping, Bee represented during the dry season; but not all were World, 60: represented during the wet season. During the Wet 3. Cooper, B., Bee and Weather. British Bee season honeybees remain in the hives and don t Journal, usually forage because of the low temperature and wind 4. Hurst, G.W., Honey production and summer storms. Dry season is nectar and honey flow period temperatures. British Bee Journal, (usually the honey harvest period) which probably 5. Wix, P., The impact of weather on Beekeeping enhance the infestation of bee colonies with pests and Beekeeper. A lecture given to the Central and parasites. Association of Beekeeper Aethina tumida, Wax moth larvae and Crematogaster 6. Gamze, S., E. Sait, T. Banu and C. Figen, The lineolata respectively have the highest records of Economic Analysis of Beekeeping Enterprise in occurrence at both the dry and wet seasons, FAO [1] Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Turkey. reported that Aethina tumida originally found in Africa, Apiacta, 38: south of Sahara and first discovered in the southern of 7. Holmes, W., A survey of factors influencing United States of America in 1998 and spread to north as honey yields. Scottish Beekeeping, 77: far as Canada, also in 2002 found in part of Australia. 8. Adekunle, A., Bees and the colony, Beekeeping Elzen et al. [10] Reported that for over two years Aethina workshop at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria, pp: 37. tumida has been a serious pest of honeybees in United 9. Anderson, D.L. and J.W.H. Trueman, Varroa States. Similarly beekeepers in Uganda reported wax jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) is more than one moths to be a serious pest [11]. species. Exp. Appl. Acarol., 24: No mite was found in both seasons in the study 10. Elzen, P.J., J.R. Baxter, D. Westervelts, C. Randall, sites. Dewy [12] reported that Mites such as Tracheal K.S. Delaplane, l. Cutts and W.T. Wilson, Field mites and Varroa mites are serious pests of honeybees control and biology studies of a new pest species, world wide. At the ecological level the total number of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), frequency of occurrence of pests and parasites were attacking European honeybees in the Western higher in Derived savannah, Lowland rain forest, Guinea Hemisphere. Apidologie, 30: savannah and Mangrove forest respectively. The 11. Roberts, E., A survey of beekeeping in Uganda. luxurious growth of vegetations in Derived Savannah and Bee world, 52: low land Rain forest could be a factor responsible for the 12. Dewey, M.C., Pests of honeybees MAAREC higher number of occurrence of pests and parasites, as Publication, 4.3. the honeybees have more than enough plants to forage on in these two ecological zones. 6