Veterinary drugs based on thymol and their efficiency in varroatosis

The purpose of the study is to review the acaricidal activity of thymol-based drugs used to treat bees. An analysis of scientific publications on the effectiveness of thymol-containing veterinary drugs in varroatosis is presented. In the USSR, the treatment of bee colonies with powdered thymol by various methods reduced the number of varroa mites by 73.3-97.7 %, in Turkey - 92.85 %. In Russia, the effectiveness of Apiguard in the apiaries of the Voronezh, Moscow and Stavropol Regions averaged 90.7 %. In the Tyumen Region, the acaricidal activity of double treatment of bees in August-September with the preparation corresponded to 53.6±2.9 and 57.8±3.2 %. In Italy, Apiguard reduced the level of invasion of bee colonies by V. destructor mites by 76.1 and 82.6 %, in Algeria - 72.6 and 93.0-97.0 %. Field trials of Apilife Var in the northern and southern regions of Italy revealed its high efficiency in varroatosis (on average 94.7 %), Algeria - 98.0 %, Central Greece - 90.5±1.0 %. In Canada (Saskatchewan), the effectiveness of treatment of bee colonies with Timovar in October for 22 days was 26.7 %. In Algeria, double treatment of bees with the drug caused the death of varroa mites by 84.43 %. Studies conducted in the summer in 5 different climatic zones of Croatia revealed a low acaricidal activity of thymol-containing preparations (Apiguard - 47.31 %; Apilife Var - 16.78; Timovar - 48.33 %). Thus, the conducted studies show that when using thymol-containing preparations, it is necessary to take into account the season of the year, the presence or absence of brood, and the ambient temperature.