Free Access
Issue
Apidologie
Volume 30, Number 1, 1999
Page(s) 3 - 12
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:19990101
Apidologie 30 (1999) 3-12
DOI: 10.1051/apido:19990101

Stimulation of Varroa jacobsoni Oud. oviposition with semiochemicals from honeybee brood

Jérôme Trouiller and Norberto Milani

Dipartimento di Biologia Applicata alla Difesa delle Piante, Università di Udine, Viale delle Scienze, 208, 33100 Udine, Italy

Abstract - The oviposition of female Varroa jacobsoni kept with worker larvae of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in artificial gelatine cells was stimulated when 5-larva equivalents of extracts of L5 worker larvae were applied on the inner side of the walls of the cells. Most of the stimulating activity was recovered in the most polar fraction of the larval extract. The corresponding fraction of an extract of pupae did not stimulate oviposition. Semiochemicals present on the surface of L5 worker larvae, but not on pupae, may play a role in the regulation of V. jacobsoni reproduction. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris


Key words: Varroa jacobsoni / artificial rearing / fertility / kairomone / oviposition / semiochemical