Infestation and Reproduction of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and Hygienic Behavior in Colonies of Apis mellifera L. (Africanized Honeybee) with Queens of Different Genetic Origins

The variables related to the varroa mite and the hygienic behavior in Africanized honeybee colonies were evaluated from October 2013 to June 2014. Three groups of different genetic origins were evaluated. One group consisted of queens from honeybee selection program of the Maringa State University (Maringa/PR). These queens were selected for royal jelly production by molecular markers for the expression of the MRJP3 protein. Another group consisted of queens from the queen producer Gian Bejger (Santa Terezinha/SC). These queens were selected for hygienic behavior and monitored for Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman infestation. The last group was composed of queens from captured swarms/colonies that did not undergo any selection process and were chosen randomly in the apiary where the experiment was installed (Irineopolis/SC). Colonies with queens of Maringa presented an increase in the invasion rate and total reproduction of varroa as there was reduction of hygienic behavior over the evaluation period. Colonies with queens of Santa Terezinha presented the highest (p<0.05) hygienic behavior with an average of 92.0%. This group presented the lowest (p<0.05) total and effective reproduction of the mite (1.7 and 0.9 of total and fertile offspring, respectively). Colonies with queens of Irineopolis presented the lowest hygienic behavior (78.0%) (p<0.05) and the highest total (12.6) (p<0.05) and effective (5.3) (p<0.05) reproduction of the mite. The use of selected queens, with hygienic behavior, interferes with the varroa population dynamics, contributing to the reduction of the invasion and total and effective reproduction rates of the mite.