Discovery and properties of a new acaricide against Varroa destructor

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

2:06 PM – 2:18 PM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 206

Presenting Author(s)

EP

Erika Plettner

Professor
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Co-Author(s)

SD

Soniya Dawdani

Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
MO

Marissa O'Neill

Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Stephen F. Pernal

Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada
JM

Jorge Macias-Samano

Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
AI

Abdullah Ibrahim

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
County of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
CC

Carlos Castillo

Innovate Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, parasitizes honey bees, Apis, thereby weakening the bees and their brood. The mite has two life stages: the phoretic stage wherein it parasitizes adult bees and the reproductive stage wherein it reproduces within sealed brood cells. Existing treatments against varroa target mostly phoretic mites, although at least one treatment is also known to target reproductive ones. Treatments available are few and include: acids (such as oxalic and formic), amitraz, fluvalinate, coumaphos and essential oils such as thymol. For integrated pest management, treatments need to be varied and chosen based on the season. For example, only oxalic and formic acids can be used during a nectar flow and only formic acid is known to target reproducing mites inside sealed cells. Due to these limitations and the onset of resistance to some of these treatments (e.g. coumaphos or fluvalinate), we have studied a new acaricidal substance, 1-allyloxy-4-propoxybenzene. We describe the discovery of this substance, its activities in vitro and our efforts to date to identify a target site in the mites. In vitro tests show that the compound induces two symptoms in the mites: 1) uncoordinated motion and paralysis, and 2) an inability of the mites to remain arrested on bees provided as food. These activities eventually result in death of the mites. The substance does not acutely affect the bees, and the compound has been tested in the field multiple times. Results from field tests will be presented separately.