ÍNDICE DE INFESTAÇÃO DO ÁCARO Varroa destructor E COMPORTAMENTO HIGIÊNICO EM COLÔNIAS DE ABELHAS Apis mellifera L. EM ALAGOAS

The present work aimed at evaluating Varroa destructor infestation rates and its correlation to hygienic behavior in colonies of Africanized honeybees. The experiment was undertaken in two apiaries, one belonging to the municipality of Rio Largo and the other to the municipality of União dos Palmares, both located in the region called Zona da Mata, Alagoas State. Twelve colonies settled in Langstroth hives were used. Six colonies were randomly chosen for evaluation in each apiary. The variables analyzed were: Varroa infestation rates in brood and adult bees and the hygienic behavior of the colonies. Adult bees (300 per colony) were collected and placed in vials containing alcohol at 70% and shipped to the lab for parasite evaluation. A piece of comb with capped brood was taken from each colony to screen for mites on brood. Hygienic behavior was assessed using the pierced brood method.