Study of the major factors threatening the survival of bee colonies Apis mellifera intermissa in Algeria

Abstract

Bees, in addition to producing honey, pollinate fruit trees and other crops to flowers. Any threat to them, whether from , pesticides, diseases or parasites therefore have serious consequences not only for beekeeping, but also for agriculture in general. For several years, many beekeepers have reported deaths at their apiaries of honey bee Apis mellifera intermissa. At present, we lack hard data on the causes of these deaths in Algeria. In order to provide some answers to this problem, we conducted a field study among beekeepers in the Mid-northern Algeria. This study is supplemented by information from cooperative bee of the technical institute of livestock and veterinary services department at the Ministry of Agriculture and the regional laboratories of veterinary medicine. The analysis results showed bee diseases mainly represented by the varroa, bee poisoning by insecticide treatment, and the degradation of the ecosystem (decreasing flora honey) and climate change. All these factors threaten the native bee and negatively affect the production of honey.