Abstract

• A total of 45 honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies with adult bees and broods were investigated from November 2021 to April 2022 at Sintkaing Township, Kyaukse District. Those colonies were divided into non-treatment (15) colonies and treatment (30) colonies. Among the total bee populations of 728000 bees, a total sample of 42000 bees was observed, and it was found to be infested with some 759 varroa mites. The total number of estimated infested bees was 13422 individuals, with 2002.5 individuals from non-treatment colonies and 11419.5 individuals from treatment colonies. The infestation rates of the year 2022 were found to be higher than those of the year 2021. The highest mortality rate was 53% in January 2022 in non-treatment bee colonies. In this study, the mortality rate of bees may be correlated with the infestation of varroa mites, as well as food and the use of insecticide on the plantation.