Survey on honeybee pests and predators in Sidama and Gedeo zones of Southern Ethiopia with emphasis on control practices

ABSTRACT
A survey study was carried out to identify the pests and predators of honey bee in Sidama and Gedeo zones during the year 2005 to 2006E.c in Dale and Shebedino woreda of Sidama zone and Kochere and Dilla zuria districts of Gedeo zone, and to asses indigenous control measures. Accordingly 20 beekeepers households per woreda were used for the structured questioner interview. Therefore a stratified random sampling method was used to select total 80 respondent households for the study. From the total of 80 sample households interviewed to generate qualitative and quantitative data on beekeeping, about 85.75% were male headed and the rest 14.5% were female headed with the average family size of 6 persons, with maximum and minimum family size of 7 and 2 persons, respectively. The experience of the respondents rests between 5-10 years (33.5%), greater than ten years (19.75%) and less than five years is (49.5%). This result shows that beekeeping can be performed by economically active age groups and in most cases people at younger and old age is actively engaged in beekeeping activities. According to the result obtained the sample respondents have traditional knowledge on pests and predators as 68.75% of the sample respondents colony were affected and lose up to five colony due to pests and predators and 85% of the sample respondents apiary were more susceptible to any pest and predators. The general effect caused by pests and predators is weakening colony and leads to absconding of bees and limited product as it was underlined by 90% of the respondents. Based on the result of this study, the existence of pests and predators were a major challenge to the honeybees and beekeepers in the area. After having identified the major pests facing the beekeeping activities, farmers were requested to rank them and the result indicated that ant (80%), honey badger/Hamagot (74%), Beetles (57%), birds (51%), wax moth (50%), spider (45%), mites (43%), lizard (35%), bee lice (30) and Toads (23%), are ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd , 4 th, 5th, 6th 7 th, 8 th, 9 th and 10 th respectively. The pressure of pests and predators to honey bees varied according to the seasons. Rainy season/summer had the highest pressure of pest and predators (63.75%) followed by winter (16.25%), autumn (11.25%) and spring (8.75). Key words: Honeybee colony, pests, predators, Sidama and Gedeo zone, Ethiopia

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