Use of Metarhizium spp. in the biological control of varroa destructor in colonies of Apis mellifera: a systematic literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36560/19120262135Keywords:
bees, entomopatogenic fungi, mite, biocontrolAbstract
Varroa destructor infestation represents one of the main threats to global beekeeping, causing severe damage to Apis mellifera colonies. Given the increasing resistance of the mite to synthetic acaricides and the environmental impacts associated with these products, biological control has emerged as a promising alternative. This systematic literature review aimed to gather and analyze available studies on the use of entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Metarhizium for the control of V. destructor. Searches were conducted in July 2025 in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and SciELO databases. Articles written in English, Portuguese, and Spanish that applied Metarhizium spp. directly to A. mellifera colonies were included. Abstracts, literature reviews, books, book chapters, and grey literature were excluded. As a minimum quality criterion, only peer-reviewed articles published in indexed journals were selected. In total, 11 relevant studies were included, published between 2002 and 2021 by authors from eight different countries. The results indicate that Metarhizium spp. exhibit variable efficacy in inducing V. destructor mortality, influenced by factors such as fungal strain, humidity, temperature, application method, and formulation. Despite recent advances, challenges remain regarding the standardization of protocols and the feasibility of field application. It is concluded that Metarhizium spp. show potential for integrated varroa management; however, further studies are needed to assess their effectiveness under field conditions and their effects on bee colonies.
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Accepted 2025-11-18
Published 2025-12-16
