Octanoic acid confers to royal jelly varroa-repellent properties.

The mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman is a parasite of the honeybee Apis mellifera L. and represents a major threat for apiculture in the Western world. Reproduction takes place only inside bee brood cells that are invaded just before sealing; drone cells are preferred over worker cells, whereas queen cells are not normally invaded. Lower incidence of mites in queen cells is at least partly due to the deterrent activity of royal jelly. In this study, the repellent properties of royal jelly were investigated using a lab bioassay. Chemical analysis showed that octanoic acid is a major volatile component of royal jelly; by contrast, the concentration is much lower in drone and worker larval food. Bioassays, carried out under lab conditions, demonstrated that octanoic acid is repellent to the mite. Field studies in bee colonies confirmed that the compound may interfere with the process of cell invasion by the mite.

(Z)-8-heptadecene from infested cells reduces the reproduction of Varroa destructor under laboratory conditions.

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman, the most serious threat to apiculture in many countries of the world, reproduces inside honeybee brood cells. Previous research, using artificial cells for rearing the mite on an Apis mellifera larva, indicated that semiochemicals affecting the reproduction of Varroa destructor are released into such cells. In order to isolate these semiochemicals, infested artificial cells were extracted with hexane and the extract fractionated twice. Several unsaturated hydrocarbons were identified in the active fraction; some of them were released in higher amounts in case of infestation and were, therefore, bioassayed for their effect on the mite's reproduction. Of five alkenes tested under laboratory conditions, (Z)-8-heptadecene, caused a 30% reduction in the mean number of offspring of mites reared in cells treated with this compound.