INVENTORY OF THE ENTOMOFAUNA COHABITING WITH COLONIES OF THE DOMESTIC HONEYBEE, APIS MELLIFERA ADANSONII, IN TWO AGROECOLOGICAL ZONES OF BURKINA FASO

Abstract

In Burkina Faso, beekeeping is a growing,promising sector, as reflected in the rising number of beekeepers. Unfortunately, the quantity and quality of hive products are increasingly declining due to numerous constraints, notably sanitary ones. These sanitary constraints are thought to be caused mainly by arthropods invading the hives. To improve beekeeping production, it is essential to identify the pests responsible for weakening honeybee colony dynamics. This study aims to identify the entomofauna cohabiting with colonies of the domestic honeybee, Apis mellifera adansonii. Insects were first collected from hives in three regions - Hauts-Bassins, Centre-Ouest and Plateau Central - located in two agroecological zones of Burkina Faso. Collection was carried out over two years across a total of 90 hives. All collected insects were then identified. Finally, ecological composition indices (total richness and frequency of occurrence) and biodiversity indices (Shannon, Pielou and Simpson) were calculated. The results reveal 15 insect species, with a total of 5,877 individuals recorded. Galleria mellonella was the only species constant across all three regions. The Shannon index ranged from 2.64 to 2.21, while Pielous evenness index ranged from 0.91 to 0.87. These results provide useful preliminary information for developing integrated management methods against pests of the domestic honeybee and hive products.