Title : Impact of essential oils of Mentha spicata, M. pulegium, M. suaveolens and Artemisia herba alba on Apis mellifera mortality

The use of aromatic and medicinal plants is of great importance not only as a resource of medical care but also to control many pests including varroa, an ectoparasitic mite of honeybee. Based on this observation, we found it useful to conduct biotests to evaluate the Impact of Mentha spicata, M. pulegium, M. suaveolens and Artemisia herba alba essential oils on Apis mellifera. The bioassay results revealed that the tested oils exert a toxic effect on A. mellifera. Depending on concentrations and exposure times, mortalities recorded ranged from 0 to 100%. The LC50 values of tested essential oils, after 96 h of exposure, vary from 0.71 to 2.70 μl / l of air depending on the considered plant species. Moreover, the M. pulegium essential oil has been the most toxic comparing to others.