TASAS DE INFESTACIÓN POR VARROA DESTRUCTOR EN ABEJAS APIS MELLIFERA DE LA PROVINCIA SANCTI SPÍRITUS / INFESTATION RATES BY VARROA DESTRUCTOR IN APIS MELLIFERA BEES IN SANCTI SPÍRITUS PROVINCE

The objective of the study is to know the behavior of the infestation rates of the Varroa destructor mite in apiaries of Sancti Spiritus province during 2018. The researched samples encompassed the municipalities of Sancti Spiritus, Jatibonico, Trinidad, Yaguajay and Taguasco. The 100 per cent of the researched samples had different infestation rates of the Varroa destructor mite, with an average of 5.6 % during the selected period. The infestation rate of the disease above 5 %, during winter was 55.2 % and in summer 35.3 %. Significant statistical differences between both seasons were obtained. In the rates assessment by municipalities, only in the municipality of Jatibonico a significant statistical difference was obtained when comparing the average indexes of the winter and summer months; while in the period the winter and summer averages (5.89 % vs 4.96 %), differ significantly (p <0.01). This paper demonstrates the need for epizootiological surveillance and meticulous inspection of hives to keep Varroosis infestation rates below 5 % during the summer and winter seasons, the most marked in the Cuban weather, due to the danger it represents for apiaries.