Prevalence and risk factors of wax moth in bee colonies in the Central and Central-West regions of Burkina Faso: pilot study

Beekeeping is a very old practice in Burkina Faso and has many advantages, including the availability of honey resources, of endogenous knowledge and support from public policies. However, it faces challenges, including health problems, which are poorly documented. This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2019 in the Central and Central-west regions of Burkina Faso to determine the prevalence and risk factors of wax moth in bee colonies. A total of 200 modern hives were visited of which 106 were colonized or previously colonized. Methods of observation and inspection of the hives were used to search for witnesses of the wax moth infestation: eggs, larvae, pupae cocoons, woven silk cloth, gallery in wax or adult butterflies. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on beekeepers and apiaries characteristics. An inspection sheet was used to record observations made during the inspection of the hives. The results revealed that the average size was 18 hives by apiary. Hives used were Kenyan, Dadant, and rectangular frame hives with a colonization rate of 53%. The overall prevalence of wax moth was 23.6% [15.5-31.7%]. Other predators/pests were observed in 43.4% of the hives, the main ones being beetles (25.5%) and ants (17%). The analysis of the radio adjusted odds ratio showed the absence of risk factors among the modalities of the studied variables. In view of the results of this pilot study, more extensive studies could be carried out to have a better understanding of the epidemiology of the infestation and its possible impact that it can have on honey production

Gamma-radiation of

African animal trypanosomoses are vector-borne diseases that cause enormous livestock losses in sub-Saharan Africa, with drastic socio-economic impacts. Vector control in the context of an area-wide integrated pest management program with a sterile insect technique component requires the production of high-quality sterile male tsetse flies. In our study, we evaluated the effect of irradiation on the fecundity of Glossina palpalis gambiensis to identify the optimal dose that will induce maximum sterility while maintaining biological performance as much as possible. In addition, male mating performance was evaluated in semi-field cages. The irradiation doses used were 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 Gy, and untreated males were used as the control. The results showed that pupal production and emergence rates were higher in batches of females that had mated with fertile males than in those that had mated with irradiated males with any experimental dose. A dose of 120 Gy administered to male flies induced 97–99% sterility after mating with virgin females. For the semi-field cage experiments, males irradiated with 120 Gy showed good sexual competitiveness as compared to fertile males and those irradiated with 140 Gy, considering the level of filling of spermatheca and the number of pairs formed. The optimal radiation dose of 120 Gy found in this study is slightly different from the traditional dose of 110 Gy that has been used in several eradication programmes in the past. The potential reasons for this difference are discussed, and an argument is made for the inclusion of reliable dosimetry systems in these types of studies