الفهرس 
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Abstract
Honeybees are considered the most important economic insects due to their vital role in pollinating field and horticultural crops. Honey bees collect three substances; water, nectar and pollen to satisfy their nutritional requirements. Bee receives carbohydrates from nectar and proteins from the pollen grains. In the dearth period because of less floral rewards, supplemental feeding is necessary for maintenance of the bee population. Varroa mite is attacking honey bee colonies and feed on the haemolymph of brood and adult bees causing severe physiological disorders resulting in a loss amount to 25% of adult weight, reducing longevity of workers and drone honey bees and cause deformation of wings. Essential oils (EOs) can be used for controlling Varroa mite, because these compounds are usually, broken down faster than synthetic compounds; efficient as the traditional pesticides with lack of residues and solving the problem of pesticides resistance. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to:
1- Provide adequate alternative (supplementary) materials to pollen to maintain reproduction and brood rearing in honey bee colonies during the period of scarcity (dearth period) (November-March).
2- Estimate the consumed monthly amount of these alternatives and the food conversion factor.
3- Evaluate the effect of these supplementary materials on some biological activities of bees and size and number of queen cells.
4- Evaluate the efficacy of certain essential oils (EOs) (peppermint, eucalyptus, thyme, garlic, and mustard) against Varroa mites infesting honey bee colonies by adding them to supplementary diets or using the impregnated hanged papers technique.
5- Determine honey production and analyze the produced honey after supplementation for detecting the traces of the evaluated EOs.
6- Study the effect of the evaluated EOs mixed with supplementary diets on morphological and anatomical characters of virgin queen.
Though, the present investigation has been carried out at a commercial apiary in Rosetta region (40 km East of Alexandria city) in collaboration with the laboratory of Plant Protection Dept., Faculty of Agric., Saba-Basha, Alex. University, Egypt. Hybrids of Carniolan local strain queens (age of less than one year [9 months]) were used. The colonies of Apis mellifera were divided into 5 groups (4 treatments and 1 for control) (5 colonies for each group). The tested mixture of supplementary diet consisted of 75 g of skim soybean powder, chickpeas and yellow corn, mixed with 300 g of sugar, 75 g of dry yeast, 15 g of cinnamon, 10 g of turmeric, 10 ml of lemon juice, 10 ml of apple cider vinegar and 135 g of honey. Five milliliters of peppermint, camphor, thyme or garlic oils were added to the prepared mixture of supplementary diet to give four diets : A, B, C and D, respectively. Differed according to their content of the added essential oil. Control colonies (E) were raised on sugar solution (2 sugar: 1water) (w/v). Two strips of oleander paper (7X15 cm) impregnated in the evaluated essential oil (peppermint, eucalyptus, thyme, garlic or mustard oil) were hanged between the brood frames within the colony to evaluate their effectiveness against Varroa