ES2890495A1 - BIOLOGICAL COMPOUND TO FIGHT AGAINST VARROASIS (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention consists of a biological compound for the fight against varroasis, considering it a new alternative treatment compared to the current ones. The formulation of the biological compound consists of at least one pure active ingredient, preferably of natural origin and from the chemical family of terpenoids, as well as an excipient, preferably a vegetable or mineral oil. When a formulation with more than one pure active ingredient is chosen, those that present synergy in their action effects are chosen. What is remarkable about this invention is that pure active ingredients contained in a wide variety of essential oils are used, which implies greater efficacy and effectiveness in the treatment compared to the current ones. The biological compound, in addition to being a natural caress, has a repellent effect and acts as a growth-regulating insecticide. Due to the presence of certain active ingredients called juvenoids, it is possible to cause irreversible damage in the adult state of the parasite, as well as cause the sterilization of varroas in the adult phase, due to an anomaly in the development of the sexual organs. Within the chosen pure active ingredients, those olfactory molecules that are favorable for the bee population are also selected, especially those secreted by bees such as Nasonov's pheromone. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Compound for biological fight against varroasis

Object of the invention

The present invention refers to a new aromatic formulation for the control of varroasis in hives, which has a repellent activity, prevents the nesting and reproduction of the parasite that produces it and acts as a lethal antiparasitic (allows to kill) against varroas.

The formulation comprises at least one aromatic additive of natural or synthetic origin and a natural or synthetic excipient.

Specifically, the formulation of the present invention consists of the incorporation of pure active ingredients extracted mainly from plants and fruits, that is, present in a variety of essential oils.

Therefore, in the present invention, preferably pure terpene compounds, but not essential oils, are used as natural active ingredients.

It is precisely from such essential oils that the pure natural active ingredients are extracted by industrial extraction processes, but there are also manufacturing methods by industrial synthesis and by genetic engineering.

Finally, it should be noted that, as they are natural products, not chemical insecticide acaricides or veterinary drugs, the efficacy, quality and safety requirements for products of this type required to grant marketing permission are minimal, therefore, they are considered organic products, are marketed in the field of organic beekeeping and as a treatment in biological control in the fight against varroasis.

Likewise, the invention describes a biological compound that has a beneficial action on bees, due to the presence of favorable olfactory molecules, olfactory molecules being understood as those that have a positive impact on the behavior of bees, that is, power of attraction, improvement of their behavior and activity, stimulation of the colonies and beneficial effect on health.

It is also achieved with the present invention to guarantee the safety and health of the beekeeper in the handling and application of the biological compound, as well as not being harmful to the bees or to the products derived from the hive (wax, honey...).

Unlike other products that have good efficacy when there is little developing brood, the present invention allows the use of a biological compound that is not influenced by the amount of capped brood present inside the colonies.

In this way, the present invention describes a compound with an acaricidal antiparasitic effect that can be applied under the different conditions in which bee hives can be found in the different climatic regions in which beekeeping is practiced.

The invention describes a biological compound that, depending on its formulation and preparation, its application will be compatible in ways such as evaporation, vaporization, fumigation, aerosol, nebulization, spraying or as a continuous release contact acaricide that allows the impregnation of the bees and thus contact with all the mites present. Technical sector

The present invention falls within the field of beekeeping and more specifically in the field of biological and ecological treatment against varroasis.

Varroasis is an external parasitosis that affects different species of bees, which represents a serious problem in beekeeping.

Specifically, this disease is caused by an ectoparasite of bees, particularly a type of mite of the varroa genus.

The biological compound described in the present invention is characterized by not presenting any chemical parasiticide or pesticide insecticide active ingredient in its composition, and therefore it is part of an alternative control technique to the use of chemical active ingredients such as coumaphos, fluvalinate, flumethrin. , amitraz among others.

Likewise, the invention describes a biological compound as an alternative method to the ecological control and treatment that is currently being carried out through the use of organic acids such as formic, oxalic or the phenolic compound thymol.

State of the art

As background to the present invention, it should be noted that there are currently several products accepted by international regulations for the purpose of controlling varroasis.

Most of the compounds intended to combat varroasis contain substances with acaricidal activity, such as organophosphates and organochlorines, with active ingredients such as coumaphos, amitraz, fluvanilate and flumethrin, among others.

All these chemical pesticides differ both in the active ingredient used and in the way they are applied (continuous release strips, pads on the camera heads by slow evaporation, etc.).

However, the appearance of resistant mite populations and residues in hive products have led to the search for alternative control techniques.

In this sense, organic acids such as formic, oxalic, citric have been tested with variable results.

Despite this, these alternative products are not used massively by beekeepers, who mostly continue to treat their colonies with synthetic acaricides. Therefore, currently there are means of biological control to control varroasis; organic acids, essential oils, structural analogs of certain essential oils such as thymol, linalool, eugenol, among others, as well as volatile plant oils and plant extracts.

However, all the solutions adopted so far present, to different degrees, undesirable effects, among others: for bees and beekeepers, residues in wax and honey, varroa resistance to these molecules.

Some of the patents that are currently in force for the biological treatment against varroasis are listed below.

WO91/07875 discloses a compound containing one or more cyclic to alicyclic terpenes, such as linalool, linalyl acetate, eugenol and/or anethole or volatile plant oils. These compounds are prepared in forms compatible with evaporation, vaporization, or fumigation.

Furthermore, document DE102006054975 discloses a compound for combating varroasis, consisting of an aqueous emulsion of a vegetable oil.

Likewise, document WO 97/47193 discloses a compound that contains a porous gel-type support impregnated with an essential oil, used to control varroasis.

On the other hand, from document ES 2195757 A1, a procedure is known to combat infestations of bee hives, which consists of introducing into the hives an aqueous pasty composition containing microcapsules of a polymeric coacervate that include microdroplets of essential oils, mainly thymol.

Finally, from document EP 2301357, a biological compound against varroasis is known that is based on the diffusion in the hive of a very penetrating odor that greatly hinders the ability of the parasite to locate the cells in which it has to penetrate. This nuisance produces a stagnation, or even a great regression of the number of parasites, especially during the period of great development of the colonies.

A preferred embodiment of patent EP 2301357 consists of a process consisting of a cellulose-type support impregnated with a mixture of Gaultheria Procumbens and Pelargonium asperum and a carnation oil hardener.

With the present invention, the use of natural and pure active ingredients, contained in a variety of plants and fruits (vegetable origin), and obtained from essential oils, is revealed, which guarantees uniformity and homogeneity in both quality and effectiveness of the biological compound, unlike the products contemplated in the different patents, where the use of essential oils means that the quality of the product can vary and with it the effectiveness, even if they are used correctly according to the indications and instructions of the manufacturer.

In addition, with respect to patent WO 91/07875, by which a compound is known that allows to kill varroas and that contains one or more cyclic or acyclic terpenes, preferably linalool, linalyl acetate, eugenol and/or anethole or volatile oils of plants, the present invention only contemplates in its formulation pure natural active principles, all of them different from those contemplated in document WO 91/07875.

Likewise, the pure compounds of our invention are prepared in forms compatible with applications by evaporation, vaporization and fumigation, being able to choose a single formulation for more than one application.

A differentiating characteristic of the present invention is the incorporation in the formulation of the biological compound of active ingredients that act as growth regulator insecticides that mimic juvenile hormones, causing irreversible damage in the adult state and inhibiting metamorphosis to the adult state, which can cause also the sterilization of adult varroas (sterilizing) due to a failure in the development of the sexual organs.

This action system of the present invention differs from current acaricide treatments only by systemic action or by contact with bees, which allows not only to kill varroas, but also to regulate and inhibit the reproductive cycle of the parasite in the areas of hive breeding, which is precisely where there is more infestation.

At the same time, the present invention has a repellent effect on the infestation and acts as an antiparasitic acaricide, causing the death of varroas by destroying their cuticle and consequently suffocation, as well as presenting a neurotoxic effect by acting on the sensory cells, increasing their activity.

Due to the great diversity of pure active ingredients that can form part of the formulation of the present invention, many of them have the peculiarity of being synergists between them, that is, the presence of one enhances the effects of the other.

Description of the invention

The present invention refers to a new formulation for the control of varroasis in hives, which has a repellent activity, prevents the nesting and reproduction of the parasite that produces it and acts as an ectoparasiticide, and more specifically as a natural acaricide.

Said formulation must present at least one pure active ingredient of natural or synthetic origin, preferably extracted from plants and fruits, and a liquid or viscous vegetable-based or synthetic excipient that serves as a support for said active ingredients and improves their efficacy. in various forms compatible with evaporation, vaporization, fumigation, aerosol, nebulization, spraying or as a continuous release contact acaricide that allows the impregnation of the bees and thus contact with all the mites present.

Preferably, the vegetable excipient is a drying or semi-drying oil, for example, but not limited to soybean, carnation, sunflower, walnut, flax, etc. oils.

With regard to the pure active ingredients, those of natural origin are preferably selected, meaning natural, those extracted either by a homemade or traditional or entirely industrial method, or a combination of both methods.

These active ingredients are of the highest purity on the market, extracted mainly from vegetables.

As pure active ingredients, those extracted from plants of the genus Rosaceae, citronella, citrus aurantium and citrus in general are preferably chosen.

For such purposes, active ingredients are preferably considered to be 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol, (2E,6E)-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1- ol,1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)-cyclohexene, among others.

A peculiarity of the present invention is that the biological compound can be formulated for its application by evaporation and/or vaporization, or by fumigation, so that a procedure for biological control against varroasis can be established, characterized in that it consists of the following steps, complementary to each other or alternative to choice depending on the application of the treatment.

Step 1- placement of the impregnation support for the compound in the hive and diffusion of the active ingredients inside the hive over time by evaporation and/or vaporization. Step 2- placement of the compound impregnation support in the hive and continuous release of the active ingredients and action of the biological compound as a contact acaricide with bees.

Step 3- diffusion and penetration of the active principles of the compound inside the hive by fumigation, nebulization or aerosol.

Preferably, for the application of the biological compound by fumigation, the formulation with a synthetic and neutral excipient is chosen, that is, those at the limit of their neutrality with respect to the active ingredients or with respect to the environment inside the hive, such as oil. paraffin or petroleum jelly.

Likewise, the formulation with vegetable oils as excipients is preferably chosen, and among others, corn, soybean, carnation or sunflower oil, for the application of the biological compound by evaporation and/or vaporization, or as a solution for its impregnation. in different supports for its use as a contact acaricide.

Among the preferred supports for the application of the biological compound as a contact acaricide, cellulosic materials are chosen, and among others, strips of continuous release cellulose fibers, reconstituted blocks derived from cellulose or starch, cellulosic materials such as cardboard.

Precisely to ensure the continuous and slow release of the volatile and olfactory molecules of the active principles of the biological compound, fixative additives are incorporated, preferably those of a synthetic nature, due to their neutrality, and are, among others, dimethicone polyol, microcrystalline waxes , glycerol, short chain hydrocarbons such as octane, heptane, etc.

A differentiating characteristic of the present invention is the incorporation in the formulation of the biological compound of active ingredients that act as growth regulator insecticides that mimic juvenile hormones, causing irreversible damage in the adult state and inhibiting metamorphosis to the adult state, which can cause also the sterilization of adult varroas (sterilizing) due to a failure in the development of the sexual organs.

This action system of the present invention differs from current acaricide treatments only by systemic action or by contact with bees, which allows not only to kill varroas, but also to regulate and inhibit the reproductive cycle of the parasite in the areas of hive breeding, which is precisely where there is more infestation.

A proof of this aspect to review is the fact of finding dead varroas inside the sealed cells, as well as the existence of immature pinkish females.

Furthermore, the present invention presents pure active principles with a marked repellent effect, which causes this nuisance to produce a stagnation, or even a great regression of the population of varroas, and especially over the entire period of great development of the colonies. .

Finally and after the biological tests carried out, the present invention shows a persistence of its acaricidal activity over time that completely covers the reproductive cycle of varroa.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

In order to provide the person skilled in the art with a sufficiently clear and concise explanation, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described, although it should not be considered as a limitation to the essential aspects of the object thereof, as they have been exposed in the previous sections of this description.

For such purposes, the preparation of a formulation according to the invention consists of using a neutral synthetic excipient of the mineral oil or liquid paraffin type whose content is between 60% and 80% w/pov/v of the final product, and as ingredients active ingredients are chosen 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol, and (2E,6E)-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1-ol, so that the content of the mixture of both is between 20% and 40% w/pov/v.

The active principles chosen in the present example are characterized by being completely soluble in the chosen excipient and presenting high chemical stability, which allows the resulting formulation to be suitable for application by fumigation, which will allow full diffusion of the biological compound in the inside of the hive.

Next, a biological test carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficacy of the biological compound of the present example as a natural acaricide is described.

hives treatment

We start from an apiary of 60 hives, of which 30 have sanitary floor and the other 30 without sanitary floor.

1- Before introducing any treatment, we have a very high varroa infection in 70% to 90% of varroas in capped breeding, and a fall in trays of 150 to 300 varroas without any treatment applied. The hives are between 3 to 5 breeding frames and between 4 to 8 bee frames, all with enough food and with a normal intake of pollen and honey for the season. Date from which we start the observation is from September 29 to October 15.

2- On October 15, 2019, the first application is carried out. We carry out the treatment with the Furetto, and introduce trays to observe the fall of varroa, observing that after half an hour there is an increase in the fall of varroa in the most infested hives.

Before starting the treatment we scratched the brood from 2 hives (we scratched the brood to have all the varroas exposed to the treatment), one of the hives with sanitary soil and another normal.

3- On October 31, 2019, we took out trays and cut the brood to see how the treatment works and the varroas that remain. We have 50% of varroas even in almost all hives on sanitary soil, while in those on normal soil we have between 30% and 40%, but varroas are observed inside the brood that are dead.

4- On November 2, 2019, we carried out the second treatment with furetto (fumigation).

5- On November 20, 2019, we took out the last trays of this treatment, still observing a drop in varroa between 3% and 5%, but in hives with normal soil we have hives with 0% varroa in breeding.

6- Now we will carry out a treatment with Amitraz, after 42 days, to see the varroas that remain in our hives after treatment with the biological compound of the present invention.

7- On November 26, 2019 we introduce Amitraz, we put trays back in the sanitary floor hives.

8- On January 4, 2020, we took out trays (we could not enter the hives before because of the rain). We ratify what we had observed on November 20, 2019.

Hives with sanitary soil continue to have between 3% and 4% of varroas in breeding.

Hives with normal soil continue to have between 0% and 3% of varroas in brood.

The observations and conclusions that we obtain from our test carried out would be:

1. - The persistence of the acaricidal activity of the biological compound over time completely covers the reproductive cycle of the varroa, observing how after more than 40 days the same population of varroas is maintained.

2. - When using the furetto in hives with sanitary floors, the product can act worse because a lot of product comes out and does not stay in the hive (it happens with other products used).

3. - The hives with normal soil work more efficiently since there is no loss of product.

4. - The treatments do not work with the same efficiency at different temperatures, therefore they decrease efficiency at lower temperatures, since the bees have less movement inside the hive and the product is distributed less.

5. - Being isolated hives, reinfection by other hives does not occur.

For all of the above, the acaricidal efficacy of the tested composition, based on the number of mites present in capped brood per 100, will be 97% for hives with sanitary soil and 98% for hives with normal soil.

After the application of the biological compound, a preferred embodiment of the invention and with two treatments carried out, the first on October 15 and the second on November 2, the final count is made on November 20, 2019.

Therefore, with at least two treatments every 17 days, we achieve an average efficiency value of 97%, which leads us to say that only a 3% average varroa infestation value is found in the hives in capped brood.

Claims (9)

1. Biological compound to combat varroasis characterized in that its formulation consists of at least one natural or synthetic pure active ingredient and a natural or synthetic excipient. 2. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains pure natural or synthetic active ingredients that are chosen from 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol, (2E,6E)-3 ,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1-ol, 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)-cyclohexene, (Z)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1 -ol, 3,7-Dimethyloct-6-en-1-ol, 2-(4-Methyl-1-cyclohex-3-enyl)propan-2-ol, 4-Methyl-1-(methylethyl)-1, 3-cyclohexadien, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, (2E)-3-phenylprop-2-enal, 3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-al, (1S,5S)-2,6,6Trimethylbicydo [3.1.1]hept-2-ene((-)-a-Pinene), 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienal, 2-amino-1H-purine-6(9H)-one, singly or in combination . 3. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains a natural or synthetic excipient chosen from vegetable oils with a drying effect, such as soybean, carnation, sunflower, walnut, flax oils, synthetic excipients in the limit of its neutrality with respect to the active principles or with respect to the environment inside the hive such as paraffin oil or Vaseline, natural emulsions such as egg, mayonnaise, hydroalcoholic solutions or 96% or 70% ethanol, thermoplastic copolymers such as copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate, alone or in combination. 4. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that it also contains at least one fixing additive that is comprised in a percentage between 0.01% and 10.01% w/pov/v of the final product, including both limits, and which are chosen from short-chain hydrocarbons such as isooctane, heptane, silicones of the dimethicone polyol type, microcrystalline waxes, alone or as a mixture. 5. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of at least one active principle is comprised in a percentage between 1% and 40% p/p or v/v of the final product, both limits included. 6. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of at least one excipient is comprised in a percentage between 60% and 99% p/p or v/v of the final product, both limits included. 7. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that in its formulation there is more than one pure natural or synthetic active ingredient and whose mixture is comprised in a percentage between 1% and 80% w/pov/v of the final product, including both limits. 8. Biological compound to combat varroasis according to claim 1, characterized in that in its formulation there is more than one natural or synthetic excipient and whose mixture is comprised in a percentage between 20% and 99% w/pov/v of the product end, including both limits. 9. Procedure for biological control against varroasis, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of the following steps, complementary to each other or alternative to choice according to the application of the treatment. Step 1- placement of the impregnation support for the compound in the hive and diffusion of the active ingredients inside the hive over time by evaporation and/or vaporization. Step 2- placement of the impregnation support of the compound in the hive and continuous release of the active principles and action of the biological compound as a contact acaricide with the bees. Step 3- diffusion and penetration of the active principles of the compound inside the hive by fumigation, nebulization or aerosol.