@article{
author = "Stanimirovic, Zoran and Glavinic, Uros and Jovanovic, Nemanja M. and Ristanic, Marko and Milojković-Opsenica, Dušanka and Mutić, Jelena and Stevanovic, Jevrosima",
year = "2021",
abstract = "In a cage experiment, lithium chloride (LiCl) and lithium citrate hydrate (Li-cit) were tested
for varroacidal efficacy and impact on bees. Treatment with Li-cit (4, 7.5, 10, and 25mM)
resulted in 100% varroacidal efficacy and 100% bee survival. Due to better results in the
cage experiment, Li-cit was further tested in field experiments on full-sized free-flying colonies
treated three times in 6-day intervals. All the concentrations of Li-cit in the field
experiment (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25mM) expressed high varroacidal efficacy: 93.2–95.5%, significantly
(p<0.01) greater than in the negative and positive (amitraz-treated) controls.
Lithium residues in honey from brood chambers were much higher nine months after the
last treatment (169.3–1756.0 lg/kg) than seven days post-treatment (19.2–27.8 lg/kg). In
honey from honey chambers (eligible for human consumption), the average lithium residues
were 26.9 lg/kg and 33.7 lg/kg seven days after the last treatment. In wax combs
taken from the brood chamber nine months post-treatment, lithium residues ranged from
410 lg/kg to 2314 mg/kg, without significant differences from the negative control.
Lithium residues in wax matrices seven days after the last treatment were in a narrow
range of 234.3–300 mg/kg, in wax combs and cappings being significantly lower than in
commercial wax foundations. For the first time, Li-cit proved to be effective against
Varroa destructor under field conditions.",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis",
journal = "Journal of Apicultural Research",
title = "Preliminary trials on effects of lithium salts on Varroa destructor, honey and wax matrices",
volume = "61",
pages = "375-391",
doi = "10.1080/00218839.2021.1988277"
}
