Prevalence of Honeybee Parasites, Pests, and Their Associated Risk Factors in Central Ethiopia

Abstract Background Honeybees are essential for global nutrition and agriculture, and support income and environmental sustainability through plant pollination. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of honeybee parasites and pests in central Ethiopia from January 2025 to June 2025. Methods A cross-sectional design was employed, combining laboratory tests with a questionnaire survey of 100 beekeepers to identify risk factors affecting honeybee management. A total of 395 honeybee colonies from apiaries and backyard systems were sampled for laboratory analysis to detect pests. Data analysis was conducted via STATA version 14, including descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and chi-square tests, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results The results revealed that the most common pests in honeybee colonies were ants (34.8%), wax moths (34.6%), small hive beetles (19.8%), and Varroa mites (10.6%). The study identified key challenges in beekeeping, such as pest attacks, limited forage (17.7%), absconding (16.77%), pesticide use (14.8%), water shortages (10.85%), colony mortality (10%), and migration (6.5%). The laboratory results revealed that the colony level prevalence of Varroa mites was 53.6%, that of bee lice was 3.04%, and that of Nosema apis was 17.22%. Notably, Varroa mite infestation was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the type of colony management, with a 1.9 folder greater risk in modern apiary systems than in backyard systems. Conclusion This study highlights the significant impacts of pests such as ants, wax moths, small hive beetles, Varroa mites, and Nosema on honeybee health in the study area. This emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the risks of purchasing colonies from unknown sources and implementing effective quarantine measures.