The hive can harbour a variety of beneficial or harmful organisms alongside the honeybee. These pests act individually or collectively and contribute to declining bee populations worldwide. Here, we looked at the diversity of macro-organisms associated with bees in hives in Burkina Faso. The study took place in the Sudanian and Sudano-Sahelian climatic zones. The aim was to inventory and analyse their diversity in 238 hives from 48 apiaries. The results showed that in the Sudanian zone, 80.6 % of hives hosted other organisms in addition to bees, compared with 46.9 % in the Sudano-Sahelian (P < 0.05). Thus, in the Sudanian zone, 22 animal species were encountered, compared with 23 in the Sudano-Sahelian. The Sudano-Sahelian zone was characterized by greater species diversity (Shannon H = 1.301 vs. 1.158) and a more balanced species distribution (Equitability J
= 0.4149 vs. 0.3747) than the Sudanian zone. Varroa destructor and Aethina tumida were most abundant in the study area (63.5 % and 21.33 % respectively). We discussed possible or established interactions between these different organisms and their bee hosts. This study could pave the way for actions to improve the resilience of local bees in the face of current environmental and health challenges.

Apis mellifera Hives Biodiversity Parasites Predators Burkina Faso