The study was carried out in selected districts of Tigray region. The objectives of the study determined the occurrence and economic importance of honeybee pests and predators on beekeeping development. The study used structural and semi-structural questionnaire and field observation methods. The most economically important recorded pests and predators affecting honeybee colonies were wax moth (25.0%), ants (24.5%), bee-eater birds (15.7%), honey badger (13.7%), lizard (7.4.0%), parasitic mites (5.9%), dead hawks moth (5.4%), wasp (1.3%) and spider(1.2%). Majority of the respondents replied that honeybee pests and predators are the serious problems of honeybee colonies responsible for absconding, dwindling and honey yield lose. Honeybee colonies infested with pests resulted in lower honey yield significantly (p<0.01) than those without pests. The total honeybee colonies absconded due to the major honeybee pests was estimated to be 1019(38.8%) in the sampled beekeepers. About 13%, 12.4%, 9.8% and 3.6% of the colonies absconded were due to wax moth, ants, honey badger and death head’s hawks moth respectively. Accordingly, the financial loss from both honey and colony lost within the four years was estimated to be a total of 9.9 million ETB from 1019 honeybee colonies. Therefore, maintaining strong colonies is the key solution for preventing and control of major honeybee pests and predators. Further research into the biology, ecology, population dynamics and eco-friendly non-chemical control methods for these pests need to be designed.

Keywords: Bee enemy, economic importance, Pests, Predators, Tigray