Exposure of the wild bee Osmia bicornis to the honey bee pathogen Nosema ceranae

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uta Müller ◽  
Dino P. McMahon ◽  
Jens Rolff
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Osmia Bicornis ◽  
Wild Bee

scholarly journals Exposure of Larvae of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornis to the Honey Bee Pathogen Nosema ceranae Affects Life History

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bramke ◽  
Müller ◽  
McMahon ◽  
Rolff
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Viable Spore ◽  
Wild Bees ◽  
Osmia Bicornis

Wild bees are important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops and they are threatened by several environmental stressors including emerging pathogens. Honey bees have been suggested as a potential source of pathogen spillover. One prevalent pathogen that has recently emerged as a honey bee disease is the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. While the impacts of N. ceranae in honey bees are well documented, virtually nothing is known about its effects in solitary wild bees. The solitary mason bee Osmia bicornis is a common pollinator in orchards and amenable to commercial management. Here, we experimentally exposed larvae of O. bicornis to food contaminated with N. ceranae and document spore presence during larval development. We measured mortality, growth parameters, and timing of pupation in a semi-field experiment. Hatched individuals were assessed for physiological state including fat body mass, wing muscle mass, and body size. We recorded higher mortality in the viable-spore-exposed group but could only detect a low number of spores among the individuals of this treatment. Viable-spore-treated individuals with higher head capsule width had a delayed pupation start. No impact on the physiological status could be detected in hatched imagines. Although we did not find overt evidence of O. bicornis infection, our findings indicate that exposure of larvae to viable N. ceranae spores could affect bee development.

scholarly journals Osmia bicornis is rarely an adequate regulatory surrogate species. Comparing its acute sensitivity towards multiple insecticides with regulatory Apis mellifera endpoints

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Uhl ◽  
Osarobo Awanbor ◽  
Robert S. Schulz ◽  
Carsten A. Brühl
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Surrogate Species ◽  
Osmia Bicornis ◽  
Wild Bee ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
Assessment Factor

AbstractBee species provide essential ecosystem services and maintain floral biodiversity. However, there is an ongoing decline of wild and domesticated bee species. Since agricultural pesticide use is a key driver of this process, there is a need for a protective risk assessment. To achieve a more protective registration process, two wild bee species, Osmia bicornis and Bombus terrestris, were proposed by the European Food Safety Authority as additional test surrogates. We investigated the acute toxicity (median lethal dose, LD50) of multiple commercial insecticide formulations towards the red mason bee (O. bicornis) and compared these values to honey bee (Apis mellifera) regulatory endpoints. In two thirds of all cases O. bicornis was less sensitive than the honey bee. By applying an assessment factor of 10 on the honey bee endpoint a protective level was achieved for 87% (13 out 15) of all evaluated products. Our results show that O. bicornis as a non-sensitive species is rarely an adequate additional surrogate species for lower tier risk assessment. Given the currently limited database, the honey bee seems sufficiently protective in acute scenarios as long as a reasonable assessment factor is applied. However, additional surrogate species such as O. bicornis and B. terrestris are still relevant for ecologically meaningful higher tier studies.

scholarly journals Physiological effects of the interaction between Nosema ceranae and sequential and overlapping exposure to glyphosate and difenoconazole in the honey bee Apis mellifera

2021 ◽  
Vol 217 ◽  
pp. 112258
Author(s):  
Hanine Almasri ◽  
Daiana Antonia Tavares ◽  
Marie Diogon ◽  
Maryline Pioz ◽  
Maryam Alamil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Physiological Effects

Comparison of within hive sampling and seasonal activity of Nosema ceranae in honey bee colonies

2012 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenna E. Traver ◽  
Matthew R. Williams ◽  
Richard D. Fell
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals Variation in floret size explains differences in wild bee visitation to cultivated sunflowers

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 498-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe M. Portlas ◽  
Jonathan R. Tetlie ◽  
Deirdre Prischmann-Voldseth ◽  
Brent S. Hulke ◽  
Jarrad R. Prasifka
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Significant Variation ◽  
Inbred Lines ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Wild Bee ◽  
Residual Variation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Nectar Rewards

AbstractWild and managed bees are needed to move sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) pollen, both to create hybrid seed and to encourage high, consistent yields when those hybrids are subsequently grown. Among floral traits that influence bee preference, floret size may be critical, as the depth of the corolla affects the accessibility of nectar. Sampling and observation of inbred maintainer (HA) lines were used to assess variation in floret size, and to measure any effects of floret size on pollinator visitation. Among 100 inbreds sampled, there was significant variation among the lines, with floret lengths of 6.8–9.9 mm. Floret length, measured before anthesis, was closely related to corolla depth during anthesis and was consistent between 2 years (environments). Pollinator observations on 30 inbred lines showed floret size explained a majority (52%) of the variation in wild bee preference, with a reduction in floret length of 2 mm more than doubling pollinator activity. Though honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colonies were located ≈ 60 m from the plots, near-zero honey bee activity in the sunflowers precluded an assessment of how strongly this managed pollinator is affected by floret length. Production of inbreds and hybrids with smaller florets could enhance sunflower pollination, but genetic markers for floret size are needed to facilitate selection, and an understanding of potential trade-offs also is required. Information on variation and heritability of other traits, such as pollen and nectar rewards, could help explain residual variation in wild bee visitation to sunflowers.

Nosema ceranae and RNA viruses in honey bee populations of Cuba

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 468-471
Author(s):  
Anais Rodríguez Luis ◽  
Carlos Ariel Yadró García ◽  
Ciro Invernizzi ◽  
Belén Branchiccela ◽  
Adolfo Mauricio Pérez Piñeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Nosema Ceranae

scholarly journals Propolis Consumption Reduces Nosema ceranae Infection of European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Mura ◽  
Michelina Pusceddu ◽  
Panagiotis Theodorou ◽  
Alberto Angioni ◽  
Ignazio Floris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Ethanolic Extract ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Propolis Extract ◽  
Safe Product ◽  
Solvent Control ◽  
Ethanolic Extract Of Propolis ◽  
Spore Load

Nosema ceranae is a widespread obligate intracellular parasite of the ventriculus of many species of honey bee (Apis), including the Western honey bee Apis mellifera, in which it may lead to colony death. It can be controlled in A. mellifera by feeding the antibiotic fumagillin to a colony, though this product is toxic to humans and its use has now been banned in many countries, so in beekeeping, there exists a need for alternative and safe products effective against N. ceranae. Honeybees produce propolis from resinous substances collected from plants and use it to protect their nest from parasites and pathogens; propolis is thought to decrease the microbial load of the hive. We hypothesized that propolis might also reduce N. ceranae infection of individual bees and that they might consume propolis as a form of self-medication. To test these hypotheses, we evaluated the effects of an ethanolic extract of propolis administered orally on the longevity and spore load of experimentally N. ceranae-infected worker bees and also tested whether infected bees were more attracted to, and consumed a greater proportion of, a diet containing propolis in comparison to uninfected bees. Propolis extracts and ethanol (solvent control) increased the lifespan of N. ceranae-infected bees, but only propolis extract significantly reduced spore load. Our propolis extract primarily contained derivatives of caffeic acid, ferulic acid, ellagic acid and quercetin. Choice, scan sampling and food consumption tests did not reveal any preference of N. ceranae-infected bees for commercial candy containing propolis. Our research supports the hypothesis that propolis represents an effective and safe product to control N. ceranae but worker bees seem not to use it to self-medicate when infected with this pathogen.

scholarly journals Diversified Farming in a Monoculture Landscape: Effects on Honey Bee Health and Wild Bee Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley L St. Clair ◽  
Ge Zhang ◽  
Adam G Dolezal ◽  
Matthew E O’Neal ◽  
Amy L Toth
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Colony Growth ◽  
Nutritional State ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Wild Bee ◽  
Bee Conservation ◽  
Bee Communities

Abstract In the last century, a global transformation of Earth’s surface has occurred due to human activity with extensive agriculture replacing natural ecosystems. Concomitant declines in wild and managed bees are occurring, largely due to a lack of floral resources and inadequate nutrition, caused by conversion to monoculture-based farming. Diversified fruit and vegetable farms may provide an enhanced variety of resources through crops and weedy plants, which have potential to sustain human and bee nutrition. We hypothesized fruit and vegetable farms can enhance honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apis mellifera Linnaeus) colony growth and nutritional state over a soybean monoculture, as well as support a more diverse wild bee community. We tracked honey bee colony growth, nutritional state, and wild bee abundance, richness, and diversity in both farm types. Honey bees kept at diversified farms had increased colony weight and preoverwintering nutritional state. Regardless of colony location, precipitous declines in colony weight occurred during autumn and thus colonies were not completely buffered from the stressors of living in a matrix dominated with monocultures. Contrary to our hypothesis, wild bee diversity was greater in soybean, specifically in August, a time when fields are in bloom. These differences were largely driven by four common bee species that performed well in soybean. Overall, these results suggest fruit and vegetable farms provide some benefits for honey bees; however, they do not benefit wild bee communities. Thus, incorporation of natural habitat, rather than diversified farming, in these landscapes, may be a better choice for wild bee conservation efforts.

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