scholarly journals Microbial Diversity Associated with the Pollen Stores of Captive-Bred Bumble Bee Colonies

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prarthana S. Dharampal ◽  
Luis Diaz-Garcia ◽  
Max A. B. Haase ◽  
Juan Zalapa ◽  
Cameron R. Currie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
Ascosphaera Apis ◽  
Its Gene ◽  
Colony Fitness ◽  
Commercial Supplier ◽  
Bee Colonies

The pollen stores of bumble bees host diverse microbiota that influence overall colony fitness. Yet, the taxonomic identity of these symbiotic microbes is relatively unknown. In this descriptive study, we characterized the microbial community of pollen provisions within captive-bred bumble bee hives obtained from two commercial suppliers located in North America. Findings from 16S rRNA and ITS gene-based analyses revealed that pollen provisions from the captive-bred hives shared several microbial taxa that have been previously detected among wild populations. While diverse microbes across phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Ascomycota were detected in all commercial hives, significant differences were detected at finer-scale taxonomic resolution based on the supplier source. The causative agent of chalkbrood disease in honey bees, Ascosphaera apis, was detected in all hives obtained from one supplier source, although none of the hives showed symptoms of infection. The shared core microbiota across both commercial supplier sources consisted of two ubiquitous bee-associated groups, Lactobacillus and Wickerhamiella/Starmerella clade yeasts that potentially contribute to the beneficial function of the microbiome of bumble bee pollen provisions.

scholarly journals Using Commercial Bumble Bee Colonies as Backup Pollinators for Honey Bees to Produce Cucumbers and Watermelons

1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Stanghellini ◽  
J.T. Ambrose ◽  
J.R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Insect Visitation ◽  
Parasitic Mite ◽  
Fruit Abortion ◽  
Bee Colonies

The effectiveness of bumble bees, Bombus impatiens Cresson, and honey bees, Apis mellifera L., on the pollination of cucumber, Cucumis sativus L., and watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, was compared under field conditions. Comparisons were based on fruit abortion rates and seed set as influenced by bee type (honey bee or bumble bee) and the number of bee visits to treatment flowers (1, 6, 12, and 18 bee visits), plus two controls: a no-visit treatment and an open-pollinated (unrestricted visitation) treatment. For both crops, an increased number of bee visits had a strong positive effect on fruit and seed set. All cucumber and watermelon flowers bagged to prevent insect visitation aborted, demonstrating the need for active transfer of pollen between staminate and pistillate flowers. Bumble bee-visited flowers consistently had lower abortion rates and higher seed sets in the cucumber and watermelon studies than did honey bee-visited flowers when compared at the same bee visitation level. Only slight differences in fruit abortion rates were detected between bee types in the watermelon study. However, abortion rates for bumble bee-visited flowers were consistently less than those for honey bee-visited flowers when compared at equal bee visitation levels, with one exception at the 12 bee visit level. As the number of honey bee colonies continues to decline due to parasitic mite pests and based on the data obtained, we conclude that bumble bees have a great potential to serve as a supplemental pollinator for cucumbers, watermelons, and possibly other vine crops, when honey bees available for rental are in limited supply.

TOXICITY EFFECTS AND CHALKBROOD INCIDENCE IN HONEY BEE1 COLONIES FED CONTROLLED DOSES OF FUNGICIDES2,3

1985 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-178
Author(s):  
A. Stoner ◽  
W. T. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Sorbic Acid ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Repellent Effect ◽  
Sodium Propionate ◽  
Ascosphaera Apis ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Bee Colonies

Folpet and a combination with folpet, benomyl, citral, sodium propionate, and sorbic acid were fed or exposed to honey bee, Apis mellifera L., field colonies to: 1) determine their long-term toxic effects on the bees; and 2) to determine if chalkbrood (CB) disease, Ascosphaera apis (Maassen ex Claussen) Olive et Spiltor, is inhibited or controlled by the compounds. When folpet was fed to honey bee colonies in sucrose syrup, the group fed the highest rate (1000 ppm) never differed significantly (P > 0.05) from the control colonies. There was an equal number of adult bees, an equal amount of sealed brood, and mortality was identical. Analysis indicated significantly (P < 0.05) fewer CB mummies in treatment groups fed 10 or 1000 ppm folpet, but this apparent benefit may have been due to seasonal changes of reduced CB infection that occur in late summer. Folpet or a combination of folpet, benomyl, citral, sodium propionate, and sorbic acid (1000 ppm each, total 5000 ppm) incorporated into lipid/sucrose extender patties produced no significant (P > 0.05) effect of any kind on colonies to which they were applied, including CB infection. However, when the combination of five fungicides (5000 ppm) was impregnated into beeswax foundation and exposed to honey bee colonies, only a small amount of comb was drawn on the test foundation, indicating a repellent effect. Otherwise, the test foundation had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the honey bees or the CB infection.

scholarly journals Olfactory coding in the antennal lobe of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Mertes ◽  
Julie Carcaud ◽  
Jean-Christophe Sandoz
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Antennal Lobe ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Carbon Chain Length ◽  
Olfactory Coding ◽  
Major Transitions

AbstractSociality is classified as one of the major transitions in evolution, with the largest number of eusocial species found in the insect order Hymenoptera, including the Apini (honey bees) and the Bombini (bumble bees). Bumble bees and honey bees not only differ in their social organization and foraging strategies, but comparative analyses of their genomes demonstrated that bumble bees have a slightly less diverse family of olfactory receptors than honey bees, suggesting that their olfactory abilities have adapted to different social and/or ecological conditions. However, unfortunately, no precise comparison of olfactory coding has been performed so far between honey bees and bumble bees, and little is known about the rules underlying olfactory coding in the bumble bee brain. In this study, we used in vivo calcium imaging to study olfactory coding of a panel of floral odorants in the antennal lobe of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris. Our results show that odorants induce reproducible neuronal activity in the bumble bee antennal lobe. Each odorant evokes a different glomerular activity pattern revealing this molecule’s chemical structure, i.e. its carbon chain length and functional group. In addition, pairwise similarity among odor representations are conserved in bumble bees and honey bees. This study thus suggests that bumble bees, like honey bees, are equipped to respond to odorants according to their chemical features.

Are Non-Target Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Exposed to Dinotefuran From Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Trap Trees?

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 2993-2996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Underwood ◽  
Brian Breeman ◽  
Joseph Benton ◽  
Jason Bielski ◽  
Julie Palkendo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Quechers Method ◽  
Significant Damage ◽  
Lycorma Delicatula ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Worker Bee

Abstract The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an introduced plant hopper that causes significant damage to host plants in the United States. Because of its affinity for tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, control efforts have focused on the use of the systemic insecticide, dinotefuran, in designated trap trees. There is concern about exposure to this pesticide by non-target species, especially honey bees, Apis mellifera, via lanternfly honeydew. Therefore, honey bee colonies were established in areas of high densities of trap trees and samples of honey, bees, and beeswax were collected in May, July, and October of 2017 for analysis. Samples were extracted by the QuEChERS method and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the presence and quantity of dinotefuran. Additionally, honeydew from lanternflies was analyzed for dinotefuran and informal observations of trap tree visitors were made. None of the worker bee, wax, or honey samples indicated detectable levels of dinotefuran; however, honeydew samples collected did contain dinotefuran above the detection limit with amounts ranging from 3 to 100 ng per sample. The lack of dinotefuran in honey bee products matches the general absence of honey bees at trap trees in informal observations.

scholarly journals Winter Survival of Individual Honey Bees and Honey Bee Colonies Depends on Level of Varroa destructor Infestation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e36285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coby van Dooremalen ◽  
Lonne Gerritsen ◽  
Bram Cornelissen ◽  
Jozef J. M. van der Steen ◽  
Frank van Langevelde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Winter Survival ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals Deformed wing virus variant shift from 2010 to 2016 in managed and feral UK honey bee colonies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Kevill ◽  
K. C. Stainton ◽  
D. C. Schroeder ◽  
S. J. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Small Study ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Virus Variant ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Existing Data

AbstractDeformed wing virus (DWV) has been linked to the global decline of honey bees. DWV exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C), each with differing outcomes for the honey bee host. Research in the USA showed a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B between 2010 to 2016 in honey bee colonies. Likewise, in the UK, a small study in 2007 found only DWV-A, whereas in 2016, DWV-B was the most prevalent variant. This suggests a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B might have occurred in the UK between 2007 and 2016. To investigate this further, data from samples collected in 2009/10 (n = 46) were compared to existing data from 2016 (n = 42). These samples also allowed a comparison of DWV variants between Varroa-untreated (feral) and Varroa-treated (managed) colonies. The results revealed that, in the UK, DWV-A was far more prevalent in 2009/10 (87%) than in 2016 (43%). In contrast, DWV-B was less prevalent in 2009/10 (76%) than in 2016 (93%). Regardless if colonies had been treated for Varroa (managed) or not (feral), the same trend from DWV-A to DWV-B occurred. Overall, the results reveal a decrease in DWV-A and an increase in DWV-B in UK colonies.

scholarly journals Probabilistic assessment of nectar requirements for nectar-foraging honey bees

Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Rodney ◽  
Vincent J. Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Food Storage ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
American Government ◽  
The North ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractRecent concerns regarding potential effects of pesticides on pollinators have prompted regulatory agencies to estimate dietary ingestion rates for honey bees (Apis mellifera). The task is difficult because of the complex caste and food storage systems in honey bee colonies. Considerable data on the nutrition and energetics of honey bees have recently been collated. These data were used to parameterize a probabilistic model estimating nectar requirements of nectar foragers. Median estimates were more than 6× lower than the recommended median value from the North American government agencies, of 292 mg nectar/bee/day. The distribution of estimates had much greater variability than those of the agencies. The differences are due primarily to the disparate assumptions regarding how much time nectar foragers spend flying and foraging. Risk assessors considering honey bee dietary exposure should take account of current and emerging data providing insight into nectar forager dietary requirements, foraging activity, and feeding behavior.

scholarly journals Varroa jacobsoni infestation of adult Africanized and Italian honey bees (Apis mellifera) in mixed colonies in Brazil

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Moretto ◽  
Leonidas João de Mello Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Jacobsoni ◽  
Africanized Honey Bees ◽  
African Honey Bees ◽  
Africanized Bees ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Different Levels

Different levels of infestation with the mite Varroa jacobsoni have been observed in the various Apis mellifera races. In general, bees of European races are more susceptible to the mite than African honey bees and their hybrids. In Brazil honey bee colonies are not treated against the mite, though apparently both climate and bee race influence the mite infestation. Six mixed colonies were made with Italian and Africanized honey bees. The percentage infestation by this parasite was found to be significantly lower in adult Africanized (1.69 ± 0.44) than Italian bees (2.79 ± 0.65). This ratio was similar to that found in Mexico, even though the Africanized bees tested there had not been in contact with varroa, compared to more than 20 years of the coexistence in Brazil. However, mean mite infestation in Brazil on both kinds of bees was only about a third of that found in Mexico.

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