Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) infestation in queen, worker, and drone brood of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.T. Santillán-Galicia ◽  
G. Otero-Colina ◽  
C. Romero-Vera ◽  
J. Cibrián-Tovar
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Simultaneous Test ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Drone Brood ◽  
Worker Brood

AbstractVarroa destructor Anderson and Trueman females were placed in contact with queen, worker, and drone brood cells of Apis mellifera L. that were soon to be sealed. In a non-choice test, V. destructor adult females were introduced into a comb containing either queen or worker brood cells; 0.62 and 18.28% of the mites entered the queen and worker brood cells, respectively. Only 1 of the 11 mites that entered queen brood cells oviposited, laying a single egg. In another test, brood cells were combined in the same comb in a 1:25:3 queen:worker:drone ratio. The percentages of egg-laying mites in queen, worker, and drone brood cells were 16.66, 61.86, and 79.06%, respectively. When queen, worker, and drone brood cells were combined in equal proportions (33.3:33.3:33.3), percent infestation was significantly different among queen (3.25%), worker (49.12%), and drone (90.07%) brood. Multiple infestation was found in drone brood cells but not in others. Also, mites were inoculated into sealed queen cells. These cells contained either one or two mites (either at the egg or protonymph stage). Conversely, in a simultaneous test with worker brood cells, the offspring per foundress mite included a mean of three individuals (either at the egg, protonymph, or deutonymph stage). It is concluded that V. destructor can infest queen, worker, and drone brood cells, but drone brood cells are preferred; in addition, queen brood cells do not provide an optimal environment for reproduction because it causes a delay in mite oviposition and (or) progeny development.

scholarly journals Low fertility, fecundity and numbers of mated female offspring explain the lower reproductive success of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in African honeybees

Parasitology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 145 (12) ◽  
pp. 1633-1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice T. Nganso ◽  
Ayuka T. Fombong ◽  
Abdullahi A. Yusuf ◽  
Christian W. W. Pirk ◽  
Charles Stuhl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Unmated Female ◽  
Mite Reproduction ◽  
Worker Brood ◽  
Honeybee Subspecies

AbstractAlthough Varroa destructor is the most serious ecto-parasite to the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., some honeybee populations such as Apis mellifera scutellata in Kenya can survive mite infestations without treatment. Previously, we reported that grooming behaviour could be a potential tolerant mechanism expressed by this honeybee subspecies towards mite infestation. However, both hygienic and grooming behaviours could not explain the lower mite-infestation levels recorded in these colonies. Here, we investigated the involvement of other potential resistant mechanisms including suppression of mite reproduction in worker brood cells of A. m. scutellata to explain the low mite numbers in their colonies. High infertility rates (26–27%) and percentages of unmated female offspring (39–58%) as well as low fecundity (1.7–2.2, average offspring produced) were identified as key parameters that seem to interact with one another during different seasons to suppress mite reproduction in A. m. scutellata colonies. We also identified offspring mortality in both sexes and absence of male offspring as key factors accounting for the low numbers of mated daughter mites produced in A. m. scutellata colonies. These results suggest that reduced mite reproductive success could explain the slow mite population growth in A. m. scutellata colonies.

Foodborne bacteria in raw drone brood of Apis mellifera – a preliminary survey

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
P. Herren ◽  
L. Fieseler ◽  
D. Ambuehl ◽  
J. Grunder
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Food Source ◽  
Viable Cell ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
Edible Insects ◽  
Foodborne Bacteria ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Drone Brood ◽  
Coagulase Positive Staphylococci

Drone brood of Apis mellifera is often removed from the beehive to control the honeybee parasite Varroa destructor. Instead of discarding the drone brood, it could rather be used as a new food source for human nutrition. However, studies on microbiological hazards caused by edible insects are rare, especially in the case of drone brood. In this survey, microbial total viable cell counts and the most common foodborne bacteria were assessed in raw drone brood. Samples were taken from 24 beehives from four apiaries in Switzerland. The drone brood combs were harvested either by the beekeepers with their personal equipment or by the researchers with sterile equipment. No difference in the total viable cell counts was found between these two methods. All samples were free of Salmonella. Viable counts of Bacillus cereus, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli were all below the detection limits of the recommended ISO reference methods. However, Listeria monocytogenes was detected in eight samples (all <10 cfu/g), which has not been reported in edible insects until now.

scholarly journals Correction: Floris, I., et al. How the Infestation Level of Varroa destructor Affects the Distribution Pattern of Multi-Infested Cells in Worker Brood of Apis mellifera. Veterinary Science 2020, 7, 136

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
Ignazio Floris ◽  
Michelina Pusceddu ◽  
Alberto Satta
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Distribution Pattern ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Infestation Level ◽  
Veterinary Science ◽  
Journal Editorial ◽  
Worker Brood

We have recently been made aware by the reviewer and the Journal Editorial Offices of the following weaknesses in our recent paper [...]

scholarly journals Reproductive parameters of female Varroa destructor and the impact of mating in worker brood of Apis mellifera

Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Katharina Häußermann ◽  
Agostina Giacobino ◽  
Rosalie Munz ◽  
Bettina Ziegelmann ◽  
María Alejandra Palacio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Reproductive Parameters ◽  
Worker Brood ◽  
The Impact

Spermatozoa production in male Varroa destructor and its impact on reproduction in worker brood of Apis mellifera

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Katharina Häußermann ◽  
Bettina Ziegelmann ◽  
Peter Rosenkranz
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Worker Brood

scholarly journals Efficacy of animal origin products and ajwain powder against honey bee diseases in Apis mellifera (Linnaeus) colonies in Uttarakhand-A novel eco-friendly approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75
Author(s):  
Ruchira Tiwari ◽  
Meena Dhami ◽  
Vaibhav Mathur ◽  
Brijesh Bisht
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Cow Dung ◽  
Sugar Syrup ◽  
Synthetic Chemicals ◽  
Cow Urine ◽  
Worker Brood

The studies to manage the honey bee bacterial European foul brood ( EFB) disease caused by Melisococcus plutonius and ectoparasitic brood mite disease caused by Varroa destructor in the colonies of Apis mellifera (L.) at different locations of Uttarakhand were conducted during 2012- 2013 by applying eco-friendly formulations i.e. spraying of cow urine (desi cow breed), plant decoctions prepared in cow urine, cow dung cake and cow dung ash powders , ajwain seed powder and compared to an antibiotic, terramycin sugar syrup and synthetic chemicals, sulphur and thymol powder with two applications in a month. The data revealed that the cow urine sprays @ 50, 75 and 100% reduced the disease infection to below detectable limit in 10 to 14 days, respectively, as terramycin treated infected colonies where only 50-55% recovery was seen in EFB infection with highest sealed worker brood areas ( SWBA) in cow urine treated honeybee colonies in comparison to terramycin and untreated colonies. Similarly, on the other hand, cow urine (100%) significantly reduced brood mite infestation (72.10%) with highest mean mite fall (48.73) and highest (SWBA) (854.00 cm2) followed by ajwain powder with reduction in brood mi te infestation(65.84%) with mite fall (46.39) and SWBA (749.00 cm2), cow dung powder with reduction in brood mite infestation (71.35%) ,mite fall ( 42.87), SWBA (682.33 cm2), , followed by cow dung ash powder, cow urine @ 25%, in comparison to plant decoctions prepared in cow urine, synthetic chemicals i.e. thymol and sulphur powder after 4 weeks of treatments. Thus, the animal origin products and ajwain powder can serve as apotential eco- friendly measure for management of honeybee diseases in A. mellifera colonies at different locations of Uttarakhand as they significantly increased sealed worker brood area without affecting the activities of workers, queen bee and bee brood in comparison to chemicals and plant decoctions.

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