Parasitic mites and microsporidians in managed western honey bee colonies on the island of Newfoundland, Canada

2010 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
pp. 584-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey R. Williams ◽  
Krista Head ◽  
Karen L. Burgher-MacLellan ◽  
Richard E.L. Rogers ◽  
Dave Shutler
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Geographic Isolation ◽  
Acarapis Woodi ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
Organic Honey ◽  
Parasitic Mites ◽  
Bee Colonies

AbstractWestern honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), occur in nearly every region inhabited by man because they provide valuable honey, wax, and pollination services. Many commercial honey bee operations are plagued by economically important parasites; however, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland, Canada, are in a unique position because of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s strict import regulations and geographic isolation. We surveyed about 25% of the island’s approximately 100 managed honey bee colonies. The parasitic mites Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) and Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) were not detected, whereas Nosema spp. microsporidia were detected in two of four beekeeping operations and in 11 of 23 (48%) colonies (intensity = 482 609 ± 1199 489 (mean ± SD); median intensity = 0). Because V. destructor and A. woodi are important pests that typically require chemical treatments, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland may be uniquely positioned to market organic honey bee products from colonies that could also be a source of mite-naïve bees for research.

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 Advances and perspectives in selecting resistance traits against the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in honey bees

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Guichard ◽  
Vincent Dietemann ◽  
Markus Neuditschko ◽  
Benjamin Dainat
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Selection Strategy ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
New Host ◽  
Parasitic Mite ◽  
Resistance Traits

Abstract Background In spite of the implementation of control strategies in honey bee (Apis mellifera) keeping, the invasive parasitic mite Varroa destructor remains one of the main causes of colony losses in numerous countries. Therefore, this parasite represents a serious threat to beekeeping and agro-ecosystems that benefit from the pollination services provided by honey bees. To maintain their stocks, beekeepers have to treat their colonies with acaricides every year. Selecting lineages that are resistant to infestations is deemed to be a more sustainable approach. Review Over the last three decades, numerous selection programs have been initiated to improve the host–parasite relationship and to support honey bee survival in the presence of the parasite without the need for acaricide treatments. Although resistance traits have been included in the selection strategy of honey bees, it has not been possible to globally solve the V. destructor problem. In this study, we review the literature on the reasons that have potentially limited the success of such selection programs. We compile the available information to assess the relevance of selected traits and the potential environmental effects that distort trait expression and colony survival. Limitations to the implementation of these traits in the field are also discussed. Conclusions Improving our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying resistance to V. destructor to increase trait relevance, optimizing selection programs to reduce environmental effects, and communicating selection outcomes are all crucial to efforts aiming at establishing a balanced relationship between the invasive parasite and its new host.

scholarly journals Occurrence and Phylogenetic Analysis of DWV in Stingless Bee (Apidae sp.) in China: A Case Report

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Zhang ◽  
Yanchun Deng ◽  
Hongxia Zhao ◽  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Chunsheng Hou
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Stingless Bees ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Stingless Bee ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Bee Viruses

Honey bees play a vital role in providing pollination services for agricultural crops and wild flowering plants. However, the spillover risk of their pathogens to other pollinators or wild insects is becoming a cause for concern. There is some evidence that stingless bees can carry honey bee viruses, but little is known about the presence of honey bee viruses in stingless bees in China. Here, we investigate the occurrence of major honey bee pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and viruses in stingless bees (Apidae: sp.). Our results show that the stingless bees (Apidae: sp.) were mainly infected with DWV-A, but no DWV-B and DWV-C. Phylogenetic analysis on fragments of lp, RdRp, and VP3 of DWV-A indicated that genetic variation in VP3 might an important indicator for host-specific viruses, but it requires further study. Our results indicated that DWV-A is not only the major strain of virus currently circulating in managed bee colonies in China and globally, but in stingless bee species as a whole.

scholarly journals Multi-tiered Analyses of Honey Bees That Resist or Succumb to Parasitic Mites and Viruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Weaver ◽  
Brandi L. Cantarel ◽  
Christine Elsik ◽  
Dawn L. Lopez ◽  
Jay Evans
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Host Responses ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Parasitic Mites

Abstract Background Varroa destructor mites, and the numerous viruses they vector to their honey bee hosts, are among the most serious threats to honey bee populations, causing mortality and morbidity to both the individual honey bee and colony, the negative effects of which convey to the pollination services provided by honey bees worldwide. Here we use a combination of targeted assays and deep RNA sequencing to determine host and microbial changes in resistant and susceptible honey bee lineages. We focus on three study sets. The first involves field sampling of sympatric western bees, some derived from resistant stock and some from stock susceptible to mites. The second experiment contrasts three colonies more deeply, two from susceptible stock from the southeastern U.S. and one from mite-resistant bee stock from Eastern Texas. Finally, to decouple the effects of mites from those of the viruses they vector, we experimentally expose honey bees to DWV in the laboratory, measuring viral growth and host responses. Results We find strong differences between resistant and susceptible bees in terms of both viral loads and bee gene expression. Interestingly, lineages of bees with naturally low levels of the mite-vectored Deformed wing virus, also carried lower levels of viruses not vectored by mites. By mapping gene expression results against current ontologies and other studies, we describe the impacts of mite parasitism, as well as viruses on bee health against two genetic backgrounds. We identify numerous genes and processes seen in other studies of stress and disease in honey bee colonies, though we find novel genes and new patterns of expression too. Conclusions We provide evidence that honey bees surviving in the face of parasitic mites do so through their abilities to resist the presence of devastating viruses vectored by these mites. By revealing responses to viral infection and mite parasitism in different lineages, our data identify candidate proteins for the evolution of mite tolerance and virus resistance.

scholarly journals Multi-tiered analyses of honey bees that resist or succumb to parasitic mites and viruses

BMC Genomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Weaver ◽  
Brandi L. Cantarel ◽  
Christine G. Elsik ◽  
Dawn L. Boncristiani ◽  
Jay D. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Gene Activation ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Host Responses ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Parasitic Mites

Abstract Background Varroa destructor mites, and the numerous viruses they vector to their honey bee hosts, are among the most serious threats to honey bee populations, causing mortality and morbidity to both the individual honey bee and colony, the negative effects of which convey to the pollination services provided by honey bees worldwide. Here we use a combination of targeted assays and deep RNA sequencing to determine host and microbial changes in resistant and susceptible honey bee lineages. We focus on three study sets. The first involves field sampling of sympatric western bees, some derived from resistant stock and some from stock susceptible to mites. The second experiment contrasts three colonies more deeply, two from susceptible stock from the southeastern U.S. and one from mite-resistant bee stock from Eastern Texas. Finally, to decouple the effects of mites from those of the viruses they vector, we experimentally expose honey bees to DWV in the laboratory, measuring viral growth and host responses. Results We find strong differences between resistant and susceptible bees in terms of both viral loads and bee gene expression. Interestingly, lineages of bees with naturally low levels of the mite-vectored Deformed wing virus, also carried lower levels of viruses not vectored by mites. By mapping gene expression results against current ontologies and other studies, we describe the impacts of mite parasitism, as well as viruses on bee health against two genetic backgrounds. We identify numerous genes and processes seen in other studies of stress and disease in honey bee colonies, alongside novel genes and new patterns of expression. Conclusions We provide evidence that honey bees surviving in the face of parasitic mites do so through their abilities to resist the presence of devastating viruses vectored by these mites. In all cases, the most divergence between stocks was seen when bees were exposed to live mites or viruses, suggesting that gene activation, rather than constitutive expression, is key for these interactions. By revealing responses to viral infection and mite parasitism in different lineages, our data identify candidate proteins for the evolution of mite tolerance and virus resistance.

scholarly journals Ten Years of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in Hawaiian Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), the Dominant DWV-A Variant Is Potentially Being Replaced by Variants with a DWV-B Coding Sequence

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 969
Author(s):  
Isobel Grindrod ◽  
Jessica L. Kevill ◽  
Ethel M. Villalobos ◽  
Declan C. Schroeder ◽  
Stephen John Martin
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Original Study ◽  
Viral Diversity ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Complete Dominance ◽  
Coding Sequence ◽  
Bee Colonies

The combination of Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Varroa destructor is arguably one of the greatest threats currently facing western honey bees, Apis mellifera. Varroa’s association with DWV has decreased viral diversity and increased loads of DWV within honey bee populations. Nowhere has this been better studied than in Hawaii, where the arrival of Varroa progressively led to the dominance of the single master variant (DWV-A) on both mite-infested Hawaiian Islands of Oahu and Big Island. Now, exactly 10 years following the original study, we find that the DWV population has changed once again, with variants containing the RdRp coding sequence pertaining to the master variant B beginning to co-dominate alongside variants with the DWV-A RdRp sequence on the mite-infested islands of Oahu and Big Island. In speculation, based on other studies, it appears this could represent a stage in the journey towards the complete dominance of DWV-B, a variant that appears better adapted to be transmitted within honey bee colonies.

Diversity and nutritional value of pollen harvested by honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies during lowbush blueberry and cranberry (Ericaceae) pollination

2020 ◽  
Vol 152 (5) ◽  
pp. 622-645
Author(s):  
Claude Dufour ◽  
Valérie Fournier ◽  
Pierre Giovenazzo
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Amino Acid Content ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Lowbush Blueberry ◽  
Bee Colonies

AbstractThe growth of the commercial pollination industry raises important concerns regarding honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) health and development. While providing such services, honey bees are often exposed to undiversified pollen sources that may contribute to nutritional deficiencies, notably in protein and amino acids. To understand how honey bees are affected during provision of pollination services, we compared honey bee colonies that pollinated lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton; Ericaceae) and/or cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton; Ericaceae) crops (management strategies) with control colonies in a diversified farmland environment. We identified the floral species of pollen collected by honey bee colonies in those crops compared to pollen collected by control colonies. We also analysed the protein and essential amino acid content of collected pollen and bee bread and measured the nutritional impact of pollination services on honey bee colonies. We found that honey bees providing blueberry and/or cranberry pollination services are exposed to a less diversified pollen diet than colonies located in a farmland environment, especially in a cranberry field. There was a significantly lower proportion of crude protein content in collected and stored pollen during provision of blueberry pollination services, which led to a smaller brood population. Many nutritional deficiencies were measured with regards to essential amino acids.

scholarly journals The Effect of Migratory Beekeeping on the Infestation Rate of Parasites in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies and on Their Genetic Variability

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Laura Jara ◽  
Carlos Ruiz ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽  
Irene Muñoz ◽  
Mariano Higes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Infestation Rate ◽  
Genetic Composition ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Extended Practice ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Migratory Period

Migratory beekeeping is a widely extended practice aimed at increasing the yield of products and pollination services of honey bee colonies. However, it represents a stress factor, as it facilitates the dissemination of diseases and may compromise the genetic identity of the colonies involved. To analyze the extent of these effects, pathogens infestation rate and genetic composition were monitored in a field experiment comparing stationary and migratory colonies sharing the same environmental conditions but differing in management (stationary vs. migratory) and genetic background. We studied the pathogens infestation rate (Varroa destructor, Nosema spp., and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV)) at four different times: before migratory operation, two weeks later, at the end of the migratory period, and two weeks after the return of the migratory hives. An increased incidence of V. destructor and Nosema ceranae and a lower DWV viral load were found in migratory colonies. Temporary changes in genetic diversity were detected regardless of colony type, suggesting that stressors other than management affect the genetic diversity of the colonies. Our study demonstrates that migratory practices have variable effects on the health and genetic diversity of honey bee colonies, which should be taken into account for the development of sustainable beekeeping.

scholarly journals Safety assessment of sugar dusting treatments by analysis of hygienic behavior in honey bee colonies

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1199-1207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jevrosima Stevanovic ◽  
Z. Stanimirovic ◽  
Nada Lakic ◽  
Nevenka Aleksic ◽  
P. Simeunovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Safety Assessment ◽  
Defense Mechanism ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Hygienic Behavior ◽  
Natural Defense ◽  
Bee Colonies

The hygienic behavior in honey bees is a dominant natural defense mechanism against brood diseases. In this study, the influence of sugar dusting treatments on hygienic behavior was evaluated in 44 strong honey bee colonies. Three doses of pulverized sugar, 20, 30 and 40 g, each applied at three-, seven- and fourteen-day intervals were tested. The percentage of cleaned cells (PCC) in the total number of those with pin-killed brood served as a measure of the hygienic potential. The effect was dependent on the frequency of treatments: all doses applied every third and seventh day significantly (p<0.001) decreased the PCC in comparison with the untreated control colonies. Nevertheless, sugar did not threaten the hygienic potential, as PPC values remained above 94% following all treatments. Thus, it can be concluded that the tested sugar treatments are safe and can be justifiably implemented into integrated pest management strategies to control Varroa destructor.

How to quantify Varroa destructor in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

EDIS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Cameron Jack ◽  
Nathan Sperry ◽  
Ashley N. Mortensen ◽  
Jamie Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Bee Colonies

The Varroa destructor mite, a devastating pest of western honey bees, can threaten a honey bee colony’s survival if it is left uncontrolled. This 8-page fact sheet written by Cameron Jack, Nathan Sperry, Ashley N. Mortensen, and Jamie Ellis and published by the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department explains how to monitor honey bee colonies to ensure that infestations of these destructive pests do not grow to dangerous levels.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1257

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