scholarly journals Colony-level pesticide exposure affects honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) royal jelly production and nutritional composition

Chemosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 263 ◽  
pp. 128183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Milone ◽  
Priyadarshini Chakrabarti ◽  
Ramesh R. Sagili ◽  
David R. Tarpy
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Royal Jelly ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Colony Level

scholarly journals Effects of developmental exposure to pesticides in wax and pollen on honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen reproductive phenotypes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Milone ◽  
David R. Tarpy
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Hazard Quotient ◽  
Colony Growth ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Developmental Exposure ◽  
Pesticide Treatment ◽  
Colony Level ◽  
Do So

AbstractStressful conditions during development can have sub-lethal consequences on organisms aside from mortality. Using previously reported in-hive residues from commercial colonies, we examined how multi-pesticide exposure can influence honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen health. We reared queens in beeswax cups with or without a pesticide treatment within colonies exposed to treated or untreated pollen supplement. Following rearing, queens were open-mated and then placed into standard hive equipment in an “artificial swarm” to measure subsequent colony growth. Our treated wax had a pesticide Hazard Quotient comparable to the average in beeswax from commercial colonies, and it had no measurable effects on queen phenotype. Conversely, colonies exposed to pesticide-treated pollen had a reduced capacity for viable queen production, and among surviving queens from these colonies we observed lower sperm viability. We found no difference in queen mating number across treatments. Moreover, we measured lower brood viability in colonies later established by queens reared in treated-pollen colonies. Interestingly, royal jelly from colonies exposed to treated pollen contained negligible pesticide residues, suggesting the indirect social consequences of colony-level pesticide exposure on queen quality. These findings highlight how conditions during developmental can impact queens long into adulthood, and that colony-level pesticide exposure may do so indirectly.

scholarly journals Factors affecting the reproductive health of honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones—a review

Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Rangel ◽  
Adrian Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Adult Emergence ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Female Workers ◽  
Sperm Development ◽  
Virgin Queens ◽  
Colony Level

Abstract In the honey bee, Apis mellifera, colonies are composed of one queen, thousands of female workers, and a few thousand seasonal males (drones) that are reared only during the reproductive season when colony resources are plentiful. Despite their transient presence in the hive, drones have the important function of mating with virgin queens, transferring their colony’s genes to their mates for the production of fertilized, worker-destined eggs. Therefore, factors affecting drone health and reproductive competency may directly affect queen fitness and longevity, having great implications at the colony level. Several environmental and in-hive conditions can affect the quality and viability of drones in general and their sperm in particular. Here we review the extant studies that describe how environmental factors including nutrition, temperature, season, and age may influence drone reproductive health. We also review studies that describe other factors, such as pesticide exposure during and after development, that may also influence drone reproductive quality. Given that sperm development in drones is completed during pupation prior to adult emergence, particular attention needs to be paid to these factors during drone development, not just during adulthood. The present review showcases a growing body of evidence indicating that drones are very sensitive to environmental fluctuations and that these factors cause drones to underperform, potentially compromising the reproductive health of their queen mates, as well as the overall fitness of their colony.

scholarly journals Transcriptional Control of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Major Royal Jelly Proteins by 20-Hydroxyecdysone

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Winkler ◽  
Frank Sieg ◽  
Anja Buttstedt
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Juvenile Hormone ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Royal Jelly ◽  
Adult Worker ◽  
Gene Expression Dynamics

One of the first tasks of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) during their lifetime is to feed the larval offspring. In brief, young workers (nurse bees) secrete a special food jelly that contains a large amount of unique major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs). The regulation of mrjp gene expression is not well understood, but the large upregulation in well-fed nurse bees suggests a tight repression until, or a massive induction upon, hatching of the adult worker bees. The lipoprotein vitellogenin, the synthesis of which is regulated by the two systemic hormones 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone, is thought to be a precursor for the production of MRJPs. Thus, the regulation of mrjp expression by the said systemic hormones is likely. This study focusses on the role of 20-hydroxyecdysone by elucidating its effect on mrjp gene expression dynamics. Specifically, we tested whether 20-hydroxyecdysone displayed differential effects on various mrjps. We found that the expression of the mrjps (mrjp1–3) that were finally secreted in large amounts into the food jelly, in particular, were down regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone treatment, with mrjp3 showing the highest repression value.

THE ROLE OF NUTRITION AND TEMPERATURE IN THE OVARIAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKER HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA)

1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (6) ◽  
pp. 883-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huarong Lin ◽  
Mark L. Winston
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Royal Jelly ◽  
Ovarian Development ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Brood Chamber ◽  
Laying Workers

AbstractQueenless, caged, newly emerged worker bees (Apis mellifera L.) were fed honey, 22 and 40% pollen in honey, and 22 and 40% royal jelly in honey for 14 days. Workers fed royal jelly, pollen, and honey had large, medium, and small ovaries, respectively. Royal jelly had higher nutritive value for workers’ ovarian development than did pollen, possibly because royal jelly is predigested by nurse bees and easily used by adult and larval bees. These results suggest that nurse bees could mediate workers’ ovarian development in colonies via trophallactic exchange of royal jelly. Six levels of royal jelly in honey, 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% (royal jelly without honey), were tested for their effects on workers’ ovarian development and mortality for 10 days. High levels of royal jelly increased ovarian development, but also increased worker mortality. All caged bees treated with 100% royal jelly died within 3 days. When workers were incubated at 20, 27, and 34 °C for 10 days, only bees at 34 °C developed ovaries. These findings suggest that nurse bees functioning as units which digest pollen and produce royal jelly may feed some potentially egg-laying workers in a brood chamber with royal jelly when a queen is lost in a colony. Feeding workers a diet of 50% royal jelly in honey and incubating at 34 °C for 10 days is recommended for tests of ovarian development.

Synergistic effects of pathogen and pesticide exposure on honey bee (Apis mellifera) survival and immunity

2018 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 78-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Grassl ◽  
Shannon Holt ◽  
Naomi Cremen ◽  
Marianne Peso ◽  
Dorothee Hahne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Synergistic Effects

scholarly journals Effect of Different Substrates on the Acceptance of Grafted Larvae in Commercial Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Queen Rearing

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia A. Contreras-Martinez ◽  
Francisca Contreras-Escareño ◽  
José O. Macias-Macias ◽  
Jose M. Tapia-Gonzalez ◽  
Tatiana Petukhova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Royal Jelly ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Acceptance Rate ◽  
Coconut Water ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Queen Rearing ◽  
Honey Bee Queens

Abstract The need for the increased production of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens has led beekeepers to use different substrates in artificial queen cups where larvae destined to become queens are deposited (grafting). However, not enough scientific evidence exists that indicates that this practice is useful and what substance offers the best results. This study was conducted to determine with the Doolittle queen rearing method the acceptance rate of larvae deposited on different substrates during grafting and to determine if the sugar content and pH of the substrates used affect the acceptance of larvae in cell builder colonies. The evaluated substrates were coconut water, apple nectar, royal jelly, cola soda and distilled water, plus control (without substrate). Grafted larvae of the six treatments were introduced into cell builder colonies and their acceptance verified after 72 h. Apple nectar provided the highest rate of larvae acceptance with 81.06%, followed by cola soda with 62.93%, coconut water with 60.90%, royal jelly with 57.82% and distilled water with 58.99%. The larvae acceptance rates of all substrates were significantly higher than the control, which had an acceptance rate of 47.04%. No significant relationship was found between the sugar content of the substrates and larvae acceptance. However, although not significant, a high negative correlation was found between the substrate pH and the number of accepted larvae (Rho = - 0.90, p = 0.07). These results suggest that the use of liquid acidic substrates during larvae grafting, in particular apple nectar, may increase the production of honey bee queens.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document