scholarly journals Raised seasonal temperatures reinforce autumn Varroa destructor infestation in honey bee colonies

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Szymon Smoliński ◽  
Aleksandra Langowska ◽  
Adam Glazaczow
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Time Lags ◽  
Climatic Effects ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Phenological Changes ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Bee Abundance

AbstractVarroa destructor is the main pest of the honey bee Apis mellifera, causing colony losses. We investigated the effect of temperature on the autumn abundance of V. destructor in bee colonies over 1991–2020 in Central Europe. We tested the hypothesis that temperature can affect autumn mite populations with different time-lags modulating the bee abundance and brood availability. We showed that raised spring (March–May) and autumn (October) temperatures reinforce autumn V. destructor infestation in the bee colonies. The critical temperature signals embrace periods of bee activity, i.e., just after the first cleansing flights and just before the last observed bee flights, but no direct effects of phenological changes on V. destructor abundance were found. These effects were potentially associated with increased bee reproduction in the specific periods of the year and not with the extended period of activity or accelerated spring onset. We found significant effects of autumn bee abundance, autumn capped brood abundance, and the number of colonies merged on autumn mite infestation. We also observed differences in V. destructor abundance between bees derived from different subspecies. We indicated that climatic effects, through influence on the bee abundance and brood availability, are one of the main drivers regulating V. destructor abundance.

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 The effect of the queen's age on the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) burden of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

2018 ◽  
pp. 83-87
Author(s):  
Marianna Takács ◽  
János Oláh
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Brood Chamber ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Mite Mortality

An apiary trial was conducted in 2016 August to October in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Nyírmada to evaluate the influence of queen’s age on the Varroa destructor-burden in the treatment colonies. Sixty colonies of bees belonging to the subspecies Apis mellifera carnica pannonica in Hunor loading hives (with 10 frames in the brood chamber/deep super) were used. The colonies were treated with amitraz and the organophosphate pesticide coumaphos active ingredients. The amitraz treatment includes 6 weeks. The coumaphos treatment with Destructor 3.2% can be used for both diagnosis and treatment of Varroasis. For diagnosis, one treatment is sufficient. For control, two treatments at an interval of seven days are required. The colonies were grouped by the age of the queen: 20 colonies with one-year-old, 20 colonies with two-year-old and 20 colonies with three-year-old queen. The mite mortality of different groups was compared. The number of fallen mites was counted at the white bottom boards. The examination of spring growth of honey bee colonies has become necessary due to the judgement of efficiency of closing treatment. The data was recorded seven times between 16th March 2017 and 19th May 2017. Data on fallen mites were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc Tukey-test. Statistical analysis was performed using the software of IBM SPSS (version 21.). During the first two weeks after treatments, the number of fallen mites was significantly higher in the older queen’s colonies (Year 2014). The total mite mortality after amitraz treatment in the younger queen’s colonies was lower (P<0.05) compared to the three-year-old queen’s colonies. According to Takács and Oláh (2016) although the mitemortality tendency, after the coumaphos (closing) treatment in colonies which have Year 2014 queen showed the highest rate, considering the mite-burden the colonies belongs to the average infected category. The colonial maintenance ability of three-year-old queen cannot be judged based on the influencing effect on the mite-burden. The importance of the replacement of the queen was judged by the combined effect of several factors. During the spring-growth study (16th March–19th May) was experienced in the three-year-old queen’s colonies the number of brood frames significantly lower compared to the one- and two-year-old queen’s colonies. In the study of 17th April and 19th May each of the three queen-year-groups were varied. Therefore in the beekeeping season at different times were determined the colonial maintenance ability of queens by more factors: efficiency of closing treatment in early spring, the spring-growth of bee colonies, the time of population shift (in current study, this time was identical in each queen-year), honey production (from black locust).

scholarly journals Comparative testing of different methods for evaluation of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 323
Author(s):  
Nikolay D. Dobrynin ◽  
Mario Colombo ◽  
Francesca Romana Eördegh
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Comparative Testing ◽  
In Vivo Evaluation ◽  
Bee Colonies

Different methods for evaluation of the degree of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies were tested. The methods using in vivo evaluation were the most sparing for the bees but less precise. The methods using evaluation with the killing of the bees or brood were the most precise but less sparing for bees.

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.

Control of the mite Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Wallner ◽  
Ingemar Fries
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies is affected by the number of foragers with mites

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman ◽  
Fabiana Ahumada ◽  
Victor Zazueta ◽  
Mona Chambers ◽  
Geoffrey Hidalgo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Bee Colonies
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