Can pollen supplementation mitigate the impact of nutritional stress on honey bee colonies?

AbstractThe effects of agricultural pesticide exposure upon honey bee colonies is of increasing interest to beekeepers and researchers, and the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides in particular has come under intense scrutiny. To explore potential colony-level effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide at field-relevant concentrations, honey bee colonies were fed 5- and 20-ppb concentrations of clothianidin in sugar syrup while control colonies were fed unadulterated syrup. Two experiments were conducted in successive years at the same site in southern Arizona, and one in the high rainfall environment of Mississippi. Across all three experiments, adult bee masses were about 21% lower among colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin than the untreated control group, but no effects of treatment on brood production were observed. Average daily hive weight losses per day in the 5-ppb clothianidin colonies were about 39% lower post-treatment than in the 20-ppb clothianidin colonies, indicating lower consumption and/or better foraging, but the dry weights of newly-emerged adult bees were on average 6–7% lower in the 5-ppb group compared to the other groups, suggesting a nutritional problem in the 5-ppb group. Internal hive CO2 concentration was higher on average in colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin, which could have resulted from greater CO2 production and/or reduced ventilating activity. Hive temperature average and daily variability were not affected by clothianidin exposure but did differ significantly among trials. Clothianidin was found to be, like imidacloprid, highly stable in honey in the hive environment over several months.

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The impact of hive type on the behavior and health of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) in Kenya

Apidologie ◽

10.1007/s13592-017-0515-5 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 703-715 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Alexander McMenamin ◽

Fiona Mumoki ◽

Maryann Frazier ◽

Joseph Kilonzo ◽

Bernard Mweu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies

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THE LIFESPAN AND OXIDATIVE STRESS BETWEEN FERAL AND MANAGED HONEY BEE COLONIES

10.1101/2021.06.29.450441 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kilea Ward ◽

Hongmei Li-Byarlay

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Stress Resistance ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Term Survival ◽

Oxidative Stress Resistance ◽

Honey Bee Health ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

And Oxidative Stress

Molecular damage caused by oxidative stress may lead to organismal aging and resulted in acute mortality in organisms. Oxidative stress resistance and longevity are closely linked. Honey bees are the most important managed pollinator in agriculture but the long-term survival of honey bees is seriously threatened. Feral honey bee colonies displayed persistence to Varroa mites. However, it is unknown whether feral honey bees are stress-resistant or survive longer than managed bee populations. More work is needed to determine the impact of oxidative stress on honey bee health and survival. We used the paired colony design to determine the lifespan and levels of oxidative stress on worker bees from either a feral or a managed colony. Each pair of colonies shared similar foraging resources. Results exhibit longer survival time and lifespans of foragers in feral colonies than the managed colonies. The levels of oxidative stress from the lipid damage of feral colonies are higher than the managed colonies, indicating a tolerant mechanism not a repair mechanism to survive. Our study provided new insights into colony difference of physiology and oxidative stress resistance between feral honey bees and commercial stocks.

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Chronic exposure to a neonicotinoid pesticide and a synthetic pyrethroid in full-sized honey bee colonies

10.1101/293167 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Richard Odemer ◽

Peter Rosenkranz

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Chronic Exposure ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Synthetic Pyrethroid ◽

Social Resilience ◽

Bee Colony ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies

ABSTRACTIn the last decade, the use of neonicotinoid insecticides increased significantly in the agricultural landscape and meanwhile considered a risk to honey bees. Besides the exposure to pesticides, colonies are treated frequently with various acaricides that beekeepers are forced to use against the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Here we have analyzed the impact of a chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of the common neonicotinoid thiacloprid (T) and the widely used acaricide τ-fluvalinate (synthetic pyrethroid, F) - applied alone or in combination - to honey bee colonies under field conditions. The population dynamics of bees and brood were assessed in all colonies according to the Liebefeld method. Four groups (T, F, F+T, control) with 8-9 colonies each were analyzed in two independent replications, each lasting from spring/summer until spring of the consecutive year. In late autumn, all colonies were treated with oxalic acid against Varroosis. We could not find a negative impact of the chronic neonicotinoid exposure on the population dynamics or overwintering success of the colonies, irrespective of whether applied alone or in combination with τ-fluvalinate. This is in contrast to some results obtained from individually treated bees under laboratory conditions and confirms again an effective buffering capacity of the honey bee colony as a superorganism. Yet, the underlying mechanisms for this social resilience remain to be fully understood.

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Monitoring of Honey Bee Colony Losses: A Special Issue

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d12100403 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 403

Author(s):

Aleš Gregorc

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Special Issue ◽

Colony Losses ◽

Colony Management ◽

Bee Colony ◽

Honey Bee Colony ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Honey Bee Colony Losses

In recent decades, independent national and international research programs have revealed possible reasons for the death of managed honey bee colonies worldwide. Such losses are not due to a single factor, but instead are due to highly complex interactions between various internal and external influences, including pests, pathogens, honey bee stock diversity, and environmental change. Reduced honey bee vitality and nutrition, exposure to agrochemicals, and quality of colony management contribute to reduced colony survival in beekeeping operations. Our Special Issue (SI) on ‘’Monitoring of Honey Bee Colony Losses’’ aims to address specific challenges facing honey bee researchers and beekeepers. This SI includes four reviews, with one being a meta-analysis that identifies gaps in the current and future directions for research into honey bee colonies mortalities. Other review articles include studies regarding the impact of numerous factors on honey bee mortality, including external abiotic factors (e.g., winter conditions and colony management) as well as biotic factors such as attacks by Vespa velutina and Varroa destructor.

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Honey yield of different commercial apiaries treated with Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob, a new bee-probiotic strain

Beneficial Microbes ◽

10.3920/bm2017.0089 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 291-298 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

M. Novicov Fanciotti ◽

M. Tejerina ◽

M.R. Benítez-Ahrendts ◽

M.C. Audisio

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Probiotic Strain ◽

Control Group ◽

Unexpected Result ◽

Lactobacillus Salivarius ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

North Western ◽

Honey Yield

The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob, a honey bee gut-associated strain (GenBank code access KX198010), on honey yield. Independent assays were conducted from May to September 2014 and 2015, in three commercial apiaries: Tilquiza, El Carmen and Yala, all located in north-western Argentina. Local Apis mellifera L. bees were kept in standard Langstroth hives; treated hives were fed once a month with 1×105 cfu/ml viable Lactobacillus cells, administered to the bees through a Doolittle-type feeder in 125 g/l sucrose syrup. Control hives were only given the syrup mixed with MRS sterile broth. The main honey harvest was done in December in all groups and we found that there was an overall increase in honey yield from the treated hives. In 2014, all treated hives produced between 2.3 to 6.5 times more honey than the controls. However, in 2015, higher honey average yields in the treated hives at El Carmen and Yala were obtained, yet not at Tilquiza, because of a slight mishap. They experienced the swarming of several bee colonies due to a higher number of bees without appropriate management, which caused the control group to yield more honey compared to the hives fed with Lactobacillus. Interestingly, at El Carmen, two honey harvests were recorded: one in winter and another in summer (July and December 2015, respectively). This unexpected result arose from the particular flora of the region, mainly Tithonia tubaeformis, which blooms in winter. L. salivarius A3iob cells prove to be a natural alternative that will positively impact the beekeepers’ economy by providing a higher honey yield.

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Nationwide Screening for Important Bee Viruses in Belgian Honey Bees

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/proceedings2020050054 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 54

Author(s):

Severine Matthijs ◽

Nick De Regge

Keyword(s):

Viral Load ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Ct Value ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Paralysis Virus

The ecological and economic importance of bees for pollination and biodiversity is well established. The health of bees is, however, threatened by a multitude of factors, including viruses. In this study, we screened 557 colonies from 155 beekeepers distributed all over Belgium to monitor the prevalence and distribution of seven widespread viruses in Belgian honey bees (Apis mellifera). Several of these viruses have been linked with an increased risk for colony loss. Although these viruses can severely impact honey bees and can even cause the death of larvae or adults, colonies with a low viral load usually appear asymptomatic (covert infection). The presence of viruses was determined by real-time RT-PCR. The three most prevalent viruses in Belgian honey bees are Deformed wing virus B (DWV-B or VDV-1), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), and Sacbrood virus (SBV). These viruses were found in more than 90% of the honey bee colonies, but often with a high Ct value, which indicates that they are present at low viral loads (less than 3 log10 genome copies per bee). In certain colonies, however, DWV-B, BQCV, or SBV was detected with a low Ct value, representing a high viral load (in some cases, more than 7 log10 genome copies per bee) and with an increased likelihood of development of clinical symptoms. Deformed wing virus A (DWV-A), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), and Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) were found in less than 40% of the colonies. Kashmir bee virus (KBV) was not found in any of the analyzed Belgian honey bees. Most of the honey bee colonies are infected with multiple viruses, albeit with low virus loads. The impact of viruses can however become critical in the presence of other detrimental factors such as parasites (Nosema sp., Varroa sp.) and pesticides.

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A Europe-Wide Experiment for Assessing the Impact of Genotype-Environment Interactions on the Vitality and Performance of Honey Bee Colonies: Experimental Design and Trait Evaluation

Journal of Apicultural Science ◽

10.2478/v10289-012-0015-9 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 147-158 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Cecilia Costa ◽

Ralph Büchler ◽

Stefan Berg ◽

Malgorzata Bienkowska ◽

Maria Bouga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Experimental Design ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Local Strain ◽

Test Protocol ◽

Colony Losses ◽

And Performance ◽

Set Up ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies

A Europe-Wide Experiment for Assessing the Impact of Genotype-Environment Interactions on the Vitality and Performance of Honey Bee Colonies: Experimental Design and Trait EvaluationAn international experiment to estimate the importance of genotype-environment interactions on vitality and performance of honey bees and on colony losses was run between July 2009 and March 2012. Altogether 621 bee colonies, involving 16 different genetic origins of European honey bees, were tested in 21 locations spread in 11 countries. The genetic strains belonged to the subspeciesA. m. carnica, A. m. ligustica, A. m. macedonica, A. m. mellifera, A. m. siciliana.At each location, the local strain of bees was tested together with at least two "foreign" origins, with a minimum starting number of 10 colonies per origin. The common test protocol for all the colonies took into account colony survival, bee population in spring, summer and autumn, honey production, pollen collection, swarming, gentleness, hygienic behaviour,Varroa destructorinfestation,Nosemaspp. infection and viruses. Data collection was performed according to uniform methods. No chemical treatments against Varroa or other diseases were applied during the experiment. This article describes the details of the experiment set-up and the work protocol.

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A honey bee symbiont buffers larvae against nutritional stress through lysine supplementation

10.1101/2022.01.11.475899 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Audrey J Parish ◽

Danny W Rice ◽

Vicki M Tanquary ◽

Jason M Tennessen ◽

Irene LG Newton

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Multiple Stressors ◽

Amino Acid Content ◽

Nutritional Stress ◽

Gene Gain ◽

Larval Diet ◽

The Impact ◽

Honey Bee Larvae

Honey bees, the worlds most significant agricultural pollinator, have suffered dramatic losses in the last few decades. These losses are largely due to the synergistic effects of multiple stressors, the most pervasive of which is limited nutrition. The effects of poor nutrition are most damaging in the developing larvae of honey bees, who mature into workers unable to meet the needs of their colony. It is therefore essential that we better understand the nutritional landscape experienced by honey bee larvae. In this study, we characterize the metabolic capabilities of a honey bee larvae-associated bacterium, Bombella apis (formerly Parasaccharibacter apium), and its effects on the nutritional resilience of larvae. We found that B. apis is the only bacterium associated with larvae that can withstand the antimicrobial larval diet. Further, we found that B. apis can synthesize all essential amino acids and significantly alters the amino acid content of synthetic larval diet, largely by increasing the essential amino acid lysine. Analyses of gene gain/loss across the phylogeny suggest that two distinct cationic amino acid transporters were gained by B. apis ancestors, and the transporter LysE is conserved across all sequenced strains of B. apis. This result suggests that amino acid export is a key feature conserved within the Bombella clade. Finally, we tested the impact of B. apis on developing honey bee larvae subjected to nutritional stress and found that larvae supplemented with B. apis are bolstered against mass reduction despite limited nutrition. Together, these data suggest an important role of B. apis as a nutritional mutualist of honey bee larvae.

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Modeling the Influence of Mites on Honey Bee Populations

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci7030139 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 139

Author(s):

David J. Torres ◽

Nicholas A. Torres

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Differential Equations ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Reproductive Rate ◽

Colony Survival ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies

The Varroa destructor mite has been associated with the recent decline in honey bee populations. While experimental data are crucial in understanding declines, insights can be gained from models of honey bee populations. We add the influence of the V. destructor mite to our existing honey bee model in order to better understand the impact of mites on honey bee colonies. Our model is based on differential equations which track the number of bees in each day in the life of the bee and accounts for differences in the survival rates of different bee castes. The model shows that colony survival is sensitive to the hive grooming rate and reproductive rate of mites, which is enhanced in drone capped cells.

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