scholarly journals Effects of Long Distance Transportation on Honey Bee Physiology

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiheung Ahn ◽  
Xianbing Xie ◽  
Joseph Riddle ◽  
Jeff Pettis ◽  
Zachary Y. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Hormone ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Lipid Content ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Hypopharyngeal Gland ◽  
Long Distance

Despite the requirement of long distance transportation of honey bees used for pollination, we understand little how transportation affects honey bees. Three trials in three different states (CA, GA, and MI) were conducted to study the effects of long distance transportation on honey bee physiology. Newly emerged bees from one colony were split into two groups and introduced into a transported (T) colony or a stationary (S) colony in each trial. Volumes of hypopharyngeal gland acini in T colonies were significantly smaller than S colonies in all three trials. There were no significant differences between S and T colonies in juvenile hormone titers. Protein content in head showed no significant differences between S and T either in 7-day-old or 17-day-old bees of MI trial, but GA trial showed a significant reduction in bees experiencing transportation. Protein content in thorax was only measured in GA trial and was not significantly different between the two groups. Lipid content in abdomen was not significantly different between the S and T colonies in all three trials. This study suggests that bees experiencing transportation have trouble fully developing their food glands and this might affect their ability to nurse the next generation of workers.

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 influence of wax deprivation on temporal polyethism in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 1997-2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda A. Fergusson ◽  
Mark L. Winston
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Hypopharyngeal Gland ◽  
Temporal Polyethism ◽  
Study Support ◽  
Comb Building ◽  
Bee Colonies

Various levels of wax deprivation in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies induced shifts in the temporal pattern of division of labour in worker honey bees. The most extreme wax stress induced an earlier onset of foraging, and an increase in comb building and the production of wax scales. Moderate wax stress induced only an increase in comb building and production of wax scales. No significant differences in development of hypopharyngeal gland acinal diameter were found, suggesting that production of wax and brood food and associated behaviour patterns develop and decline independently. The graded changes in behavioural response to various levels of stress found in this study support the concept of a reserve labour force in honey bee colonies, which can respond to stress through shifts in caste ontogeny.

Lipid content of honey bee-collected pollen from south-east Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 1659 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Somerville
Keyword(s):  
Brassica Napus ◽  
Solvent Extraction ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Lipid Content ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Lipid Levels ◽  
Lipid Contents ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Rapistrum Rugosum

The use of solvent extraction or petroleum spirits to extract lipids (fats) from 172 samples of honey bee-collected pollens provided a range of lipid contents from 0% for Eucalyptus macrorhyncha to 11.2% for Hypochoeris radicata. The mean for all 172 samples, representing 61 species, was 2.52%. The mean from 31 endemic species was 1.78%, whereas the mean for 30 exotic species was 4.13%. When pollens from 1 species, Echium plantagineum, were extensively surveyed, the lipid levels could be predictably estimated, falling within a range of 0.6 to 2.46% and a mean of 1.6%. A number of pollens from particular species consistently showed high levels of lipids, which were observed to be highly favoured by foraging honey bees. The pollens noted to be particularly attractive to foraging honey bees included Brassica napus (mean 7.1%), Sisymbrium officinale (mean 5.8%), Rapistrum rugosum (mean 6%) and Hypochoeris radicata (mean 7.2%).

scholarly journals WATER CONTENT OF MIXED HONEY BEES-COLLECTED POLLEN

2020 ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
Zheko Radev
Keyword(s):  
Protein Content ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Value Of Water ◽  
Lower Water Content

The knowledge of the water content of pollen is important to determine the amount of protein content, lipids, sugars, minerals and other components in the dry matter. The water content of mixed honey bee-collected pollen was determined by a method of drying. A table of the water content in the mixed pollen from different harvesting periods was made. The percentage of water content in the mixed bee-collected pollen samples ranged between 12.3% and 26.6% and the average was 18.8%. Pollen from different harvesting periods has different water content. There are also differences among the same months during three years. The average value of water content for each year is also different. According to the results, can’t be said during which season (spring, summer, autumn) the pollen has higher or lower water content. Ecological factors, especially rainfalls, can also affect water content.

Survey of feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies for Nosema apis in Western Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob Manning ◽  
Kate Lancaster ◽  
April Rutkay ◽  
Linda Eaton
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Nosema Apis ◽  
The South ◽  
South West ◽  
Feral Populations ◽  
Significant Difference

The parasite, Nosema apis, was found to be widespread among feral populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in the south-west of Western Australia. The location, month of collection and whether the feral colony was enclosed in an object or exposed to the environment, all affected the presence and severity of infection. There was no significant difference in the probability of infection between managed and feral bees. However, when infected by N. apis, managed bees appeared to have a greater severity of the infection.

scholarly journals The Honey Bee: An Active Biosampler of Environmental Pollution and a Possible Warning Biomarker for Human Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6481
Author(s):  
Marianna Martinello ◽  
Chiara Manzinello ◽  
Nicoletta Dainese ◽  
Ilenia Giuliato ◽  
Albino Gallina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Close Correlation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Pesticide Pollution ◽  
Tandem Mass Spectrometric ◽  
Active Substances

Member states of the European Union are required to ensure the initiation of monitoring programs to verify honey bee exposure to pesticides, where and as appropriate. Based on 620 samples of dead honey bees—42 of pollen, 183 of honey and 32 of vegetables—we highlighted the presence, as analyzed by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection, of many active substances, mainly tau-fluvalinate, piperonyl butoxide, chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, permethrin and imidacloprid. Among the active substances found in analyzed matrices linked to honey bee killing incidents, 38 belong to hazard classes I and II, as methiocarb, methomyl, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and permethrin, thus representing a potential risk for human health. We have shown that, at different times between 2015 and 2020, during implementation of the Italian national guidelines for managing reports of bee colony mortality or depopulation associated with pesticide use, pesticide pollution events occurred that could raise concern for human health. Competent authorities could, as part of a One Health approach, exploit the information provided by existing reporting programs on honey bees and their products, in view of the close correlation to human health, animal health and ecosystem health.

scholarly journals Juvenile hormone pathway in honey bee larvae: A source of possible signal molecules for the reproductive behavior of Varroa destructor

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian M. Aurori ◽  
Alexandru‐Ioan Giurgiu ◽  
Benjamin H. Conlon ◽  
Chedly Kastally ◽  
Daniel S. Dezmirean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Hormone ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Reproductive Behavior ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Signal Molecules ◽  
Honey Bee Larvae

scholarly journals Exploring Two Honey Bee Traits for Improving Resistance Against Varroa destructor: Development and Genetic Evaluation

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Matthieu Guichard ◽  
Benoît Droz ◽  
Evert W. Brascamp ◽  
Adrien von Virag ◽  
Markus Neuditschko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Field Trial ◽  
Genetic Evaluation ◽  
Phenotypic Correlation ◽  
Apis Mellifera Mellifera ◽  
Novel Traits ◽  
Resistance Traits

For the development of novel selection traits in honey bees, applicability under field conditions is crucial. We thus evaluated two novel traits intended to provide resistance against the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and to allow for their straightforward implementation in honey bee selection. These traits are new field estimates of already-described colony traits: brood recapping rate (‘Recapping’) and solidness (‘Solidness’). ‘Recapping’ refers to a specific worker characteristic wherein they reseal a capped and partly opened cell containing a pupa, whilst ‘Solidness’ assesses the percentage of capped brood in a predefined area. According to the literature and beekeepers’ experiences, a higher recapping rate and higher solidness could be related to resistance to V. destructor. During a four-year field trial in Switzerland, the two resistance traits were assessed in a total of 121 colonies of Apis mellifera mellifera. We estimated the repeatability and the heritability of the two traits and determined their phenotypic correlations with commonly applied selection traits, including other putative resistance traits. Both traits showed low repeatability between different measurements within each year. ‘Recapping’ had a low heritability (h2 = 0.04 to 0.05, depending on the selected model) and a negative phenotypic correlation to non-removal of pin-killed brood (r = −0.23). The heritability of ‘Solidness’ was moderate (h2 = 0.24 to 0.25) and did not significantly correlate with resistance traits. The two traits did not show an association with V. destructor infestation levels. Further research is needed to confirm the results, as only a small number of colonies was evaluated.

scholarly journals Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Shilpi Bhatia ◽  
Saman S. Baral ◽  
Carlos Vega Melendez ◽  
Esmaeil Amiri ◽  
Olav Rueppell
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus ◽  
Immune Genes ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
Honey Bee Health ◽  
Survival Differences ◽  
Paralysis Virus

Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (Apis mellifera), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offspring from selected queens in a common apiary were inoculated with IAPV by topical applications after emergence to assess subsequent survival. Differences among stocks were small compared to variation within stocks, indicating the potential for improving honey bee survival of virus infections in all stocks. A positive relation between worker survival and virus load among stocks further suggested that honey bees may be able to adapt to better cope with viruses, while our molecular studies indicate that toll-6 may be related to survival differences among virus-infected worker bees. Together, these findings highlight the importance of viruses in queen breeding operations and provide a promising starting point for the quest to improve honey bee health by selectively breeding stock to be better able to survive virus infections.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document