scholarly journals Iron-containing cells in the honey-bee (Apis mellifera). II. accumulation during development

1986 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 389-401
Author(s):  
D. A. Kuterbach ◽  
B. Walcott
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Emission Spectroscopy ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Maximum Level ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

The development of iron granules in honey-bee tissues was investigated using both anatomical and analytical methods. Iron granules are present only in the trophocytes of post-eclosion adults and have the same elemental composition as those in foraging adults. The granules increase in both size and number during ageing. Iron levels in developing worker honey-bees were measured by proton-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy. The rate of iron accumulation was directly related to iron levels in the diet, and the iron can be obtained from pollen and honey, both major food sources of the bee. In adults, the iron content of the fat body reached a maximum level (2.4 +/− 0.15 micrograms mg-1 tissue), regardless of the amount of iron available for ingestion. Maximal iron levels are reached at the time when honey-bee workers commence foraging behaviour, suggesting that iron granules may play a role in orientation. Alternatively, accumulation of iron in granules may be a method of maintaining iron homeostasis.

Trapping of feral honey bee workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a coastal prairie landscape: effects of season and vegetation type

2006 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen A. Baum ◽  
William L. Rubink ◽  
Robert N. Coulson
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Vegetation Communities ◽  
Live Oak ◽  
Honey Bee Workers ◽  
Capture Rates

AbstractWe examined capture rates of honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.) throughout the year and compared capture rates among four different vegetation communities. Capture rates varied throughout the year, with the largest number of bees collected from December through February, when nectar and pollen availability were low. Capture rates also varied among vegetation communities. Traps located in the woodland community contained fewer honey bees than those located in live oak in February and live oak and brushland in December, corresponding to lower estimates of nectar availability in the woodland. Few honey bees were collected during swarming periods, suggesting that most of the captured honey bees were searching for food sources. The number of honey bees collected in the traps provided a qualitative estimate of food resource availability. The traps also may be used to collect insects for genetic analysis or to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of other species.

scholarly journals The effect of a lack of uncapped brood on social interactions between honey bee workers and the queen

Apidologie ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylwia Łopuch ◽  
Adam Tofilski
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
The Other ◽  
High Speed Camera ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

AbstractVibro-acoustic communication is used by honey bees in many different social contexts. Our previous research showed that workers interact with their queen outside of the swarming period by means of wing-beating behaviour. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that the wing-beating behaviour of workers attending the queen stimulates her to lay eggs. The behaviour of workers and the queen was recorded using a high-speed camera, at first in the presence of uncapped brood in the nest and then without one. None of the queens performed wing-beating behaviour. On the other hand, the workers attending the queen demonstrated this behaviour two times per minute, on average, even in the presence of uncapped brood in the nest. After removing the combs with the uncapped brood, the incidence of wing-beating behaviour increased significantly to an average of four times per minute. Wing-beating behaviour did not differ significantly in its characteristics when uncapped brood was present or absent in the nest. During 3 days after removing the combs with the uncapped brood, there was no significant increase in the rate of egg lying by the queen. Therefore, the results presented here do not convincingly confirm that the wing-beating behaviour of workers affects the rate of queen's egg-lying. This negative result can be related to colony disturbance and longer time required by the queen to increase egg production.

scholarly journals Survival and probability of transmission of plant pathogenic fungi through the digestive tract of honey bee workers

Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 871-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorgiane B. Parish ◽  
Eileen S. Scott ◽  
Raymond Correll ◽  
Katja Hogendoorn
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Colletotrichum Acutatum ◽  
Plant Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

AbstractHoney bees, Apis mellifera, have been implicated as vectors of plant pathogens. However, the survival of spores of plant pathogenic fungi through the digestive tract of workers has not been investigated. As workers defecate outside the hive, transport of hives could give rise to biosecurity concerns if fungal spores remain viable following passage through the digestive tract. To determine the likelihood that honey bees serve as vectors, this study investigated the viability of spores of Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum acutatum after passing through the digestive tract of summer and autumn worker bees. For both fungi, the mean viability of spores in faeces suspensions was less than one percent of the initial dose fed to the bees. Although survival was low, the large number of workers per hive implies a high probability of transmission of viable spores through honey bee faeces. Hence, in the case of economically important fungal diseases, transported hives could be a source of inoculum and quarantine restrictions should be considered.

scholarly journals Neonicotinoids disrupt circadian rhythms and sleep in honey bees

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C. Tackenberg ◽  
Manuel A. Giannoni-Guzmán ◽  
Erik Sanchez-Perez ◽  
Caleb A. Doll ◽  
José L. Agosto-Rivera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythms ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Nicotinic Cholinergic Receptors ◽  
Cholinergic Signaling ◽  
Neonicotinoid Pesticides ◽  
Circadian Behavior ◽  
Light Input

Abstract Honey bees are critical pollinators in ecosystems and agriculture, but their numbers have significantly declined. Declines in pollinator populations are thought to be due to multiple factors including habitat loss, climate change, increased vulnerability to disease and parasites, and pesticide use. Neonicotinoid pesticides are agonists of insect nicotinic cholinergic receptors, and sub-lethal exposures are linked to reduced honey bee hive survival. Honey bees are highly dependent on circadian clocks to regulate critical behaviors, such as foraging orientation and navigation, time-memory for food sources, sleep, and learning/memory processes. Because circadian clock neurons in insects receive light input through cholinergic signaling we tested for effects of neonicotinoids on honey bee circadian rhythms and sleep. Neonicotinoid ingestion by feeding over several days results in neonicotinoid accumulation in the bee brain, disrupts circadian rhythmicity in many individual bees, shifts the timing of behavioral circadian rhythms in bees that remain rhythmic, and impairs sleep. Neonicotinoids and light input act synergistically to disrupt bee circadian behavior, and neonicotinoids directly stimulate wake-promoting clock neurons in the fruit fly brain. Neonicotinoids disrupt honey bee circadian rhythms and sleep, likely by aberrant stimulation of clock neurons, to potentially impair honey bee navigation, time-memory, and social communication.

scholarly journals Deformed Wing Virus Infection in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 636-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman V. Koziy ◽  
Sarah C. Wood ◽  
Ivanna V. Kozii ◽  
Claire Janse van Rensburg ◽  
Igor Moshynskyy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Mandibular Glands ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Clinically Normal ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
Honey Bee Health ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a single-stranded RNA virus of honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.) transmitted by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Although DWV represents a major threat to honey bee health worldwide, the pathological basis of DWV infection is not well documented. The objective of this study was to investigate clinicopathological and histological aspects of natural DWV infection in honey bee workers. Emergence of worker honey bees was observed in 5 colonies that were clinically affected with DWV and the newly emerged bees were collected for histopathology. DWV-affected bees were 2 times slower to emerge and had 30% higher mortality compared to clinically normal bees. Hypopharyngeal glands in bees with DWV were hypoplastic, with fewer intracytoplasmic secretory vesicles; cells affected by apoptosis were observed more frequently. Mandibular glands were hypoplastic and were lined by cuboidal epithelium in severely affected bees compared to tall columnar epithelium in nonaffected bees. The DWV load was on average 1.7 × 106 times higher ( P < .001) in the severely affected workers compared to aged-matched sister honey bee workers that were not affected by deformed wing disease based on gross examination. Thus, DWV infection is associated with prolonged emergence, increased mortality during emergence, and hypoplasia of hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands in newly emerged worker honey bees in addition to previously reported deformed wing abnormalities.

scholarly journals Impacts of Diverse Natural Products on Honey Bee Viral Loads and Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10732
Author(s):  
Dawn L. Boncristiani ◽  
James P. Tauber ◽  
Evan C. Palmer-Young ◽  
Lianfei Cao ◽  
William Collins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
Honey Bee Health ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Bee Disease

Western honey bees (Apis mellifera), a cornerstone to crop pollination in the U.S., are faced with an onslaught of challenges from diseases caused by parasites, pathogens, and pests that affect this economically valuable pollinator. Natural products (NPs), produced by living organisms, including plants and microorganisms, can support health and combat disease in animals. NPs include both native extracts and individual compounds that can reduce disease impacts by supporting immunity or directly inhibiting pathogens, pests, and parasites. Herein, we describe the screening of NPs in laboratory cage studies for their effects on honey bee disease prevention and control. Depending on the expected activity of compounds, we measured varied responses, including viral levels, honey bee immune responses, and symbiotic bacteria loads. Of the NPs screened, several compounds demonstrated beneficial activities in honey bees by reducing levels of the critical honey bee virus deformed wing virus (DWV-A and-B), positively impacting the gut microbiome or stimulating honey bee immune responses. Investigations of the medicinal properties of NPs in honey bees will contribute to a better understanding of their potential to support honey bee immunity to fight off pests and pathogens and promote increased overall honey bee health. These investigations will also shed light on the ecological interactions between pollinators and specific floral food sources.

scholarly journals Mexican creeper, Antigonon leptopus Hook. and Arn : An effective bee forage plant to conserve honey bee

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-228
Author(s):  
P V Rami Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Apis Cerana ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Urban Habitats ◽  
Forage Plant

Decline in honey bee populations has become a matter of concern and their conservation is very essential to sustain essential ecosystem services. They provide making available continuous supply of floral resources is of immense value in conserving honey bees. The effectiveness of an ornamental creeper, Antigonon leptopus Hook. & Arn as a sustainable bee forage plant was evaluated. It attracts four major native species of honey bees viz., Apis cerana, A. florea, A. dorsata and Tetragonula iridipennis. The wild little bee, A. florea was the most dominant forager followed by the Indian bee, A. cerana. The plant is amenable for easy multiplication through seeds as well as cuttings and meets both aesthetic and ecological needs. Using Antigonon, different studies related to honey bees like assessing species diversity, foraging behaviour, temperature driven shifts etc. can be carried out. Popularising perennial bee flora like Antigonon would help in conserving honey bees in both natural and urban habitats. Since Antigonon attracts all species of honey bees throughout the year, it could be utilized as a potential bioindicator of honey bee populations in a given environment.

scholarly journals The foraging behaviour of honey bees, Apis mellifera: a review

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
HF Abou-Shaara
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Ambient Environment ◽  
Bee Colony ◽  
Foraging Preference ◽  
Honey Bee Colony

Foraging behaviour is one of the distinctive behaviours of honey bees, Apis mellifera. This behaviour is the link between the honey bee colony and the ambient environment. Therefore, various in-colony and out-colony factors have an impact on this behaviour, and many studies have been employed to investigate these factors. Foraging behaviour is not advantageous only for the colony and for plant pollination but also has other benefits. In contrast, some disadvantages have also been discovered to be linked with foraging activity. Practically speaking, the control over this behaviour is very important to maximize colony products as well as to increase other agricultural benefits. This paper presents a review on foraging activity including; the regulation of foraging tasks, factors impacting this behaviour, foraging preference, variations between subspecies, monitoring methods as well as the possible methods for controlling this behaviour. As concluded from this review, more work needs to be performed in order to elucidate certain aspects of foraging behaviour. &nbsp;

OLFACTORY REPELLENCY OF HERBICIDES TO FORAGING HONEY BEES (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE)

1979 ◽  
Vol 111 (10) ◽  
pp. 1131-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.H. Elliott ◽  
D. Cmiralova ◽  
W.G. Wellington
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Honey Production ◽  
Brood Development ◽  
Bee Foraging ◽  
Honey Bee Foraging ◽  
The Impact

AbstractForaging honey bees were offered various sucrose–herbicide solutions. Despite the visual attractiveness of the feeding dishes to foragers, six of seven herbicides significantly reduced the incidence of feeding and were judged to be olfactory and gustatory repellents. The most repellent herbicide was 2,4,5-T, which totally inhibited feeding at concentrations as tow as 1000 ppm. The next most repellent was 2,4-DB, followed by linuron, picloram, 2,4-D, and monuron. Paraquat was the only herbicide that did not exhibit marked repellency at concentrations up to 4000 ppm.The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the impact of herbicide applications on honey bee foraging behaviour, brood development, pollination, and honey production.

EVALUATION OF THE REPELLENT EFFECTS OF A NEEM INSECTICIDE ON FORAGING HONEY BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Naumann ◽  
Rob W. Currie ◽  
Murray B. Isman
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Azadirachta Indica ◽  
Active Ingredient ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Seed Extract ◽  
Phytophagous Insect ◽  
Sugar Syrup ◽  
Pollinator Species ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

AbstractA standardized, oil-free neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) seed extract (NSE) was tested for repellency to honey bees using a feeding-dish choice bioassay, and to honey bees and other pollinators in field applications on blooming canola. Foraging honey bee workers were able to discriminate between untainted sugar syrup and syrup containing formulated NSE at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm azadirachtin, the principal active ingredient of NSE. However there were no significant differences in the numbers of foraging bees collected in neem-treated, solvent-treated, or untreated canola plots. Other pollinator. species present were similarly unaffected. Our results suggest that honey bees may be successfully utilized in blooming crops that have been treated with doses of NSE sufficient to control phytophagous insect pests. The results of this study also suggest that using feeding-dish bioassays to screen potential repellent compounds, although demonstrating the ability of honey bees to detect compounds, may not yield similar results in the field.

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