scholarly journals Using drone brood in the control of the Varroa disease of bees in Greece

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.A. Santas ◽  
D.M. Lazarakis
Keyword(s):  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Jacobsoni ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Drone Brood ◽  
Bee Colonies

The use of drone brood to control the Varroa disease (Varroa jacobsoni Ouds) was tested in twenty bee colonies (ten as control) which had a very low Varroa mite infestation. The experiment started in winter 1981-82. Early in spring 1983 the brood was removed from ten hives and later during April, May and June it was replaced by drone combs (trap combs) which were also removed when drone cells were capped. The same treatment was repeated during spring 1984. In July 31, 1984, the adult bee infestation was 0 to 7%, while the worker brood’s infestation was 0 to 17%. The data show that, after two and half years without any acaricidal treatment, six out of the ten bee colonies continued to have a very low mite infestation, while three showed high infestation and had to be treated with acaricide. One of the three colonies was treated by acaricide in the winter 1983-84, that is two years from the beginning of this experiment. On the contrary, in the ten control colonies (with the same low infestation in spring 1982) the mite infestation reached catastrophic levels by August 1983.

scholarly journals Varroa jacobsoni infestation of adult Africanized and Italian honey bees (Apis mellifera) in mixed colonies in Brazil

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Moretto ◽  
Leonidas João de Mello Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Jacobsoni ◽  
Africanized Honey Bees ◽  
African Honey Bees ◽  
Africanized Bees ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Different Levels

Different levels of infestation with the mite Varroa jacobsoni have been observed in the various Apis mellifera races. In general, bees of European races are more susceptible to the mite than African honey bees and their hybrids. In Brazil honey bee colonies are not treated against the mite, though apparently both climate and bee race influence the mite infestation. Six mixed colonies were made with Italian and Africanized honey bees. The percentage infestation by this parasite was found to be significantly lower in adult Africanized (1.69 ± 0.44) than Italian bees (2.79 ± 0.65). This ratio was similar to that found in Mexico, even though the Africanized bees tested there had not been in contact with varroa, compared to more than 20 years of the coexistence in Brazil. However, mean mite infestation in Brazil on both kinds of bees was only about a third of that found in Mexico.

scholarly journals Diagnosis of Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor) and Sustainable Control in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies—A Review

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleš Gregorc ◽  
Blair Sampson
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Organic Acids ◽  
Essential Oils ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Mite Control ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Reliable Methods

Determining varroa mite infestation levels in honey bee colonies and the proper method and time to perform a diagnosis are important for efficient mite control. Performing a powdered sugar shake or counting mites that drop from combs and bees onto a hive bottom board are two reliable methods for sampling varroa mite to evaluate the efficacy of an acaricide treatment. This overview summarizes studies that examine the efficacy of organic acids and essential oils, mite monitoring, and brood interruption for integrated varroa mite control in organic beekeeping.

Honey production of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies with high and low Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) infestation rates in eastern Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berna Emsen ◽  
Ernesto Guzman-Novoa ◽  
Paul G. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Infestation Level ◽  
Varroa Mite ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Honey Production ◽  
Bee Colonies

AbstractThe objective of this study was to compare the honey yields of groups of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies with high and low infestation rates of the mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae). More than 150 colonies were screened for mite fall in early spring and again 16 weeks later. The 10 colonies with the lowest rates (L) and the 10 colonies with the highest rates (H) of mite population growth were selected. These 20 colonies were evaluated for mite infestation in adult bees and honey production. Adult bee infestation in the colonies of the H group was significantly higher than in the colonies of the L group. Additionally, H and L colonies differed significantly for honey production. L colonies produced 28.91 ± 2.34 kg of honey per hive versus 18.49 ± 0.77 kg for the group of H colonies. Furthermore, the mite infestation level of colonies measured as mite fall or as number of mites per 100 bees, was significantly correlated with honey production (r = −0.62, P < 0.05 and r = −0.76, P < 0.01, respectively). These results indicate that varroa mite populations significantly reduce honey yields in honey bee colonies in eastern Canada.

scholarly journals The influence of cultivation of drone larvae on honey productivity of bee colonies

2021 ◽  
Vol 941 (1) ◽  
pp. 012013
Author(s):  
Olga L. Yankina ◽  
Anna N. Prikhodko ◽  
Natalia A. Kim ◽  
Andrey A. Skolov ◽  
Victoriya V. Podvalova
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Huge Amount ◽  
Primorsky Krai ◽  
Drone Brood ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Main Production ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Active Substances

Abstract Homogenate is a source of a huge amount of biologically active substances. However, it is produced in a small number of apiaries, since the cultivation of drone brood negatively affects honey productivity. This paper aimed to study the influence of rearing drone larvae on the power and honey productivity of bee colonies since these issues are not widely addressed in scientific literature. Three groups (control, experimental 1, and experimental 2) of 10 bee colonies were formed by the method of pairs-analogs. One brood frame was placed in the bee colonies of the first experimental group, and two frames were placed in the colonies of the second experimental group. The brood frames were placed on June 12, the clipping was done on June 30, and the honey was collected on July 12. The power of colonies was taken into account after wintering (in March) and at the end of the pre-wintering season (in November). As a result of the research, it was revealed that the homogenate of drone brood can be obtained in apiaries of the Primorsky Krai. It was proved that when adding one brood frame to obtain a homogenate, the main production of the apiary - honey, does not decrease, and a negative effect on honey productivity was observed when adding the second brood frame.

Reduced worker relatedness does not affect cooperation in honey bee colonies

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 1542-1545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn M Underwood ◽  
Michael J Lewis ◽  
James F Hare
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Kin Selection ◽  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Production Worker ◽  
Brood Production ◽  
Eusocial Insects ◽  
Honey Production ◽  
Drone Brood ◽  
Bee Colonies

Although kin selection is commonly regarded as a major force in the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour in eusocial insects, recent controversy regarding whether honey bee (Apis mellifera L., 1758) workers can discriminate close kin from more distant relatives casts doubt on the extent to which cooperation among individuals within honey bee colonies is controlled by genetic relatedness. We contrasted brood and honey production in colonies where we diluted worker relatedness with those elements of productivity in colonies where relatedness was unmanipulated. Relatedness manipulation did not affect overall brood production, worker or drone brood production, the worker to drone brood sex ratio, or the volume of honey produced. Thus, there is no evidence that honey bees discriminate close from distant relatives or, more importantly, that dilution of the coefficient of relatedness within a colony has any impact on the efficiency of that colony.

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