Winter Survival of Individual Honey Bees and Honey Bee Colonies Depends on Level of Varroa destructor Infestation

The combination of Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Varroa destructor is arguably one of the greatest threats currently facing western honey bees, Apis mellifera. Varroa’s association with DWV has decreased viral diversity and increased loads of DWV within honey bee populations. Nowhere has this been better studied than in Hawaii, where the arrival of Varroa progressively led to the dominance of the single master variant (DWV-A) on both mite-infested Hawaiian Islands of Oahu and Big Island. Now, exactly 10 years following the original study, we find that the DWV population has changed once again, with variants containing the RdRp coding sequence pertaining to the master variant B beginning to co-dominate alongside variants with the DWV-A RdRp sequence on the mite-infested islands of Oahu and Big Island. In speculation, based on other studies, it appears this could represent a stage in the journey towards the complete dominance of DWV-B, a variant that appears better adapted to be transmitted within honey bee colonies.

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Safety assessment of sugar dusting treatments by analysis of hygienic behavior in honey bee colonies

Archives of Biological Sciences ◽

10.2298/abs1104199s ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 63 (4) ◽

pp. 1199-1207 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jevrosima Stevanovic ◽

Z. Stanimirovic ◽

Nada Lakic ◽

Nevenka Aleksic ◽

P. Simeunovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pest Management ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Safety Assessment ◽

Defense Mechanism ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Hygienic Behavior ◽

Natural Defense ◽

Bee Colonies

The hygienic behavior in honey bees is a dominant natural defense mechanism against brood diseases. In this study, the influence of sugar dusting treatments on hygienic behavior was evaluated in 44 strong honey bee colonies. Three doses of pulverized sugar, 20, 30 and 40 g, each applied at three-, seven- and fourteen-day intervals were tested. The percentage of cleaned cells (PCC) in the total number of those with pin-killed brood served as a measure of the hygienic potential. The effect was dependent on the frequency of treatments: all doses applied every third and seventh day significantly (p<0.001) decreased the PCC in comparison with the untreated control colonies. Nevertheless, sugar did not threaten the hygienic potential, as PPC values remained above 94% following all treatments. Thus, it can be concluded that the tested sugar treatments are safe and can be justifiably implemented into integrated pest management strategies to control Varroa destructor.

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How to quantify Varroa destructor in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in1257-2019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (1) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Cameron Jack ◽

Nathan Sperry ◽

Ashley N. Mortensen ◽

Jamie Ellis

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Fact Sheet ◽

Bee Colonies

The Varroa destructor mite, a devastating pest of western honey bees, can threaten a honey bee colony’s survival if it is left uncontrolled. This 8-page fact sheet written by Cameron Jack, Nathan Sperry, Ashley N. Mortensen, and Jamie Ellis and published by the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department explains how to monitor honey bee colonies to ensure that infestations of these destructive pests do not grow to dangerous levels.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1257

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Parasitic mites and microsporidians in managed western honey bee colonies on the island of Newfoundland, Canada

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n10-029 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 142 (6) ◽

pp. 584-588 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Geoffrey R. Williams ◽

Krista Head ◽

Karen L. Burgher-MacLellan ◽

Richard E.L. Rogers ◽

Dave Shutler

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Geographic Isolation ◽

Acarapis Woodi ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Chemical Treatments ◽

Organic Honey ◽

Parasitic Mites ◽

Bee Colonies

AbstractWestern honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), occur in nearly every region inhabited by man because they provide valuable honey, wax, and pollination services. Many commercial honey bee operations are plagued by economically important parasites; however, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland, Canada, are in a unique position because of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s strict import regulations and geographic isolation. We surveyed about 25% of the island’s approximately 100 managed honey bee colonies. The parasitic mites Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) and Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) were not detected, whereas Nosema spp. microsporidia were detected in two of four beekeeping operations and in 11 of 23 (48%) colonies (intensity = 482 609 ± 1199 489 (mean ± SD); median intensity = 0). Because V. destructor and A. woodi are important pests that typically require chemical treatments, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland may be uniquely positioned to market organic honey bee products from colonies that could also be a source of mite-naïve bees for research.

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Toxicity of Selected Acaricides to Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) and Their Use in Controlling Varroa within Honey Bee Colonies

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects9020055 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 55 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Aleš Gregorc ◽

Mohamed Alburaki ◽

Blair Sampson ◽

Patricia R. Knight ◽

John Adamczyk

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Bee Colonies

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

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030216 ◽

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.

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Are Non-Target Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Exposed to Dinotefuran From Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Trap Trees?

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toz176 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 112 (6) ◽

pp. 2993-2996 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robyn Underwood ◽

Brian Breeman ◽

Joseph Benton ◽

Jason Bielski ◽

Julie Palkendo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

High Performance ◽

Host Plants ◽

The United States ◽

Quechers Method ◽

Significant Damage ◽

Lycorma Delicatula ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Worker Bee

Abstract The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an introduced plant hopper that causes significant damage to host plants in the United States. Because of its affinity for tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, control efforts have focused on the use of the systemic insecticide, dinotefuran, in designated trap trees. There is concern about exposure to this pesticide by non-target species, especially honey bees, Apis mellifera, via lanternfly honeydew. Therefore, honey bee colonies were established in areas of high densities of trap trees and samples of honey, bees, and beeswax were collected in May, July, and October of 2017 for analysis. Samples were extracted by the QuEChERS method and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the presence and quantity of dinotefuran. Additionally, honeydew from lanternflies was analyzed for dinotefuran and informal observations of trap tree visitors were made. None of the worker bee, wax, or honey samples indicated detectable levels of dinotefuran; however, honeydew samples collected did contain dinotefuran above the detection limit with amounts ranging from 3 to 100 ng per sample. The lack of dinotefuran in honey bee products matches the general absence of honey bees at trap trees in informal observations.

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Deformed wing virus variant shift from 2010 to 2016 in managed and feral UK honey bee colonies

Archives of Virology ◽

10.1007/s00705-021-05162-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

J. L. Kevill ◽

K. C. Stainton ◽

D. C. Schroeder ◽

S. J. Martin

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Small Study ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Virus Variant ◽

The Usa ◽

The Uk ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Existing Data

AbstractDeformed wing virus (DWV) has been linked to the global decline of honey bees. DWV exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C), each with differing outcomes for the honey bee host. Research in the USA showed a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B between 2010 to 2016 in honey bee colonies. Likewise, in the UK, a small study in 2007 found only DWV-A, whereas in 2016, DWV-B was the most prevalent variant. This suggests a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B might have occurred in the UK between 2007 and 2016. To investigate this further, data from samples collected in 2009/10 (n = 46) were compared to existing data from 2016 (n = 42). These samples also allowed a comparison of DWV variants between Varroa-untreated (feral) and Varroa-treated (managed) colonies. The results revealed that, in the UK, DWV-A was far more prevalent in 2009/10 (87%) than in 2016 (43%). In contrast, DWV-B was less prevalent in 2009/10 (76%) than in 2016 (93%). Regardless if colonies had been treated for Varroa (managed) or not (feral), the same trend from DWV-A to DWV-B occurred. Overall, the results reveal a decrease in DWV-A and an increase in DWV-B in UK colonies.

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Probabilistic assessment of nectar requirements for nectar-foraging honey bees

Apidologie ◽

10.1007/s13592-019-00693-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 180-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sara Rodney ◽

Vincent J. Kramer

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Dietary Exposure ◽

Food Storage ◽

Regulatory Agencies ◽

American Government ◽

The North ◽

Dietary Requirements ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Insight Into

AbstractRecent concerns regarding potential effects of pesticides on pollinators have prompted regulatory agencies to estimate dietary ingestion rates for honey bees (Apis mellifera). The task is difficult because of the complex caste and food storage systems in honey bee colonies. Considerable data on the nutrition and energetics of honey bees have recently been collated. These data were used to parameterize a probabilistic model estimating nectar requirements of nectar foragers. Median estimates were more than 6× lower than the recommended median value from the North American government agencies, of 292 mg nectar/bee/day. The distribution of estimates had much greater variability than those of the agencies. The differences are due primarily to the disparate assumptions regarding how much time nectar foragers spend flying and foraging. Risk assessors considering honey bee dietary exposure should take account of current and emerging data providing insight into nectar forager dietary requirements, foraging activity, and feeding behavior.

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

Genetics and Molecular Biology ◽

10.1590/s1415-47571999000300006 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 321-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

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.

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