The Absence of Nosema bombi in Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) on Farms in Michigan

2019 ◽  
Vol 182 (2) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Britton Skuse ◽  
Aimee Phillippi ◽  
Ellen Batchelder
Keyword(s):  
Nosema Bombi

Horizontal transmission success of Nosema bombi to its adult bumble bee hosts: effects of dosage, spore source and host age

Parasitology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 134 (12) ◽  
pp. 1719-1726 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. T. RUTRECHT ◽  
J. KLEE ◽  
M. J. F. BROWN
Keyword(s):  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Population Heterogeneity ◽  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Host Age ◽  
Transmission Success ◽  
Nosema Bombi ◽  
Evolutionary Epidemiology

SUMMARYParasite transmission dynamics are fundamental to explaining the evolutionary epidemiology of disease because transmission and virulence are tightly linked. Horizontal transmission of microsporidian parasites, e.g. Nosema bombi, may be influenced by numerous factors, including inoculation dose, host susceptibility and host population heterogeneity. Despite previous studies of N. bombi and its bumble bee hosts, neither the epidemiology nor impact of the parasite are as yet understood. Here we investigate the influence N. bombi spore dosage (1000 to 500 000 spores), spore source (Bombus terrestris and B. lucorum isolates) and host age (2- and 10-day-old bees) have on disease establishment and the presence of patent infections in adult bumble bees. Two-day-old bees were twice as susceptible as their 10-day-old sisters, and a 5-fold increase in dosage from 100 000 to 500 000 spores resulted in a 20-fold increase in the prevalence of patent infections. While intraspecific inoculations were 3 times more likely to result in non-patent infections there was no such effect on the development of patent infections. These results suggest that host-age and dose are likely to play a role in N. bombi's evolutionary epidemiology. The relatively low levels of horizontal transmission success are suggestive of low virulence in this system.

scholarly journals Agri-environment nectar chemistry suppresses parasite social epidemiology in an important pollinator

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arran J. Folly ◽  
Hauke Koch ◽  
Iain W. Farrell ◽  
Philip C. Stevenson ◽  
Mark J.F. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Disease Management ◽  
Social Epidemiology ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Nosema Bombi ◽  
First Time

Emergent infectious diseases are a principal driver of biodiversity loss globally. The population and range declines of a suite of North American bumblebees, a group of important pollinators, have been linked to emergent infection with the microsporidian Nosema bombi. Previous work has shown that phytochemicals in pollen and nectar can negatively impact parasites in individual bumblebees, but how this relates to social epidemiology and by extension whether plants can be effectively used as disease management strategies remains unexplored. Here we show that caffeine, identified in the nectar of Sainfoin, a constituent of agri-environment schemes, significantly reduced N. bombi infection intensity in individual bumblebees and, for the first time, that such effects impact social epidemiology, with colonies reared from wild caught queens having lower prevalence and intensity of infection. Furthermore, infection prevalence was lower in foraging bumblebees from these colonies, suggesting a likely reduction in population-level transmission. Our results demonstrate that phytochemicals can impact pollinator disease epidemiology and that planting strategies, which increase floral abundance to support biodiversity could be co-opted as disease management strategies.

scholarly journals Landscape predictors of pathogen prevalence and range contractions in US bumblebees

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1867) ◽  
pp. 20172181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott H. McArt ◽  
Christine Urbanowicz ◽  
Shaun McCoshum ◽  
Rebecca E. Irwin ◽  
Lynn S. Adler
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Nosema Bombi ◽  
Machine Learning Model ◽  
Stable Species ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
Pathogen Prevalence ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Declining Species

Several species of bumblebees have recently experienced range contractions and possible extinctions. While threats to bees are numerous, few analyses have attempted to understand the relative importance of multiple stressors. Such analyses are critical for prioritizing conservation strategies. Here, we describe a landscape analysis of factors predicted to cause bumblebee declines in the USA. We quantified 24 habitat, land-use and pesticide usage variables across 284 sampling locations, assessing which variables predicted pathogen prevalence and range contractions via machine learning model selection techniques. We found that greater usage of the fungicide chlorothalonil was the best predictor of pathogen ( Nosema bombi ) prevalence in four declining species of bumblebees. Nosema bombi has previously been found in greater prevalence in some declining US bumblebee species compared to stable species. Greater usage of total fungicides was the strongest predictor of range contractions in declining species, with bumblebees in the northern USA experiencing greater likelihood of loss from previously occupied areas. These results extend several recent laboratory and semi-field studies that have found surprising links between fungicide exposure and bee health. Specifically, our data suggest landscape-scale connections between fungicide usage, pathogen prevalence and declines of threatened and endangered bumblebees.

Nosema bombi,a microsporidian pathogen of the bumble beeBombus terrestris(L.)

1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. McIvor ◽  
Louise A. Malone
Keyword(s):  
Nosema Bombi

scholarly journals Testing the multiple stressor hypothesis: chlorothalonil exposure alters transmission potential of a bumblebee pathogen but not individual host health

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1947) ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin C. Calhoun ◽  
Audrey E. Harrod ◽  
Toby A. Bassingthwaite ◽  
Ben M. Sadd
Keyword(s):  
Positive Association ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Transmission Potential ◽  
Multiple Stressor ◽  
Pathogen Dynamics ◽  
Nosema Bombi ◽  
Individual Host ◽  
Host Health

Numerous threats are putting pollinator health and essential ecosystem pollination services in jeopardy. Although individual threats are widely studied, their co-occurrence may exacerbate negative effects, as posited by the multiple stressor hypothesis. A prominent branch of this hypothesis concerns pesticide–pathogen co-exposure. A landscape analysis demonstrated a positive association between local chlorothalonil fungicide use and microsporidian pathogen ( Nosema bombi ) prevalence in declining bumblebee species ( Bombus spp.), suggesting an interaction deserving further investigation. We tested the multiple stressor hypothesis with field-realistic chlorothalonil and N. bombi exposures in worker-produced B. impatiens microcolonies. Chlorothalonil was not avoided in preference assays, setting the stage for pesticide–pathogen co-exposure. However, contrary to the multiple stressor hypothesis, co-exposure did not affect survival. Bees showed surprising tolerance to Nosema infection, which was also unaffected by chlorothalonil exposure. However, previously fungicide-exposed infected bees carried more transmission-ready spores. Our use of a non-declining bumblebee and potential higher chlorothalonil exposures under some scenarios could mean stronger individual or interactive effects in certain field settings. Yet, our results alone suggest consequences of pesticide co-exposure for pathogen dynamics in host communities. This underlies the importance of considering both within- and between-host processes when addressing the multiple stressor hypothesis in relation to pathogens.

scholarly journals Wild Bumblebee (Bombus) Diversity andNosema(Microsporidia: Nosematidae) Infection Levels Associated with Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) Production and Commercial Bumblebee Pollinators

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Bushmann ◽  
Francis A. Drummond ◽  
Lee A. Beers ◽  
Eleanor Groden
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Nosema Bombi ◽  
Lowbush Blueberry ◽  
Species Abundances ◽  
Commercial Species ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Field Location

The primary objective was to determine if the prevalence ofNosema bombiinfection is higher for wild bumblebees (Bombusspp.) caught in lowbush blueberry growing areas with a history of commercial bumblebee use than for bumblebees caught in areas without a history of commercial bumblebee use. Additionally, we wished to determine relativeBombusspecies abundances and diversity in blueberry growing regions. Over two years we caught, identified to species, and dissected 767 bumblebees. Light microscopy revealed overall infection levels of 5.48%. The history of commercial bumblebee use had no relation to infection levels. Bumblebee species diversity and field location had significant relationships to infection (r2adjusted = 0.265; species diversityF(1,22)=6.848,P=0.016; field regionF(1,22)=5.245,P=0.032). The absence or presence of one species,Bombus terricola, appears to determine the relationship between species diversity and infection. The data showB. terricoladecline in sampled regions and almost half of the collectedB. terricolawere infected withNosema. The commercial species,B. impatiens, shows an increase in abundance, but with a 6.9% proportion infection. Molecular confirmation of the infecting species was ambiguous, suggesting a need for future clarification of the infecting species.

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