scholarly journals Characterisation and tracking changes of morphological characteristics in honey bee, Apis mellifera, colonies

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
H.F. Abou-Shaara ◽  
M.E. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
No Reduction ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Current State ◽  
Honey Bee Workers ◽  
Colony Productivity

Measuring morphological characteristics of honey bee, <em>Apis mellifera</em>, at different times is important to assess the degree of race purity, to predict colony productivity, and to understand environmental impacts on honey bees. The study aims to characterise current honey bees of Northwest Egypt, namely El-Behera governorate, and to track occurred changes to their morphological characteristics since 2007. Samples of honey bee workers were collected from four districts in El- Behera governorate. Nine body and six wing characteristics were measured. Morphological characteristics of honey bees belonging to these districts were previously measured during 2007. To track changes, a comparison between new (2014) and previous (2007) measurements of morphological characteristics was done. The current bees of El-Behera are slightly larger than those of 2007, emphasising no reduction in colonies productivity. There is evidence that environmental factors have not caused much stress on the colonies since 2007. The results of this study are useful in providing understanding of the current state of bees in Egypt, and the likely improvement of future beekeeping.

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 Effects of the Age of Grafted Larvae and the Effects of Supplemental Feeding on Some Morphological Characteristics of Iranian Queen Honey Bees (Apis mellifera meda Skorikov, 1929)

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Mahbobi ◽  
Mohammadbagher Farshineh-Adl ◽  
Jerzy Woyke ◽  
Saeed Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Wing Length ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Supplemental Feeding ◽  
Feeding Groups ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Apis Mellifera Meda

Effects of the Age of Grafted Larvae and the Effects of Supplemental Feeding on Some Morphological Characteristics of Iranian Queen Honey Bees (Apis mellifera medaSkorikov, 1929)The research was conducted at the apiary of the Faculty of Agriculture, Zanjan University in Zanjan, Iran. Queens were reared in 24Apis mellifera medahoney bee rearing colonies. The colonies were assigned to 4 grafting larvae age groups; 1 day old larvae, 2 day old larvae, and 3 day old larvae, and the last group reared emergency queen cells. The groups were divided into the 2 feeding groups: fed additionally and no fed. The effects of the age of the grafted larvae and the effects of supplemental feeding on 9 morphological characteristics of queens were measured. The results showed that the age of the larvae significantly affected the morphological characteristics of reared queens, and thus, their quality. Queens reared from 1 day old larvae were of the highest quality. These queens were significantly heavier (158.83 mg) and had significantly larger spermatheca (0.99 mm3) than queens reared from larvae 2 and 3 days old. Queens from emergency queen cells were of lower quality than queens reared from 1 day old larvae. However, queens from emergency queen cells were of higher quality than queens reared from 3 day old larvae. The supplemental feeding significantly increased most morphological characteristics of the reared queens. The different ages of the larvae did not significantly affect the wing length nor did supplemental feeding affect the wing length.

scholarly journals Study the correlation of morphological and production traits of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) (Review

2014 ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
Erika Péntek-Zakar ◽  
András Jávor ◽  
Szilvia Kusza
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Morphological Parameters ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
The Given ◽  
Honey Yield

There are several morphological differences among the honey bee subspecies, which proofs that they adapted different way to the environmental factors of the given area. Morphological observations are not the only way to separate subspecies, it is possible on their genetic speciality as well. The authors’s aim in this present study was to examine morphological characteristics of subspecies, furthermore looking for correlation between morphological parameters and honey yield. According to their results, among the most important parameters considered by Hungarian breeders, in the case of the native Apismelliferacarnica subspecies, the proboscis length could be the indirect tool for honey-productivity focused selection.

scholarly journals Reviewing the Efficacy of Pollen Substitutes as a Management Tool for Improving the Health and Productivity of Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Noordyke ◽  
James D. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Disease Response ◽  
Bee Colony ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Colony Productivity

Western honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) collect pollen from flowers as their source of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Beekeepers feed pollen substitutes to their honey bee colonies to mitigate a lack of natural pollen resources in the environment. Despite their widespread use, it is unclear if pollen substitutes are beneficial to colony health and productivity. Herein, we review the literature regarding pollen substitute efficacy in four major categories: (1) consumption/palatability of pollen substitutes, (2) colony productivity, (3) pest and disease response, and (4) physiological response. Collectively, the literature shows a mix of positive, neutral, and negative impacts of pollen substitutes on honey bee colony health. Additionally, we recommend areas for improvement in pollen substitute research. We hope this review will lead to more research on pollen substitutes given nutrition is a key factor impacting the health of managed honey bees globally.

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 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.

Longevity of cross-fostered honey bee workers (Apis mellifera) of European and Africanized races

1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 1571-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark L. Winston ◽  
Susan J. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
South America ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Race Differences ◽  
The Other ◽  
Partial Explanation ◽  
Africanized Bees ◽  
Honey Bee Workers

Longevities of two races of honey bee workers, European and Africanized, were compared both within colonies of their own races and within colonies of the other race. Differences in longevity were found which were likely due to inherited differences between workers of the two races. The age at which workers began foraging was one factor important in determining longevity. These results may provide a partial explanation for the success and impact of Africanized bees in South America, and also suggest that the northerly spread of these bees could be limited by worker life spans.

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.

Sequential generations of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens produced using cryopreserved semen

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon K. Hopkins ◽  
Charles Herr ◽  
Walter S. Sheppard
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Eastern Asia ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Instrumental Insemination ◽  
Diploid Female ◽  
Frozen Semen

Much of the world’s food production is dependent on honey bees for pollination, and expanding food production will further increase the demand for managed pollination services. Apiculturists outside the native range of the honey bee, in the Americas, Australia and eastern Asia, have used only a few of the 27 described subspecies of honey bees (Apis mellifera) for beekeeping purposes. Within the endemic ranges of a particular subspecies, hybridisation can threaten native subspecies when local beekeepers import and propagate non-native honey bees. For many threatened species, cryopreserved germplasm can provide a resource for the preservation of diversity and recovery of endangered populations. However, although instrumental insemination of queen honey bees is well established, the absence of an effective means to cryopreserve honey bee semen has limited the success of efforts to preserve genetic diversity within the species or to develop repositories of honey bee germplasm for breeding purposes. Herein we report that some queens inseminated with cryopreserved semen were capable of producing a substantial number of fertilised offspring. These diploid female larvae were used to produce two additional sequential generations of new queens, which were then back-crossed to the same stock of frozen semen. Our results demonstrate the ability to produce queens using cryopreserved honey bee spermatozoa and the potential for the establishment of a honey bee genetic repository.

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