In-Hive Miticides and their Effect on Queen Supersedure and Colony Growth in the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Present re search was formulated to find out how honey extraction frequencies influence colony growth and honey production of European honey bee Apis mellifera colonies. Colonies were equalized in terms of food and brood before starting experiment and were subjected to three types of honey extraction frequencies namely single, two and regular/ farmer’s practices. Observations were recorded fortnightly throughout the honey flow season for two consecutive years (2014-16). As per present findings single extraction frequency have maximum mean honey area of 668.4 inches2 followed by twice extracted colonies (568.6) with significant difference and regular extraction (449.0) gives least honey. Honey peaks were observed during mid February (837.8-916.8 inches2) which remains significantly higher than honey areas in January and in March. As far as colony growth was concerned colonies with two extractions have high total brood areas of 436.4 inches2 and similar trend was followed in case of larvae, pupae and egg. Effect on pollen stores gave a different picture in contrast of other parameters here colonies with regular extraction were observed with significantly high pollen stores (99.3 inches2) than single extracted colonies (83.7 inches2). For high honey production single extraction was recommended and if colony multiplication was also an aim than twice extraction is best option as per findings.

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The effects of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen insemination volume on colony growth

10.1603/ice.2016.115034 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Alexandria N Payne

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Colony Growth

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Effects of developmental exposure to pesticides in wax and pollen on honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen reproductive phenotypes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80446-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Joseph P. Milone ◽

David R. Tarpy

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Pesticide Exposure ◽

Hazard Quotient ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Social Consequences ◽

Developmental Exposure ◽

Pesticide Treatment ◽

Colony Level ◽

Do So

AbstractStressful conditions during development can have sub-lethal consequences on organisms aside from mortality. Using previously reported in-hive residues from commercial colonies, we examined how multi-pesticide exposure can influence honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen health. We reared queens in beeswax cups with or without a pesticide treatment within colonies exposed to treated or untreated pollen supplement. Following rearing, queens were open-mated and then placed into standard hive equipment in an “artificial swarm” to measure subsequent colony growth. Our treated wax had a pesticide Hazard Quotient comparable to the average in beeswax from commercial colonies, and it had no measurable effects on queen phenotype. Conversely, colonies exposed to pesticide-treated pollen had a reduced capacity for viable queen production, and among surviving queens from these colonies we observed lower sperm viability. We found no difference in queen mating number across treatments. Moreover, we measured lower brood viability in colonies later established by queens reared in treated-pollen colonies. Interestingly, royal jelly from colonies exposed to treated pollen contained negligible pesticide residues, suggesting the indirect social consequences of colony-level pesticide exposure on queen quality. These findings highlight how conditions during developmental can impact queens long into adulthood, and that colony-level pesticide exposure may do so indirectly.

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Effects of Brood Pheromone Modulated Brood Rearing Behaviors on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Colony Growth

Journal of Insect Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10905-009-9176-1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 339-349 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Ramesh R. Sagili ◽

Tanya Pankiw

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Brood Rearing ◽

Brood Pheromone

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The effects of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) queen reproductive potential on colony growth

Insectes Sociaux ◽

10.1007/s00040-012-0267-1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 65-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

J. Rangel ◽

J. J. Keller ◽

D. R. Tarpy

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Reproductive Potential ◽

Colony Growth

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CHEMICAL ACARICIDES IN APIS MELLIFERA (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) COLONIES; DO THEY CAUSE NONLETHAL EFFECTS?

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent131363-3 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 131 (3) ◽

pp. 363-371 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Lynn C. Westcott ◽

Mark L. Winston

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Formic Acid ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Acarapis Woodi ◽

Honey Production ◽

Brood Survival ◽

Bee Colony ◽

And Control ◽

Production Effects

AbstractColonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, infested with the parasitic mites Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) or Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans (Acari: Varroidae) require acaricidal treatment to control infestations that could affect colony growth and honey production. We investigated the effects of three acaricides, fluvalinate (formulated as Apistan®), formic acid, and menthol, on honey bee colony population growth, foraging activity, adult worker longevity, and honey production. Effects of in-hive treatments of Apistan® and formic acid were measured by examining colony weight gain, brood survival, sealed-brood area, emerged-bee weight, number of returning foragers, pollen-load weight, and worker longevity. These characteristics were not different between fluvalinate-treated colonies, formic-acid-treated colonies, and control colonies. Adult bee population, brood survival, number of returning foragers, and honey production did not vary among menthol-treated colonies, formic-acid-treated colonies, and control colonies. Sealed-brood area was lower in formic-acid-treated colonies than control colonies, but not different from menthol-treated colonies. Although not statistically significant, formic-acid-treated colonies experienced lower honey production than both menthol-treated and control colonies. Numbers of workers attending the queen in the retinue and queen behaviour patterns were not different after colonies were treated with formic acid.

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Manipulating pollen supply in honey bee colonies during the fall does not affect the performance of winter bees

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n06-032 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 139 (4) ◽

pp. 554-563 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Heather R. Mattila ◽

Gard W. Otis

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Protein Content ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Early Spring ◽

Brood Rearing ◽

Before And After ◽

Bee Colonies

AbstractEach fall, honey bee (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) colonies in northern temperate regions rear a population of long-lived winter bees that maintains a broodless nest throughout the winter and resumes brood-rearing activities in the spring. Pollen supply in colonies is closely tied to this phenomenon; winter bees sequester large reservoirs of pollen-derived nutrients in their bodies and the brood-rearing capacity of colonies is dictated by the availability of pollen. We determined the effects of manipulating pollen supply during the fall on the number of winter bees present in colonies by spring, their mass and protein content before and after winter, and their capacity to rear brood during the spring. Colonies were either supplemented with or partially deprived of pollen during the fall, while a third group of colonies was not manipulated (control). We found that the performance of winter bees was not enhanced by supplementing colonies with pollen in the fall, nor did worker function suffer if pollen supply was restricted. Similar numbers of winter bees survived to spring in colonies and workers had similar physiology and brood-rearing efficiencies. These results suggest that beekeepers would not benefit by investing in fall pollen supplements to maximize colony growth in early spring.

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