Impact of entomopathogenic nematodes on Africanized honey bees Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) workers

Africanized honey bee populations (Apis mellifera L.) have been decreasing mainly due to the intense use of synthetic insecticides associated with pollution and climate change. To minimize these impacts on the environment and bee populations, the use of biological control agents has been intensified. These products are generally safer for non-target insects, such as bees, which are important pollinating insects. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of entomopathogenic nematodes on the longevity of the Africanized honey bee A. mellifera workers. Seven treatments were used: Heterorhabditis amazonensis, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Heterorhabditis indica, Steinernema carpocapsae, Steinernema feltiae, and Steinernema rarum, at a concentration of 40 infective juveniles per cm2 (IJs/cm²), and a control in which autoclaved distilled water was used. Two bioassays were performed: 1) spraying nematodes on the workers and 2) spraying nematodes on glass plates, in which the bees remained for two hours. Each treatment consisted of five replicates with 20 bees each. Bees were kept in cages of PVC (20 × 10 cm) covered with a voile fabric and provided pieces of cotton soaked in water and Candy paste. The cages were kept in a climatized room (27 ± 2 °C temperature, 60 ± 10% relative humidity, and 12 h photophase) and the mortality was evaluated from 12 to 240 hours. In bioassay 1, the three treatments with nematodes of the genus Steinernema reduced the longevity of the workers (103.9, 96.3, and 99.6 h) when compared to treatments with Heterorhabditis (149.7, 126.8, and 134.7 h), of which, only H. amazonensis (149.7 h) did not differ from the control (166.0 h). In bioassay 2, all treatments reduced the longevity of honey bees (155.4 to 93.9 h) in relation to the control (176.1 h). Entomopathogenic nematodes, especially Heterorhabditis, need to be tested using other methodologies and for different durations of exposure and application because in the laboratory, they were less selective to A. mellifera.

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Highly polymorphic DNA markers in an Africanized honey bee population in Costa Rica

Genetics and Molecular Biology ◽

10.1590/s1415-47572000000200013 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 317-322 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jorge Arturo Lobo Segura

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Costa Rica ◽

South African ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Dna Markers ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Founder Effects ◽

Africanized Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Mtdna Coi

Two genetic markers (the mtDNA COI-COII intergenic region and the microsatellite A7) with high levels of variability in South African and European honey bees were analyzed in wild swarms of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera) from Costa Rica. Allelic or haplotypic frequencies revealed high levels of genetic variability at these loci in this population. Most of the alleles were African alleles, although some European-derived alleles were also present. Differences in the frequencies of African alleles between African and Africanized samples were minor, which could be explained by founder effects occurring during the introduction of African honey bee populations into South America.

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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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Keeping Africanized Honey Bees Out of Wildlife Nest Boxes

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in682-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 2007 (7) ◽

Author(s):

William H. Kern, Jr.

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bees ◽

Nest Box ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Fact Sheet ◽

Nest Boxes

ENY-838, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by William H. Kern, Jr., provides useful information for keeping pests out of bird and mammal nest boxes, especially the Africanized honey bee, which has become established in Florida, and sets up colonies in smaller and lower locations which may displace wildlife that uses these locations as dens. Includes recommendations, what to do if bees have invaded your nest box, and references. Published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, January 2007. ENY-838/IN682: Keeping Africanized Honey Bees Out of Wildlife Nest Boxes (ufl.edu)

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Toxicity Evaluation of Selected Plant Water Extracts on a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Larvae Model

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani12020178 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 178

Author(s):

Roksana Kruszakin ◽

Paweł Migdal

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Larval Rearing ◽

Distilled Water ◽

Chelidonium Majus ◽

Freeze Dried ◽

Study Laboratory ◽

The Impact

So far, larval rearing in vitro has been an important method in the assessment of bee toxicology, particularly in pesticide risk assessment. However, natural products are increasingly used to control honey bee pathogens or to enhance bee immunity, but their effects on honey bee larvae are mostly unknown. In this study, laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effects of including selected aqueous plant infusions in the diet of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) larvae in vitro. The toxicity of infusions from three different plant species considered to be medicinal plants was evaluated: tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.), greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). The impact of each on the survival of the larvae of honey bees was also evaluated. One-day-old larvae were fed a basal diet consisting of distilled water, sugars (glucose and fructose), yeast extract, and freeze-dried royal jelly or test diets in which distilled water was replaced by plant infusions. The proportion of the diet components was adjusted to the age of the larvae. The larvae were fed twice a day. The experiment lasted seven days. Significant statistical differences in survival rates were found between groups of larvae (exposed or not to the infusions of tansy, greater celandine, and coriander). A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the survival rate was observed in the group with the addition of a coriander herb infusion compared to the control. These results indicate that plant extracts intended to be used in beekeeping should be tested on all development stages of honey bees.

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A Review: Honey and Its Nutritional Composition

Asian Journal of Research in Biochemistry ◽

10.9734/ajrb/2020/v7i330142 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 34-43

Author(s):

Sabia Hasam ◽

Deana Qarizada ◽

Muzhda Azizi

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Health Effect ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Nutritional Composition ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Apis Andreniformis ◽

The World ◽

Apis Nigrocincta

Honey is one of the historical natural products produced by honey bees. Humans used it as medicine and protection against some infectious diseases, a honey quale is dependent in its classification of the honey bee. The most famous accomplished honey bees in the world are Africanized honey bee (Apis mellıfera .l), Western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera), Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana), Philippine honey bee (Apis nigrocincta), Koschevnikovs honey bee (A. koschevnikovi), Giant Honeybees (Apis dorsata), Dwarf Honeybees (Apis andreniformis). This study collected the health effect, quality and usage of honey in several industries; also argue about the nutritious value of honey that the most important parts are protein, carbohydrates, vitamin, and minerals. Honey is not only a nutrient it also plays a major role in many other products, uses of honey in cosmetics as a protective and softener of skin, it is used up to 22% in paste masks and mud packs (which are considered rinse-off formulations). Uses of honey in Ayurveda for prevention of irritation, cough, healthy teeth, gums, and boons. Production of honey has been compared in 2013 to 2018, in 2013 the world production of honey was 1,664 thousand tones with an increase of 1/3 in just two decades. China, where manufacturing amounted to 466.3 thousand tons, i.e. approximately 29% of the global volume of output, these are showing that China was the biggest producer of honey in the world but it gets a decrease in 2018 as well as Brazil, America, Russia, Ethiopia, and Iran. And it increases in Turkey, Argentine, India, Mexico, and Poland.

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Transferrin-mediated iron sequestration suggests a novel therapeutic strategy for controlling Nosema disease in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

PLoS Pathogens ◽

10.1371/journal.ppat.1009270 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. e1009270

Author(s):

Cristina Rodríguez-García ◽

Matthew C. Heerman ◽

Steven C. Cook ◽

Jay D. Evans ◽

Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Iron Homeostasis ◽

Growth And Survival ◽

Functional Roles ◽

Iron Sequestration ◽

Essential Nutrient ◽

Nosema Disease ◽

The Impact

Nosemosis C, a Nosema disease caused by microsporidia parasite Nosema ceranae, is a significant disease burden of the European honey bee Apis mellifera which is one of the most economically important insect pollinators. Nevertheless, there is no effective treatment currently available for Nosema disease and the disease mechanisms underlying the pathological effects of N. ceranae infection in honey bees are poorly understood. Iron is an essential nutrient for growth and survival of hosts and pathogens alike. The iron tug-of-war between host and pathogen is a central battlefield at the host-pathogen interface which determines the outcome of an infection, however, has not been explored in honey bees. To fill the gap, we conducted a study to investigate the impact of N. ceranae infection on iron homeostasis in honey bees. The expression of transferrin, an iron binding and transporting protein that is one of the key players of iron homeostasis, in response to N. ceranae infection was analysed. Furthermore, the functional roles of transferrin in iron homeostasis and honey bee host immunity were characterized using an RNA interference (RNAi)-based method. The results showed that N. ceranae infection causes iron deficiency and upregulation of the A. mellifera transferrin (AmTsf) mRNA in honey bees, implying that higher expression of AmTsf allows N. ceranae to scavenge more iron from the host for its proliferation and survival. The suppressed expression levels of AmTsf via RNAi could lead to reduced N. ceranae transcription activity, alleviated iron loss, enhanced immunity, and improved survival of the infected bees. The intriguing multifunctionality of transferrin illustrated in this study is a significant contribution to the existing body of literature concerning iron homeostasis in insects. The uncovered functional role of transferrin on iron homeostasis, pathogen growth and honey bee’s ability to mount immune responses may hold the key for the development of novel strategies to treat or prevent diseases in honey bees.

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Analysis of Africanized honey bee mitochondrial DNA reveals further diversity of origin

Genetics and Molecular Biology ◽

10.1590/s1415-47571999000100015 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 73-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Walter S. Sheppard ◽

Thomas E. Rinderer ◽

Lionel Garnery ◽

Hachiro Shimanuki

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Intergenic Spacer ◽

Restriction Enzymes ◽

Spacer Length ◽

Africanized Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Mitochondrial Haplotypes ◽

Genetic Source ◽

Sub Saharan

Within the past 40 years, Africanized honey bees spread from Brazil and now occupy most areas habitable by the species Apis mellifera, from Argentina to the southwestern United States. The primary genetic source for Africanized honey bees is believed to be the sub-Saharan honey bee subspecies A. m. scutellata. Mitochondrial markers common in A. m. scutellata have been used to classify Africanized honey bees in population genetic and physiological studies. Assessment of composite mitochondrial haplotypes from Africanized honey bees, using 4 base recognizing restriction enzymes and COI-COII intergenic spacer length polymorphism, provided evidence for a more diverse mitochondrial heritage. Over 25% of the "African" mtDNA found in Africanized populations in Argentina are derived from non-A. m. scutellata sources.

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Acceptance rate of Africanized honey bee larvae in hives maintained in the shade and under full sunlight in Northeast Brazil

ACTA Apicola Brasilica ◽

10.18378/aab.v4i2.4648 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 13-16

Author(s):

Ricardo Gonçalves Santos ◽

Daiana Da Silva Sombra ◽

Herica Girlane Tertulino Domingos ◽

Lionel Segui Gonçalves

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Acceptance Rate ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Semiarid Region ◽

Northeast Brazil ◽

Africanized Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Full Sunlight ◽

Semiarid Climate

In the Semiarid region of Northeast Brazil, adverse environmental conditions such as high radiation and temperature affect the balance of homeostasis of the colonies of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). This research aimed to evaluate the rate of acceptance of Africanized honey bees larvae (Important stage of process of queen-rearing) in hives installed in the shade and under full sunlight in the semiarid climate of Northeastern Brazil. 10 colonies of honeybees (5 in the shade and 5 under full sunlight) were orphaned and prepared with young workers and food, having standardized biomass (equal population conditions) to receive frames containing 60-100 queen cell cups with larvae up to 24 hour-old. The acceptance percentage of transferred or grafted larvae to each colony was measured 72 hours after carrying out transfers and means were compared by the Student’s t-test at 5% probability. The colonies under shade conditions showed acceptance rate of 68.82 ± 17.03%, significantly higher (P = 0.0044) than the colonies subjected to direct sunlight with only 52.13 ± 16.29%. Thus, for the production of queens and royal jelly of Africanized honeybees in the semiarid climate of Northeast Brazil, it is strongly recommended the installation of apiaries in shady locations.Taxa de aceitação de larvas de abelhas africanizadas em colmeias mantidas em sombreamento e sob exposição solar direta no Nordeste BrasileiroNo Semiárido do Nordeste Brasileiro, as condições adversas do ambiente como alta radiação e temperatura afetam o equilíbrio da homeostase das colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.). Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a porcentagem de aceitação de larvas de abelhas africanizadas (etapa importante do processo de produção de rainha) em colmeias instaladas à sombra e sob radiação direta do sol na região semiárida do Nordeste Brasileiro. Para isso, 10 colônias (5 no sol e 5 na sombra) foram orfanadas e tiveram a biomassa padronizada para receber quadros portando de 60 a 100 cúpulas contendo larvas com até 24 horas de vida. O percentual de aceitação das larvas transferidas para cada colônia foi avaliado 72 horas após a realização das transferências e os dados foram comparadas pelo teste t-Student a 5% de probabilidade. As colônias sob condições de sombra apresentaram taxa de aceitação de 68,82 ± 17,03%, sendo significativamente maior (P = 0,0044) do que as colônias submetidas à radiação direta do sol, com apenas 52,13 ± 16,29%. Conclui-se que para a produção de rainhas e de geleia real de abelhas africanizadas no semiárido nordestino, torna-se extremamente recomendável a instalação de apiários em locais sombreados.

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Africanized Honey Bee in Florida

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in738-2007 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2008 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Michael K. O’Malley ◽

James D. Ellis ◽

Anita S. Neal

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bees ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Fact Sheet ◽

Question And Answer ◽

Answer Format

ENY-140, a 3-page fact sheet by M. K. O’Malley, J. D. Ellis, and A. S. Neal, provides information about Africanized honey bees (AHB) in a question-and-answer format. Published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2007.

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African Honey Bee: What You Need to Know

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-mg113-2005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2005 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Malcolm T. Sanford ◽

H. Glenn Hall

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Cooperative Extension Service ◽

Extension Service ◽

Apis Mellifera Scutellata ◽

University Of Florida ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

The Past ◽

The Media

Several races or subspecies of honey bees reside in Africa. One of these, Apis mellifera scutellata, from the central and southern part of the continent, is the predominant parental type introduced into South America. This is the African or Africanized honey bee so often sensationalized in the media. The European honey bee is the race common to North America, and is an amalgam of many European subspecies imported over the past several centuries. To a much smaller extent, subspecies from Asia and Africa were also introduced. This document is Fact Sheet ENY-114, a series of the Entomology and Nemotology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Reviewed: March 1995. Revised: September 2005.

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