Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
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| genome characterization, prevalence and distribution of a macula-like virus from apis mellifera and varroa destructor. | around 14 distinct virus species-complexes have been detected in honeybees, each with one or more strains or sub-species. here we present the initial characterization of an entirely new virus species-complex discovered in honeybee (apis mellifera l.) and varroa mite (varroa destructor) samples from europe and the usa. the virus has a naturally poly-adenylated rna genome of about 6500 nucleotides with a genome organization and sequence similar to the tymoviridae (tymovirales; tymoviridae), a pred ... | 2015 | 26154017 |
| a snp test to identify africanized honeybees via proportion of 'african' ancestry. | the honeybee, apis mellifera, is the world's most important pollinator and is ubiquitous in most agricultural ecosystems. four major evolutionary lineages and at least 24 subspecies are recognized. commercial populations are mainly derived from subspecies originating in europe (75-95%). the africanized honeybee is a new world hybrid of a. m. scutellata from africa and european subspecies, with the african component making up 50-90% of the genome. africanized honeybees are considered undesirable ... | 2015 | 25846634 |
| mating frequencies of honey bee queens (apis mellifera l.) in a population of feral colonies in the northeastern united states. | across their introduced range in north america, populations of feral honey bee (apis mellifera l.) colonies have supposedly declined in recent decades as a result of exotic parasites, most notably the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor. nonetheless, recent studies have documented several wild populations of colonies that have persisted. the extreme polyandry of honey bee queens-and the increased intracolony genetic diversity it confers-has been attributed, in part, to improved disease resistan ... | 2015 | 25775410 |
| a selective sweep in a varroa destructor resistant honeybee (apis mellifera) population. | the mite varroa destructor is one of the most dangerous parasites of the western honeybee (apis mellifera) causing enormous colony losses worldwide. various chemical treatments for the control of the varroa mite are currently in use, which, however, lead to residues in bee products and often to resistance in mites. this facilitated the exploration of alternative treatment methods and breeding for mite resistant honeybees has been in focus for breeders in many parts of the world with variable res ... | 2015 | 25660040 |
| three halloween genes from the varroa mite, varroa destructor (anderson & trueman) and their expression during reproduction. | the ecdysteroid biosynthetic pathway involves sequential enzymatic hydroxylations by a group of enzymes collectively known as halloween gene proteins. complete sequences for three halloween genes, spook (vdspo), disembodied (vddib) and shade (vdshd), were identified in varroa mites and sequenced. phylogenetic analyses of predicted amino acid sequences for halloween orthologues showed that the acarine orthologues were distantly associated with insect and crustacean clades indicating that acarine ... | 2015 | 25488435 |
| evidence for passive chemical camouflage in the parasitic mite varroa destructor. | social insect colonies provide a stable and safe environment for their members. despite colonies being heavily guarded, parasites have evolved numerous strategies to invade and inhabit these hostile places. two such strategies are (true) chemical mimicry via biosynthesis of host odor, and chemical camouflage, in which compounds are acquired from the host. the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor feeds on hemolymph of its honey bee host, apis mellifera. the mite's odor closely resembles that of i ... | 2015 | 25620373 |
| towards a better understanding of apis mellifera and varroa destructor microbiomes: introducing 'phyloh' as a novel phylogenetic diversity analysis tool. | the study of diversity in biological communities is an intriguing field. huge amount of data are nowadays available (provided by the innovative dna sequencing techniques), and management, analysis and display of results are not trivial. here, we propose for the first time the use of phylogenetic entropy as a measure of bacterial diversity in studies of microbial community structure. we then compared our new method (i.e. the web tool phyloh) for partitioning phylogenetic diversity with the tradit ... | 2015 | 25367306 |
| host specificity in the honeybee parasitic mite, varroa spp. in apis mellifera and apis cerana. | the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor is a major global threat to the western honeybee apis mellifera. this mite was originally a parasite of a. cerana in asia but managed to spill over into colonies of a. mellifera which had been introduced to this continent for honey production. to date, only two almost clonal types of v. destructor from korea and japan have been detected in a. mellifera colonies. however, since both a. mellifera and a. cerana colonies are kept in close proximity throughout ... | 2015 | 26248192 |
| varroa destructor changes its cuticular hydrocarbons to mimic new hosts. | varroa destructor (vd) is a honeybee ectoparasite. its original host is the asian honeybee, apis cerana, but it has also become a severe, global threat to the european honeybee, apis mellifera. previous studies have shown that varroa can mimic a host's cuticular hydrocarbons (hc), enabling the parasite to escape the hygienic behaviour of the host honeybees. by transferring mites between the two honeybee species, we further demonstrate that vd is able to mimic the cuticular hc of a novel host spe ... | 2015 | 26041867 |
| multiple host shifts by the emerging honeybee parasite, varroa jacobsoni. | host shifts are a key mechanism of parasite evolution and responsible for the emergence of many economically important pathogens. varroa destructor has been a major factor in global honeybee (apis mellifera) declines since shifting hosts from the asian honeybee (apis cerana) > 50 years ago. until recently, only two haplotypes of v. destructor (korea and japan) had successfully host shifted to a. mellifera. in 2008, the sister species v. jacobsoni was found for the first time parasitizing a. mell ... | 2015 | 25846956 |
| differential viral levels and immune gene expression in three stocks of apis mellifera induced by different numbers of varroa destructor. | the viral levels and immune responses of italian honey bees (ihb), russian honey bees (rhb) and an outcross of varroa sensitive hygienic bees (pol) deliberately infested with one or two foundress varroa were compared. we found that the deformed wing virus (dwv) level in ihb inoculated with one or two foundress varroa increased to about 10(3) or 10(5) fold the levels of their uninfested brood. in contrast, pol (10(2) or 10(4) fold) and rhb (10(2) or l0(4) fold) supported a lower increase in dwv l ... | 2015 | 25456452 |
| comparative proteomic analysis reveals mite (varroa destructor) resistance-related proteins in eastern honeybees (apis cerana). | the mite (varroa destructor) has become the greatest threat to apiculture worldwide. as the original host of the mite, apis cerana can effectively resist the mite. an increased understanding of the resistance mechanisms of eastern honeybees against v. destructor may help researchers to protect other species against these parasites. in this study, the proteomes of 4 apis cerana colonies were analyzed using an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation technology. we determined the differ ... | 2015 | 26345948 |
| stable genetic diversity despite parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies. | in the last decades, the rapid spread of diseases, such as varroosis and nosemosis, associated with massive honey bee colonies mortality around the world has significantly decreased the number and size of honey bee populations and possibly their genetic diversity. here, we compare the genetic diversity of iberian honey bee colonies in two samplings performed in 2006 and 2010 in relation to the presence of the pathogenic agents nosema apis, nosema ceranae, and varroa destructor in order to determ ... | 2015 | 26306398 |
| the influence of nosema (microspora: nosematidae) infection on honey bee (hymenoptera: apidae) defense against varroa destructor (mesostigmata: varroidae). | the objectives of this study were to quantify the costs and benefits of co-parasitism with varroa (varroa destructor anderson and trueman) and nosema (nosema ceranae fries and nosema apis zander) on honey bees (apis mellifera l.) with different defense levels. newly-emerged worker bees from either high-mite-mortality-rate (high-mmr) bees or low-mite-mortality-rate (low-mmr) bees were confined in forty bioassay cages which were either inoculated with nosema spores [nosema (+) group] or were left ... | 2015 | 26283465 |
| seasonal variation of honeybee pathogens and its association with pollen diversity in uruguay. | honeybees are susceptible to a wide range of pathogens, which have been related to the occurrence of colony loss episodes reported mainly in north hemisphere countries. their ability to resist those infections is compromised if they are malnourished or exposed to pesticides. the aim of the present study was to carry out an epidemiological study in uruguay, south america, in order to evaluate the dynamics and interaction of honeybee pathogens and evaluate their association with the presence of ex ... | 2015 | 25794593 |
| honey bee infecting lake sinai viruses. | honey bees are critical pollinators of important agricultural crops. recently, high annual losses of honey bee colonies have prompted further investigation of honey bee infecting viruses. to better characterize the recently discovered and very prevalent lake sinai virus (lsv) group, we sequenced currently circulating lsvs, performed phylogenetic analysis, and obtained images of lsv2. sequence analysis resulted in extension of the lsv1 and lsv2 genomes, the first detection of lsv4 in the us, and ... | 2015 | 26110586 |
| differential responses of africanized and european honey bees (apis mellifera) to viral replication following mechanical transmission or varroa destructor parasitism. | for the first time, adults and brood of africanized and european honey bees (apis mellifera) were compared for relative virus levels over 48 h following varroa destructor parasitism or injection of v. destructor homogenate. rates of increase of deformed wing virus (dwv) for africanized versus european bees were temporarily lowered for 12h with parasitism and sustainably lowered over the entire experiment (48 h) with homogenate injection in adults. the rates were also temporarily lowered for 24h ... | 2015 | 25527405 |
| genome sequence heterogeneity of lake sinai virus found in honey bees and orf1/rdrp-based polymorphisms in a single host. | honey bees (apis mellifera) are susceptible to a wide range of pathogens, including a broad set of viruses. recently, next-generation sequencing has expanded the list of viruses with, for instance, two strains of lake sinai virus. soon after its discovery in the usa, lsv was also discovered in other countries and in other hosts. in the present study, we assemble four almost complete lsv genomes, and show that there is remarkable sequence heterogeneity based on the orf1, rna-dependent rna polymer ... | 2015 | 25725149 |
| metatranscriptomic analyses of honey bee colonies. | honey bees face numerous biotic threats from viruses to bacteria, fungi, protists, and mites. here we describe a thorough analysis of microbes harbored by worker honey bees collected from field colonies in geographically distinct regions of turkey. turkey is one of the world's most important centers of apiculture, harboring five subspecies of apis mellifera l., approximately 20% of the honey bee subspecies in the world. we use deep illumina-based rna sequencing to capture rna species for the hon ... | 2015 | 25852743 |
| overwintering is associated with reduced expression of immune genes and higher susceptibility to virus infection in honey bees. | the eusocial honey bee, apis mellifera, has evolved remarkable abilities to survive extreme seasonal differences in temperature and availability of resources by dividing the worker caste into two groups that differ in physiology and lifespan: summer and winter bees. most of the recent major losses of managed honey bee colonies occur during the winter, suggesting that winter bees may have compromised immune function and higher susceptibility to diseases. we tested this hypothesis by comparing the ... | 2015 | 26121358 |
| antennae hold a key to varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour in honey bees. | in honey bees, varroa sensitive hygiene (vsh) behaviour, which involves the detection and removal of brood parasitised by the mite varroa destructor, can actively participate in the survival of colonies facing varroa outbreaks. this study investigated the mechanisms of vsh behaviour, by comparing the antennal transcriptomes of bees that do and do not perform vsh behaviour. results indicate that antennae likely play a key role in the expression of vsh behaviour. comparisons with the antennal tran ... | 2015 | 26000641 |
| prospective large-scale field study generates predictive model identifying major contributors to colony losses. | over the last decade, unusually high losses of colonies have been reported by beekeepers across the usa. multiple factors such as varroa destructor, bee viruses, nosema ceranae, weather, beekeeping practices, nutrition, and pesticides have been shown to contribute to colony losses. here we describe a large-scale controlled trial, in which different bee pathogens, bee population, and weather conditions across winter were monitored at three locations across the usa. in order to minimize influence ... | 2015 | 25875764 |
| a descriptive study of the prevalence of parasites and pathogens in chinese black honeybees. | the chinese black honey bee is a distinct honey bee subspecies distributed in the xinjiang, heilongjiang and jilin provinces of china. we conducted a study to investigate the genetic origin and the parasite/pathogen profile on chinese black honeybees. the phylogenetic analysis indicated that chinese black honeybees were two distinct groups: one group of bees formed a distinct clade that was most similar to apis mellifera mellifera and the other group was a hybrid of the subspecies, apis mellifer ... | 2015 | 26291681 |
| the new zealand experience of varroa invasion highlights research opportunities for australia. | the varroa mite (varroa destructor) is implicated as a major disease factor in honey bee (apis mellifera) populations worldwide. honey bees are extensively relied upon for pollination services, and in countries such as new zealand and australia where honey bees have been introduced specifically for commercial pollinator services, the economic effects of any decline in honey bee numbers are predicted to be profound. v. destructor established in new zealand in 2000 but as yet, australia remains va ... | 2015 | 26133152 |
| a search for protein biomarkers links olfactory signal transduction to social immunity. | the western honey bee (apis mellifera l.) is a critical component of human agriculture through its pollination activities. for years, beekeepers have controlled deadly pathogens such as paenibacillus larvae, nosema spp. and varroa destructor with antibiotics and pesticides but widespread chemical resistance is appearing and most beekeepers would prefer to eliminate or reduce the use of in-hive chemicals. while such treatments are likely to still be needed, an alternate management strategy is to ... | 2015 | 25757461 |
| diversity in a honey bee pathogen: first report of a third master variant of the deformed wing virus quasispecies. | treatment of emerging rna viruses is hampered by the high mutation and replication rates that enable these viruses to operate as a quasispecies. declining honey bee populations have been attributed to the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor and its affiliation with deformed wing virus (dwv). in the current study we use next-generation sequencing to investigate the dwv quasispecies in an apiary known to suffer from overwintering colony losses. we show that the dwv species complex is made up of t ... | 2015 | 26574686 |
| virus infections of honeybees apis mellifera. | the health and vigour of honeybee colonies are threatened by numerous parasites (such as varroa destructor and nosema spp.) and pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa. among honeybee pathogens, viruses are one of the major threats to the health and well-being of honeybees and cause serious concern for researchers and beekeepers. to tone down the threats posed by these invasive organisms, a better understanding of bee viral infections will be of crucial importance in developing effectiv ... | 2015 | 27800411 |
| a mathematical model of the honeybee-varroa destructor-acute bee paralysis virus system with seasonal effects. | a mathematical model for the honeybee-varroa mite-abpv system is proposed in terms of four differential equations for the: infected and uninfected bees in the colony, number of mites overall, and of mites carrying the virus. to account for seasonal variability, all parameters are time periodic. we obtain linearized stability conditions for the disease-free periodic solutions. numerically, we illustrate that, for appropriate parameters, mites can establish themselves in colonies that are not trea ... | 2015 | 26382876 |
| in-depth proteomic analysis of varroa destructor: detection of dwv-complex, abpv, vdmlv and honeybee proteins in the mite. | we investigated pathogens in the parasitic honeybee mite varroa destructor using nanolc-ms/ms (tripletof) and 2d-e-ms/ms proteomics approaches supplemented with affinity-chromatography to concentrate trace target proteins. peptides were detected from the currently uncharacterized varroa destructor macula-like virus (vdmlv), the deformed wing virus (dwv)-complex and the acute bee paralysis virus (abpv). peptide alignments revealed detection of complete structural dwv-complex block vp2-vp1-vp3, vd ... | 2015 | 26358842 |
| vertical transmission of honey bee viruses in a belgian queen breeding program. | the member states of european union are encouraged to improve the general conditions for the production and marketing of apicultural products. in belgium, programmes on the restocking of honey bee hives have run for many years. overall, the success ratio of this queen breeding programme has been only around 50%. to tackle this low efficacy, we organized sanitary controls of the breeding queens in 2012 and 2014. | 2015 | 25889959 |
| lower virus infections in varroa destructor-infested and uninfested brood and adult honey bees (apis mellifera) of a low mite population growth colony compared to a high mite population growth colony. | a comparison was made of the prevalence and relative quantification of deformed wing virus (dwv), israeli acute paralysis virus (iapv), black queen cell virus (bqcv), kashmir bee virus (kbv), acute bee paralysis virus (abpv) and sac brood virus (sbv) in brood and adult honey bees (apis mellifera) from colonies selected for high (hmp) and low (lmp) varroa destructor mite population growth. two viruses, abpv and sbv, were never detected. for adults without mite infestation, dwv, iapv, bqcv and kbv ... | 2015 | 25723540 |
| a new detection method for a newly revealed mechanism of pyrethroid resistance development in varroa destructor. | the varroa destructor mite has recently displayed an ever increasing resistance to new drugs, contributing to ccd proliferation. this work was aimed at determining new viable methods for identifying the pyrethroid resistance of v. destructor and dna methylation in resistant and sensitive mites. dna was extracted from varroa mites. nucleotide changes in the dna of pyrethroid-resistant, pyrethroid-sensitive, and control mites were identified with polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformatio ... | 2015 | 26210302 |
| behavioral and molecular studies of quantitative differences in hygienic behavior in honeybees. | hygienic behavior (hb) enables honeybees to tolerate parasites, including infection with the parasitic mite varroa destructor, and it is a well-known example of a quantitative genetic trait. the understanding of the molecular processes underpinning the quantitative differences in this behavior remains limited. | 2016 | 27769283 |
| haplotype identification and detection of mitochondrial dna heteroplasmy in varroa destructor mites using arms and pcr-rflp methods. | in the present study, amplification refractory mutation system (arms) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) methods were used for identification of recently described serbia 1 (s1) and peshter 1 (p1) mitochondrial haplotypes of varroa destructor. based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) within cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) and cytochrome b (cytb) gene sequences, a total of 64 adult v. destructor females were analyzed from locations where the s1 an ... | 2016 | 27631761 |
| unbiased rna shotgun metagenomics in social and solitary wild bees detects associations with eukaryote parasites and new viruses. | the diversity of eukaryote organisms and viruses associated with wild bees remains poorly characterized in contrast to the well-documented pathosphere of the western honey bee, apis mellifera. using a deliberate rna shotgun metagenomic sequencing strategy in combination with a dedicated bioinformatics workflow, we identified the (micro-)organisms and viruses associated with two bumble bee hosts, bombus terrestris and bombus pascuorum, and two solitary bee hosts, osmia cornuta and andrena vaga. i ... | 2016 | 28006002 |
| varroa destructor (mesostigmata: varroidae) parasitism and climate differentially influence the prevalence, levels, and overt infections of deformed wing virus in honey bees (hymenoptera: apidae). | the prevalence and loads of deformed wing virus (dwv) between honey bee (apis mellifera l.) colonies from a tropical and a temperate environment were compared. the interaction between these environments and the mite varroa destructor in relation to dwv prevalence, levels, and overt infections, was also analyzed. v. destructor rates were determined, and samples of mites, adult bees, brood parasitized with varroa mites and brood not infested by mites were analyzed. dwv was detected in 100% of the ... | 2016 | 27252482 |
| a toolbox for quantitative gene expression in varroa destructor: rna degradation in field samples and systematic analysis of reference gene stability. | varroa destructor is the major pest of apis mellifera and contributes to the global honey bee health crisis threatening food security. developing new control strategies to combat varroa will require the application of molecular biology, including gene expression studies by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qrt-pcr). both high quality rna samples and suitable stable internal reference genes are required for accurate gene expression studies. in this study, ten ... | 2016 | 27182699 |
| moku virus; a new iflavirus found in wasps, honey bees and varroa. | there is an increasing global trend of emerging infectious diseases (eids) affecting a wide range of species, including honey bees. the global epidemic of the single stranded rna deformed wing virus (dwv), driven by the spread of varroa destructor has been well documented. however, dwv is just one of many insect rna viruses which infect a wide range of hosts. here we report the full genome sequence of a novel iflavirus named moku virus (mv), discovered in the social wasp vespula pensylvanica col ... | 2016 | 27713534 |
| transcriptome analysis of the synganglion from the honey bee mite, varroa destructor and rnai knockdown of neural peptide targets. | varroa mites (varroa destructor) and the viruses that they transmit are one of the major contributing factors to the global honey bee crisis. gene products within the nervous system are the targets of all the insecticides currently used to control varroa but there is a paucity of transcriptomic data available for varroa neural tissues. a cdna library from the synganglia ("brains") of adult female varroa was constructed and 600 ests sequenced and analysed revealing several current and potential d ... | 2016 | 26721201 |
| superinfection exclusion and the long-term survival of honey bees in varroa-infested colonies. | over the past 50 years, many millions of european honey bee (apis mellifera) colonies have died as the ectoparasitic mite, varroa destructor, has spread around the world. subsequent studies have indicated that the mite's association with a group of rna viral pathogens (deformed wing virus, dwv) correlates with colony death. here, we propose a phenomenon known as superinfection exclusion that provides an explanation of how certain a. mellifera populations have survived, despite varroa infestation ... | 2016 | 26505829 |
| effects of imidacloprid and varroa destructor on survival and health of european honey bees, apis mellifera. | there has been growing concern over declines in populations of honey bees and other pollinators which are a vital part to our food security. it is imperative to identify factors responsible for accelerated declines in bee populations and develop solutions for reversing bee losses. while exact causes of colony losses remain elusive, risk factors thought to play key roles are ectoparasitic mites varroa destructor and neonicotinoid pesticides. the present study aims to investigate effects of a neon ... | 2016 | 26990560 |
| varroa destructor and viruses association in honey bee colonies under different climatic conditions. | honey bee colonies are threatened by multiple factors including complex interactions between environmental and diseases such as parasitic mites and viruses. we compared the presence of honeybee-pathogenic viruses and varroa infestation rate in four apiaries: commercial colonies that received treatment against varroa and non-treated colonies that did not received any treatment for the last four years located in temperate and subtropical climate. in addition, we evaluated the effect of climate and ... | 2016 | 26972121 |
| a mutualistic symbiosis between a parasitic mite and a pathogenic virus undermines honey bee immunity and health. | honey bee colony losses are triggered by interacting stress factors consistently associated with high loads of parasites and/or pathogens. a wealth of biotic and abiotic stressors are involved in the induction of this complex multifactorial syndrome, with the parasitic mite varroa destructor and the associated deformed wing virus (dwv) apparently playing key roles. the mechanistic basis underpinning this association and the evolutionary implications remain largely obscure. here we narrow this re ... | 2016 | 26951652 |
| deformed wing virus is a recent global epidemic in honeybees driven by varroa mites. | deformed wing virus (dwv) and its vector, the mite varroa destructor, are a major threat to the world's honeybees. although the impact of varroa on colony-level dwv epidemiology is evident, we have little understanding of wider dwv epidemiology and the role that varroa has played in its global spread. a phylogeographic analysis shows that dwv is globally distributed in honeybees, having recently spread from a common source, the european honeybee apis mellifera. dwv exhibits epidemic growth and t ... | 2016 | 26912700 |
| varroa destructor macula-like virus, lake sinai virus and other new rna viruses in wild bumblebee hosts (bombus pascuorum, bombus lapidarius and bombus pratorum). | pollinators such as bumblebees (bombus spp.) are in decline worldwide which poses a threat not only for ecosystem biodiversity but also to human crop production services. one main cause of pollinator decline may be the infection and transmission of diseases including rna viruses. recently, new viruses have been discovered in honeybees, but information on the presence of these in wild bumblebees is largely not available. in this study, we investigated the prevalence of new rna viruses in bombus s ... | 2016 | 26706994 |
| effect of 1,3-1,6 β-glucan on natural and experimental deformed wing virus infection in newly emerged honeybees (apis mellifera ligustica). | the western honeybee is a key pollinator for natural as well as agricultural ecosystems. in the last decade massive honeybee colony losses have been observed worldwide, the result of a complex syndrome triggered by multiple stress factors, with the rna virus deformed wing virus (dwv) and the mite varroa destructor playing crucial roles. the mite supports replication of dwv to high titers, which exert an immunosuppressive action and correlate with the onset of the disease. the aim of this study w ... | 2016 | 27829027 |
| pathogenesis of varroosis at the level of the honey bee (apis mellifera) colony. | the parasitic mite varroa destructor, in interaction with different viruses, is the main cause of honey bee colony mortality in most parts of the world. here we studied how effects of individual-level parasitization are reflected by the bee colony as a whole. we measured disease progression in an apiary of 24 hives with differing degree of mite infestation, and investigated its relationship to 28 biometrical, physiological and biochemical indicators. in early summer, when the most heavily infest ... | 2016 | 27296894 |
| the ectoparasitic mite tropilaelaps mercedesae reduces western honey bee, apismellifera, longevity and emergence weight, and promotes deformed wing virus infections. | historically an ectoparasite of the native giant honey bee apis dorsata, the mite tropilaelaps mercedesae has switched hosts to the introduced western honey bee apis mellifera throughout much of asia. few data regarding lethal and sub-lethal effects of t. mercedesae on a. mellifera exist, despite its similarity to the devastating mite varroa destructor. here we artificially infested worker brood of a. mellifera with t. mercedesae to investigate lethal (longevity) and sub-lethal (emergence weight ... | 2016 | 27126517 |
| impact of the phoretic phase on reproduction and damage caused by varroa destructor (anderson and trueman) to its host, the european honey bee (apis mellifera l.). | varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of the honeybee that causes thousands of colony losses worldwide. the parasite cycle is composed of a phoretic and a reproductive phase. during the former, mites stay on adult bees, mostly on nurses, to feed on hemolymph. during the latter, the parasites enter brood cells and reproduce. we investigated if the type of bees on which varroa stays during the phoretic phase and if the duration of this stay influenced the reproductive success of the parasite and t ... | 2016 | 27096154 |
| varroa destructor and viruses association in honey bee colonies under different climatic conditions. | honey bee colonies are threatened by multiple factors including complex interactions between environmental and diseases such as parasitic mites and viruses. we compared the presence of honeybee-pathogenic viruses and varroa infestation rate in four apiaries: commercial colonies that received treatment against varroa and non-treated colonies that did not received any treatment for the last 4 years located in temperate and subtropical climate. in addition, we evaluated the effect of climate and va ... | 2016 | 27083139 |
| two novel viruses associated with the apis mellifera pathogenic mite varroa destructor. | varroa destructor infestation of apis mellifera colonies carries and/or promotes replication of honey bee viruses like the deformed wing virus, the varroa destructor virus-1, the acute bee paralysis virus, the israeli acute bee paralysis virus and the kashmir bee virus that have been well described and characterized; but viruses exclusively associated with varroa were not found. to look for viruses that may associate with- or infect v. destructor we performed deep sequencing (rna-seq) of rna ext ... | 2016 | 27883042 |
| differential gene expression in varroa jacobsoni mites following a host shift to european honey bees (apis mellifera). | varroa mites are widely considered the biggest honey bee health problem worldwide. until recently, varroa jacobsoni has been found to live and reproduce only in asian honey bee (apis cerana) colonies, while v. destructor successfully reproduces in both a. cerana and a. mellifera colonies. however, we have identified an island population of v. jacobsoni that is highly destructive to a. mellifera, the primary species used for pollination and honey production. the ability of these populations of mi ... | 2016 | 27852222 |
| ligand selectivity in tachykinin and natalisin neuropeptidergic systems of the honey bee parasitic mite varroa destructor. | the varroa mite, varroa destructor, is a devastating ectoparasite of the honey bees apis mellifera and a. cerana. control of these mites in beehives is a challenge in part due to the lack of toxic agents that are specific to mites and not to the host honey bee. in searching for a specific toxic target of varroa mites, we investigated two closely related neuropeptidergic systems, tachykinin-related peptide (trp) and natalisin (ntl), and their respective receptors. honey bees lack both ntl and the ... | 2016 | 26817786 |
| the honey bee pathosphere of mongolia: european viruses in central asia. | parasites and pathogens are apparent key factors for the detrimental health of managed european honey bee subspecies, apis mellifera. apicultural trade is arguably the main factor for the almost global distribution of most honey bee diseases, thereby increasing chances for multiple infestations/infections of regions, apiaries, colonies and even individual bees. this imposes difficulties to evaluate the effects of pathogens in isolation, thereby creating demand to survey remote areas. here, we co ... | 2016 | 26959221 |
| occurrence of deformed wing virus, chronic bee paralysis virus and mtdna variants in haplotype k of varroa destructor mites in syrian apiaries. | a small-scale survey was conducted on 64 beehives located in four governorates of syria in order to assess for the first time the presence of honeybee-infecting viruses and of varroa destructor mites in the country. rt-pcr assays conducted on 192 honeybees (apis mellifera l.) using virus-specific primers showed that deformed wing virus (dwv) was present in 49 (25.5%) of the tested samples and chronic bee paralysis virus (cbpv) in 2 (1.04%), whereas acute bee paralysis virus, sacbrood virus, blac ... | 2016 | 26914360 |
| novel mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel of pyrethroid-resistant varroa destructor populations from the southeastern usa. | the parasitic mite varroa destructor has a significant worldwide impact on bee colony health. in the absence of control measures, parasitized colonies invariably collapse within 3 years. the synthetic pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have proven very effective at managing this mite within apiaries, but intensive control programs based mainly on one active ingredient have led to many reports of pyrethroid resistance. in europe, a modification of leucine to valine at position 925 (l925v) ... | 2016 | 27191597 |
| sepsis and hemocyte loss in honey bees (apis mellifera) infected with serratia marcescens strain sicaria. | global loss of honey bee colonies is threatening the human food supply. diverse pathogens reduce honey bee hardiness needed to sustain colonies, especially in winter. we isolated a free-living gram negative bacillus from hemolymph of worker honey bees (apis mellifera) found separated from winter clusters. in some hives, greater than 90% of the dying bees detached from the winter cluster were found to contain this bacterium in their hemolymph. throughout the year, the same organism was rarely fou ... | 2016 | 28002470 |
| go east for better honey bee health: apis cerana is faster at hygienic behavior than a. mellifera. | the poor health status of the western honey bee, apis mellifera, compared to its eastern counterpart, apis cerana, is remarkable. this has been attributed to lower pathogen prevalence in a. cerana colonies and to their ability to survive infestations with the ectoparasitic mite, varroa destructor. these properties have been linked to an enhanced removal of dead or unhealthy immature bees by adult workers in this species. although such hygienic behavior is known to contribute to honey bee colony ... | 2016 | 27606819 |
| parasite resistance and tolerance in honeybees at the individual and social level. | organisms living in large groups, such as social insects, are particularly vulnerable to parasite transmission. however, they have evolved diverse defence mechanisms which are not only restricted to the individual's immune response, but also include social defences. here, we review cases of adaptations at the individual and social level in the honeybee apis mellifera against the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor and the endoparasitic microsporidians nosema ceranae and nosema apis. they are co ... | 2016 | 27106014 |
| social apoptosis in honey bee superorganisms. | eusocial insect colonies form superorganisms, in which nestmates cooperate and use social immunity to combat parasites. however, social immunity may fail in case of emerging diseases. this is the case for the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor, which switched hosts from the eastern honeybee, apis cerana, to the western honey bee, apis mellifera, and currently is the greatest threat to a. mellifera apiculture globally. here, we show that immature workers of the mite's original host, a. cerana, ... | 2016 | 27264643 |
| linking measures of colony and individual honey bee health to survival among apiaries exposed to varying agricultural land use. | we previously characterized and quantified the influence of land use on survival and productivity of colonies positioned in six apiaries and found that colonies in apiaries surrounded by more land in uncultivated forage experienced greater annual survival, and generally more honey production. here, detailed metrics of honey bee health were assessed over three years in colonies positioned in the same six apiaries. the colonies were located in north dakota during the summer months and were transpo ... | 2016 | 27027871 |
| fine scale population genetic structure of varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite of the honey bee (apis mellifera). | varroa destructor is an obligate ectoparasitic mite and the most important biotic threat currently facing honey bees (apis mellifera). we used neutral microsatellites to analyze previously unreported fine scale population structure of v. destructor, a species characterized by extreme lack of genetic diversity owing to multiple bottleneck events, haplodiploidy, and primarily brother-sister matings. our results surprisingly indicate that detectable hierarchical genetic variation exists between api ... | 2016 | 27812229 |
| distance between honey bee apis mellifera colonies regulates populations of varroa destructor at a landscape scale. | inter-colony distance of apis mellifera significantly affects colony numbers of the parasitic mite varroa destructor. we set up 15 apiaries, each consisting of two colonies. each apiary pair was assigned an inter-colony distance of 0, 10, or 100 m. colonies were rendered nearly mite-free, then one colony in each pair was seeded with 300 female mites (mite-donor colony), while the other remained uninoculated (mite-recipient colony). after four months of monitoring, a whole model analysis showed t ... | 2016 | 27812228 |
| large-scale monitoring of effects of clothianidin-dressed oilseed rape seeds on pollinating insects in northern germany: effects on honey bees (apis mellifera). | possible effects of clothianidin seed-treated oilseed rape on honey bee colonies were investigated in a large-scale monitoring project in northern germany, where oilseed rape usually comprises 25-33 % of the arable land. for both reference and test sites, six study locations were selected and eight honey bee hives were placed at each location. at each site, three locations were directly adjacent to oilseed rape fields and three locations were situated 400 m away from the nearest oilseed rape fie ... | 2016 | 27644949 |
| specific cues associated with honey bee social defence against varroa destructor infested brood. | social immunity forms an essential part of the defence repertoire of social insects. in response to infestation by the parasitic mite varroa destructor and its associated viruses, honey bees (apis mellifera l.) have developed a specific behaviour (varroa-sensitive hygiene, or vsh) that helps protect the colony from this parasite. brood cells heavily infested with mites are uncapped, the brood killed, and the cell contents removed. for this extreme sacrifice to be beneficial to the colony, the ta ... | 2016 | 27140530 |
| comparison of varroa destructor and worker honeybee microbiota within hives indicates shared bacteria. | the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor is a major pest of the honeybee apis mellifera. in a previous study, bacteria were found in the guts of mites collected from winter beehive debris and were identified using sanger sequencing of their 16s rrna genes. in this study, community comparison and diversity analyses were performed to examine the microbiota of honeybees and mites at the population level. the microbiota of the mites and honeybees in 26 colonies in seven apiaries in czechia was studi ... | 2016 | 27129319 |
| synthesis of enantiopure alicyclic ethers and their activity on the chemosensory organ of the ectoparasite of honey bees, varroa destructor. | the preparation of enantiopure conformationally restricted alicyclic ethers and their inhibitory activities on the chemosensory organ of the varroa destructor, a parasite of honey bees, are reported in this article. we tested the effect of enantiopure ethers of cis-5-(2'-hydroxyethyl)cyclopent-2-en-1-ol on the varroa chemosensory organ by electrophysiology, for their ability to inhibit the responses to two honey bee-produced odors that are important for the mite to locate its host: nurse bee hea ... | 2016 | 27792333 |
| effects of varroa destructor on temperature and humidity conditions and expression of energy metabolism genes in infested honeybee colonies. | varroa destructor mites pose an increasing global threat to the apicultural industry and agricultural ecology; however, the issue of whether certain environmental factors reflect the level of mite infection is far from resolved. here, a wireless sensor network (wsn) system was used to examine how v. destructor, which has vital impacts on honeybee (apis mellifera) health and survival, affects the temperature and humidity of honeybee hives in a field experiment. this approach may facilitate early ... | 2016 | 27706787 |
| behavioral modulation of infestation by varroa destructor in bee colonies. implications for colony stability. | colony collapse disorder (ccd) has become a global problem for beekeepers and for the crops that depend on bee pollination. while many factors are known to increase the risk of colony collapse, the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor is considered to be the most serious one. although this mite is unlikely to cause the collapse of hives itself, it is the vector for many viral diseases which are among the likely causes for colony collapse disorder. the effects of v. destructor infestation differ ... | 2016 | 27583438 |
| key management practices to prevent high infestation levels of varroa destructor in honey bee colonies at the beginning of the honey yield season. | varroa destructor is considered one of the main threats to worldwide apiculture causing a variety of physiological effects at individual and colony level. also, varroa mites are often associated with several honey bee viruses presence. relatively low levels of varroa during the spring, at the beginning of the honey yield season, can have a significant economic impact on honey production and colony health. winter treatments against varroa and certain management practices may delay mite population ... | 2016 | 27544258 |
| local bumble bee decline linked to recovery of honey bees, drought effects on floral resources. | time series of abundances are critical for understanding how abiotic factors and species interactions affect population dynamics, but are rarely linked with experiments and also scarce for bee pollinators. this gap is important given concerns about declines in some bee species. i monitored honey bee (apis mellifera) and bumble bee (bombus spp.) foragers in coastal california from 1999, when feral a. mellifera populations were low due to varroa destructor, until 2014. apis mellifera increased sub ... | 2016 | 27539950 |
| viral epidemiology of the adult apis mellifera infested by the varroa destructor mite. | the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor has become one of the major worldwide threats for apiculture. varroa destructor attacks the honey bee apis mellifera weakening its host by sucking hemolymph. however, the damage to bee colonies is not strictly related to the parasitic action of the mite but it derives, above all, from its action as vector increasing the transmission of many viral diseases such as acute paralysis (abpv) and deformed wing viruses (dwv), that are considered among the main ca ... | 2016 | 27441276 |
| proteome analysis of the hemolymph, mushroom body, and antenna provides novel insight into honeybee resistance against varroa infestation. | varroa destructor has been identified as a major culprit responsible for the losses of millions of honeybee colonies. varroa sensitive hygiene (vsh) is a suite of behaviors from adult bees to suppress mite reproduction by uncapping and/or removing mite infested pupae from a sealed brood. despite the efforts to elucidate the molecular underpinnings of vsh, they remain largely unknown. we investigated the proteome of mushroom bodies (mbs) and antennae of adult bees with and without vsh from a stoc ... | 2016 | 27384112 |
| evaluation of oxalic acid treatments against the mite varroa destructor and secondary effects on honey bees apis mellifera. | the varroa destructor varroasis is a very serious parasite of honeybee apis mellifera. the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of varroa treatment using organic acid (oxalic acid) in algeria identifying its side effects on bee colonies. | 2016 | 28032102 |
| varroa destructor mites can nimbly climb from flowers onto foraging honey bees. | varroa destructor, the introduced parasite of european honey bees associated with massive colony deaths, spreads readily through populations of honey bee colonies, both managed colonies living crowded together in apiaries and wild colonies living widely dispersed in natural settings. mites are hypothesized to spread between most managed colonies via phoretically riding forager bees when they engage in robbing colonies or they drift between hives. however, widely spaced wild colonies show varroa ... | 2016 | 27942015 |
| why do varroa mites prefer nurse bees? | the varroa mite, varroa destructor, is an acarine ecto-parasite on apis mellifera. it is the worst pest of apis mellifera, yet its reproductive biology on the host is not well understood. in particular, the significance of the phoretic stage, when mites feed on adult bees for a few days, is not clear. in addition, it is not clear whether the preference of mites for nurses observed in the laboratory also happens inside real colonies. we show that varroa mites prefer nurses over both newly emerged ... | 2016 | 27302644 |
| spermatozoa capacitation in female varroa destructor and its influence on the timing and success of female reproduction. | mating of varroa destructor takes place inside the sealed honey bee brood cell. during copulation, male mites transfer the spermatozoa into the genital openings of the females. before the fertilization of female germ cells, the transferred spermatozoa have to pass through a final maturation process inside the genital tract of the female, the so-called capacitation. we here describe for the first time the morphological changes and chronological sequence of spermatozoa capacitation within female v ... | 2016 | 27209572 |
| disease dynamics of honeybees with varroa destructor as parasite and virus vector. | the worldwide decline in honeybee colonies during the past 50 years has often been linked to the spread of the parasitic mite varroa destructor and its interaction with certain honeybee viruses carried by varroa mites. in this paper, we propose a honeybee-mite-virus model that incorporates (1) parasitic interactions between honeybees and the varroa mites; (2) five virus transmission terms between honeybees and mites at different stages of varroa mites: from honeybees to honeybees, from adult hon ... | 2016 | 26968931 |
| how honey bee colonies survive in the wild: testing the importance of small nests and frequent swarming. | the ectoparasitic mite, varroa destructor, and the viruses that it transmits, kill the colonies of european honey bees (apis mellifera) kept by beekeepers unless the bees are treated with miticides. nevertheless, there exist populations of wild colonies of european honey bees that are persisting without being treated with miticides. we hypothesized that the persistence of these wild colonies is due in part to their habits of nesting in small cavities and swarming frequently. we tested this hypot ... | 2016 | 26968000 |
| prolonged effects of in-hive monoterpenoids on the honey bee apis mellifera. | honey bees are exposed in their environment to contaminants but also to biological stressors such as varroa destructor that can weaken the colony. preparations containing monoterpenoids that are essential oil components, can be introduced into hives to control varroa. the long-term sublethal effects of monoterpenoids used as miticides have been poorly investigated. analysis of behavior of free-moving bees in the laboratory is useful to evaluate the impact of chemical stressors on their cognitive ... | 2016 | 26965704 |
| differential gene expression of two extreme honey bee (apis mellifera) colonies showing varroa tolerance and susceptibility. | varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite of honey bees (apis mellifera), is the most serious pest threatening the apiculture industry. in our honey bee breeding programme, two honey bee colonies showing extreme phenotypes for varroa tolerance/resistance (s88) and susceptibility (g4) were identified by natural selection from a large gene pool over a 6-year period. to investigate potential defence mechanisms for honey bee tolerance to varroa infestation, we employed dna microarray and real time qu ... | 2016 | 26919127 |
| population growth of varroa destructor (acari: varroidae) in honey bee colonies is affected by the number of foragers with mites. | varroa mites are a serious pest of honey bees and the leading cause of colony losses. varroa have relatively low reproductive rates, so populations should not increase rapidly, but often they do. other factors might contribute to the growth of varroa populations including mite migration into colonies on foragers from other hives. we measured the proportion of foragers carrying mites on their bodies while entering and leaving hives, and determined its relationship to the growth of varroa populati ... | 2016 | 26910522 |
| comparison of tau-fluvalinate, acrinathrin, and amitraz effects on susceptible and resistant populations of varroa destructor in a vial test. | the parasitic mite varroa destructor is a major pest of the western honeybee, apis mellifera. the development of acaricide resistance in varroa populations is a global issue. discriminating concentrations of acaricides are widely used to detect pest resistance. two methods, using either glass vials or paraffin capsules, are used to screen for varroa resistance to various acaricides. we found the glass vial method to be useless for testing varroa resistance to acaridices, so we developed a polypr ... | 2016 | 26910521 |
| erratum to: differences in varroa destructor infestation rates of two indigenous subspecies of apis mellifera in the republic of south africa. | 2016 | 26846365 | |
| multi-residue method for the determination of pesticides and pesticide metabolites in honeybees by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry--honeybee poisoning incidents. | a method for the determination of 200 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in honeybee samples has been developed and validated. almost 98% of compounds included in this method are approved to use within european union, as active substances of plant protection products or veterinary medicinal products used by beekeepers to control mites varroa destructor in hives. many significant metabolites, like metabolites of imidacloprid, thiacloprid, fipronil, methiocarb and amitraz, are also possible to d ... | 2016 | 26830634 |
| identification and gene-silencing of a putative odorant receptor transcription factor in varroa destructor: possible role in olfaction. | the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor is one of the major threats to apiculture. using a behavioural choice bioassay, we determined that phoretic mites were more successful in reaching a bee than reproductive mites, suggesting an energy trade-off between reproduction and host selection. we used both chemo-ecological and molecular strategies to identify the regulation of the olfactory machinery of varroa and its association with reproduction. we focused on transcription regulation. using prime ... | 2016 | 26801167 |
| factors influencing the prevalence and infestation levels of varroa destructor in honeybee colonies in two highland agro-ecological zones of uganda. | varroa mites are ecto-parasites of honeybees and are a threat to the beekeeping industry. we identified the haplotype of varroa mites and evaluated potential factors that influence their prevalence and infestation levels in the eastern and western highland agro-ecological zones of uganda. this was done by collecting samples of adult worker bees between december 2014 and september 2015 in two sampling moments. samples of bees were screened for varroa using the ethanol wash method and the mites we ... | 2016 | 26801158 |
| genome-wide association study of a varroa-specific defense behavior in honeybees (apis mellifera). | honey bees are exposed to many damaging pathogens and parasites. the most devastating is varroa destructor, which mainly affects the brood. a promising approach for preventing its spread is to breed varroa-resistant honey bees. one trait that has been shown to provide significant resistance against the varroa mite is hygienic behavior, which is a behavioral response of honeybee workers to brood diseases in general. here, we report the use of an affymetrix 44k snp array to analyze snps associated ... | 2016 | 26774061 |
| differences in varroa destructor infestation rates of two indigenous subspecies of apis mellifera in the republic of south africa. | varroa destructor anderson & trueman (varroa) is a damaging pest of the western honey bee, apis mellifera, in north america, europe, and asia. however, varroa infestations have not produced equivalent colony losses of african subspecies of honey bee throughout africa and parts of the americas. we surveyed the varroa infestation rates (number of varroa per 100 adult honey bees) in colonies of a. m. scutellata, a. m. capensis, and hybrids of the two subspecies throughout the republic of south afri ... | 2016 | 26704261 |
| next generation sequencing of apis mellifera syriaca identifies genes for varroa resistance and beneficial bee keeping traits. | apis mellifera syriaca exhibits a high degree of tolerance to pests and pathogens including varroa mites. this native honey bee subspecies of jordan expresses behavioral adaptations to high temperature and dry seasons typical of the region. however, persistent honey bee imports of commercial breeder lines are endangering local honey bee population. this study reports the use of next-generation sequencing (ngs) technology to study the a. m. syriaca genome and to identify genetic factors possibly ... | 2016 | 25615619 |
| ratios of colony mass to thermal conductance of tree and man-made nest enclosures of apis mellifera: implications for survival, clustering, humidity regulation and varroa destructor. | in the absence of human intervention, the honeybee (apis mellifera l.) usually constructs its nest in a tree within a tall, narrow, thick-walled cavity high above the ground (the enclosure); however, most research and apiculture is conducted in the thin-walled, squat wooden enclosures we know as hives. this experimental research, using various hives and thermal models of trees, has found that the heat transfer rate is approximately four to seven times greater in the hives in common use, compared ... | 2016 | 26335295 |
| quantifying the establishment likelihood of invasive alien species introductions through ports with application to honeybees in australia. | the cost of an uncontrolled incursion of invasive alien species (ias) arising from undetected entry through ports can be substantial, and knowledge of port-specific risks is needed to help allocate limited surveillance resources. quantifying the establishment likelihood of such an incursion requires quantifying the ability of a species to enter, establish, and spread. estimation of the approach rate of ias into ports provides a measure of likelihood of entry. data on the approach rate of ias are ... | 2016 | 26482012 |
| resistance rather than tolerance explains survival of savannah honeybees (apis mellifera scutellata) to infestation by the parasitic mite varroa destructor. | varroa destructor is considered the most damaging parasite affecting honeybees (apis mellifera l.). however, some honeybee populations such as the savannah honeybee (apis mellifera scutellata) can survive mite infestation without treatment. it is unclear if survival is due to resistance mechanisms decreasing parasite reproduction or to tolerance mechanisms decreasing the detrimental effects of mites on the host. this study investigates both aspects by quantifying the reproductive output of v. de ... | 2016 | 26690678 |
| ecology of varroa destructor, the major ectoparasite of the western honey bee, apis mellifera. | varroa destructor is the most important ectoparasite of apis mellifera. this review addresses the interactions between the varroa mite, its environment, and the honey bee host, mediated by an impressive number of cues and signals, including semiochemicals regulating crucial steps of the mite's life cycle. although mechanical stimuli, temperature, and humidity play an important role, chemical communication is the most important channel. kairomones are used at all stages of the mite's life cycle, ... | 2016 | 26667378 |
| a 10 year survey of acaricide residues in beeswax analysed in italy. | the aim of this work was to provide an overview of the prevalence and level of acaricides in beeswax used in italy in the past 10 years by analysing 1319 beeswax samples processed by the certified laboratory of the italian bee research institute. | 2016 | 26423556 |
| environment or beekeeping management: what explains better the prevalence of honey bee colonies with high levels of varroa destructor? | varroa destructor is one of the major threats to honey bee colonies. the mite abundance in the colonies is affected by environmental conditions as well as by beekeeping management. the aim of this study was to recognize the main drivers associated with autumn v. destructor infestation in honey bee colonies when different regions from argentina are compared. a total of 361 colonies distributed in five argentinean eco-regions were examined to evaluate varroa mite infestation rate during autumn and ... | 2017 | 28095337 |
| multiresidue method for trace pesticide analysis in honeybee wax comb by gc-qqq-ms. | the aim of this analytical study is to develop an improved multi-residue methodology of high sensitivity and expanded scope for pesticide residue analysis in honeybee wax combs. the method was validated for 160 pesticide residues (including acaricides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) gas chromatography amenable and covering a wide variety of polarity and chemical structure. this method of analysis applied gas chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for the quanti ... | 2017 | 27886770 |
| acute exposure to worst-case concentrations of amitraz does not affect honey bee learning, short-term memory, or hemolymph octopamine levels. | amitraz, an acaricide used to treat varroa destructor anderson & trueman, is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in honey bee (apis mellifera l.) hives. acaricides sometimes negatively impact honey bee cognition, but potential effects of amitraz on honey bee learning have been rarely studied. we topically exposed foragers to 95th percentile field-relevant levels of amitraz and, 24 h later, tested the ability of bees to associate a sucrose reward with a conditioned odor (learning respons ... | 2017 | 28028168 |
| monoterpenoid-based preparations in beehives affect learning, memory, and gene expression in the bee brain. | bees are exposed in their environment to contaminants that can weaken the colony and contribute to bee declines. monoterpenoid-based preparations can be introduced into hives to control the parasitic mite varroa destructor. the long-term effects of monoterpenoids are poorly investigated. olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex (per) has been used to evaluate the impact of stressors on cognitive functions of the honeybee such as learning and memory. the authors tested the per to ... | 2017 | 27306119 |
| performance of honey bee colonies under a long-lasting dietary exposure to sublethal concentrations of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid. | substantial honey bee colony losses have occurred periodically in the last decades. the drivers for these losses are not fully understood. the influence of pests and pathogens are beyond dispute, but in addition, chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of pesticides has been suggested to affect the performance of honey bee colonies. this study aims to elucidate the potential effects of a chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations (one realistic worst-case concentration) of the neonicotino ... | 2017 | 28168846 |