Effects of Natural Infestations of the Mite Varroa destructor on the Development of Africanized Honeybee Workers (Apis mellifera)

The mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Treuman 2000) has caused extensive damage to beekeeping worldwide. In Brazil, weather conditions and the strains of bees do not provide ideal conditions for mite parasitism, which is reflected in the low number of deaths of colonies caused by varroatosis well as the stability of infestation levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the damage caused by the mite infestation in hives maintained in natural conditions. For this purpose the number of mites per bee was calculated and used to quantify the level of infestation in each colony. To record the mortality rates of parasitized bees during development daily checks were performed. The data were analyzed by G test of independence and a Test of Proportions. The results indicate that the rate of mortality of pupae and larvae was proportional to the degree of infestation in each colony, and all colonies showed mortality rates significantly higher than the control rate. A significant interaction among death rates recorded between the third and fourth days of larval life and the total death of larvae was found (G Test = 50.22; P < 0.0001). So, it can be concluded that bee inbreeding contributed significantly to the increase of the larval rate of mortality. In Africanized honeybee colonies infested by the mite Varroa destructor mortality rates in conditions of natural infestation varied from 6.65 to 9.89% in pupae (<(x)over bar>= 8.78%) and from 6.13 to 13.48% in larvae ((x) over bar = 9.91%), against 3.85% and 3.74% in the control colony, respectively. Therefore, in the infested colonies the average rates of mortality caused by the harmful effects of the mite were, respectively, 2.28 times and 2.65 times greater in those two developmental stages.

Invasive Africanized honeybees change the structure of native pollination networks in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Informações biológicas e estimativa do tamanho ideal da colmeia para a abelha tiúba do Maranhão (Melipona compressipes fasciculata Smith - Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

TELA EXCLUIDORA DE RAINHA NA PRODUÇÃO DE MEL E NA LONGEVIDADE DAS OPERÁRIAS em COLMEIAS DE Apis mellifera

Este trabalho tem como objetivos verificar as áreas de cria e alimento e a longevidade de operárias em colmeias de Apis mellifera, em apicultura fixa (mata) e migratória (laranja e eucalipto), sem (T1) e com (T2) tela excluidora de rainha. Foram utilizadas colmeias modelo Langstroth, com sobrecaixa. Na apicultura fixa, estas colmeias foram analisadas durante 476 dias e mapeadas a cada 30 a 45 dias para obtenção das áreas de cria e alimento. Na migratória, as colmeias foram analisadas antes e após a florada. Foi estudada também a longevidade das operárias, nos dois tratamentos. Os dados mostraram que em fluxo baixo de néctar (apicultura fixa, em mata), o uso de tela excluidora apresentou maior eficiência na separação do mel das crias. Entretanto, quando o fluxo de néctar foi alto (floradas de laranja e eucalipto), a tela excluidora não foi eficiente, pois as abelhas rapidamente preencheram os favos disponíveis no ninho inferior, misturando-o com cria. Observou-se também redução na longevidade das operárias das colmeias com tela excluidora, em dois dos três testes realizados. Este trabalho, desenvolvido em três locais diferentes, com plantas apícolas distintas evidenciou também a variabilidade e a grande influência ambiental no desenvolvimento das colônias de Apis mellifera.

Desenvolvimento de núcleos de Apis mellifera alimentados com suplemento aminoácido vitamínico, Promotor L

The development in the area of creates was studied of 14 nuclei with four mass off cells from the division of nine beehives of africanized Apis mellifera honeybees, distributed in two treatments: TPL - nuclei fed with inverted sugar + 3.5ml of the vitaminic amino acid supplement (Promotor L® ), composition for six nuclei and TAI - nuclei fed with composed inverted sugar for eight nuclei. The nuclei had been fed weekly in individual feeder's type tray, and the evaluations carried through in four periods, totalizing 74 days. The treatments had not presented significant difference, being that, number the TPL presented area of creates inferior to TAI (233.63 versus. 273.02cm 2, respectively). How much to the periods the four was superior (P<0.05) to the first and as second, being that the third did not present significant difference (P<0.05) in relation to the others. The use of the TAI was economically more favorable in relation to the TPL in R$0.21 in relation to the cost for production of 1kg of food.

Produtos naturais no comportamento defensivo de Apis mellifera L.

The goal was to investigate the influence of natural products such as lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), dried avocado leaves (Persea americana), coffee husk (Coffea arabica) and castor bean (Ricinus communis) in the defense of Apis mellifera, as well the effect of these products on the population development of the beehive. Defensive behavior was evaluated by time of first sting (TFS) and number of stingers (NS), and population development, by open brood area and operculated brood. It was observed that the treatment with smoke + seven castor beans presented significant increase in the TFS, for treatment without and with smoke. Regarding NS, it was verified that the treatments with smoke + seven castor bean and smoke + 20% coffee husk were different from the treatment without and with smoke. The other treatments did not differ significantly with respect to the use of smoke or its absence. The application of coffee husk and castor bean did not interfere in the development of the population, suggesting that these compounds were not toxic. It can be concluded that the use of castor bean and coffee husk in smoke may represent an important tool for the reduction of defensiveness, without promoting toxicity for A. mellifera.

Viabilidade de sementes de Piptadenia moniliformis Benth. Pelo teste de tetrazólio

Piptadenia moniliformis Benth. is a tree species which is important for beekeeping, as well as being recommended for soil restoration, reforestation, wood production for small civil construction projects, and cattle and sheep forage. Information on how to evaluate seed physiological quality is still scarce and in this was the study aimed to adapt the procedures of the tetrazolium test to assess the viability of P. moniliformis seeds. Four seed lots were scarified in sulphuric acid for 30 min, and soaked between paper towels at 25 °C for 24 hours. The seed coat was then removed and the naked seeds immersed in tetrazolium solutions with concentrations of 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1% for 2, 3, and 4 hours at 35 oC in the dark. Each treatment consisted of four replications of 25 seeds. The embryos were classified according to viability based on the staining patterns. The previous soaking of the seeds for 24 hours at 25 oC between paper towels, followed by the removal of the seed coat and staining of the naked seeds for 4 hours in a 0.075% tetrazolium solution at 35 oC was the most efficient method for evaluating the viability of P. moniliformis Benth seeds.

Análise da produção e comercialização de mel natural no Brasil no período de 1999 a 2010

The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of natural honey production in Brazil, as well as the Brazilian performance in the international markets and their own consumption behavior of natural honey in the domestic market. For this study, we used descriptive analysis of time series information, data production and export of natural honey understood, respectively, for the periods 1999 to 2010. To analyze the correlation between the series of apparent consumption per capita (variable X) and the international price data (variable Y), we used the statistical analysis of the correlation coefficient of Pearson (CP). Main results revealed that the Brazilian production of natural honey has more than doubled in the last decade, while the Northeast region was the largest contributor to this performance. This increase in the production was mainly directed towards supplying the international market, which currently consumes more than half of Brazilian production. It is true that the change in the international market price has a direct effect on domestic supply, but the Brazilian domestic market has potential for increasing effective consumer who deserves to be better exploited; it implies to pay attention to the supply of quality natural honey, quantity and regularity.

O léxico da apicultura e da meliponicultura no Brasil: estudos iniciais para a elaboração de um dicionário terminológico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Porcentagem de aceitação de larvas de diferentes grupos genéticos de Apis mellifera na produção de abelhas rainhas

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

A importância dos arranjos produtivos locais para o desenvolvimento local: o caso da aglomeração produtiva apícola no município de Picos - Piauí

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Influência da sazonalidade e método de produção de própolis no seu teor de minerais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito da infestação do ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson e Treuman, 2000) (Arachnida : Acari : Varroidae) no desenvolvimento de abelhas africanizadas Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Minerais em méis de abelhas Apis mellífera L. produzidos na região do Pólo Cuesta, Estado de São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Controles do desenvolvimento ovariano em abelhas africanizadas adultas, Apis mellifera Linné, 1758 (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Celular e Molecular) - IBRC