Dynamics of Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) infections in honey bees and relationships with other parasites

Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) is a large double stranded DNA virus of honey bees, but its relationship with other parasites and prevalence are poorly known. We analyzed individual honey bees from three colonies at different times post emergence in order to monitor the dynamics of the AmFV gut colonization under natural conditions. Prevalence and loads of microsporidia and trypanosomes were also recorded, as well as five common honey bee RNA viruses. The results show that a high proportion of bees get infected with AmFV during the first week post-emergence (75%) and that AmFV DNA levels remained constant. A similar pattern was observed for microsporidia while trypanosomes seem to require more time to colonize the gut. No significant associations between these three infections were found, but significant positive correlations were observed between AmFV and RNA viruses. In parallel, the prevalence of AmFV in France and Sweden was assessed from pooled honey bee workers. The data indicate that AmFV is almost ubiquitous, and does not seem to follow seasonal patterns, although higher viral loads were significantly detected in spring. A high prevalence of AmFV was also found in winter bees, without obvious impact on overwintering of the colonies.

Effects, but no interactions, of ubiquitous pesticide and parasite stressors on honey bee (Apis mellifera) lifespan and behaviour in a colony environment

Interactions between pesticides and parasites are believed to be responsible for increased mortality of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the northern hemisphere. Previous efforts have employed experimental approaches using small groups under laboratory conditions to investigate influence of these stressors on honey bee physiology and behaviour, although both the colony level and field conditions play a key role for eusocial honey bees. Here, we challenged honey bee workers under in vivo colony conditions with sublethal doses of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid, the miticide tau-fluvalinate and the endoparasite Nosema ceranae, to investigate potential effects on longevity and behaviour using observation hives. In contrast to previous laboratory studies, our results do not suggest interactions among stressors, but rather lone effects of pesticides and the parasite on mortality and behaviour, respectively. These effects appear to be weak due to different outcomes at the two study sites, thereby suggesting that the role of thiacloprid, tau-fluvalinate and N. ceranae and interactions among them may have been overemphasized. In the future, investigations into the effects of honey bee stressors should prioritize the use of colonies maintained under a variety of environmental conditions in order to obtain more biologically relevant data.

The ectoparasitic mite Tropilaelaps mercedesae reduces western honey bee, Apis mellifera, 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, Deformed wing virus (DWV) levels and clinical symptoms of DWV) effects of the mite on its new host. The data show that T. mercedesae infestation significantly reduced host longevity and emergence weight, and promoted both DWV levels and associated clinical symptoms. Our results suggest that T. mercedesae is a potentially important parasite to the economically important A. mellifera honey bee.

Associations among Nosema spp. fungi, Varroa destructor mites, and chemical treatments in honey bees, Apis mellifera

Nosema spp. and Varroa destructor are common parasites of honey bee colonies. Beekeepers routinely treat colonies with the fungicide fumagillin to control Nosema and an array of miticides to control V. destructor. Interactions between these parasites and chemical treatments are poorly understood. We allocated honey bee colonies to distinct chemical treatment regimes and monitored parasite intensities in the subsequent year. Infections of Nosema and infestations of V. destructor were positively correlated. Fumagillin was effective at mitigating Nosema intensities only over the short term, suggesting that biannual application is essential. V. destructor intensities were higher in colonies that had been previously treated with miticides, reasons for this warrant further investigation.

Materialy po estestvennoĭ istorii pchely. (Apis mellifera L.).

Mode of access: Internet.

Synaptogenesis in the mushroom body calyx during metamorphosis in the honeybee Apis mellifera: An electron microscopic study

The goals of this study are to determine relationships between synaptogenesis and morphogenesis within the mushroom body calyx of the honeybee Apis mellifera and to find out how the microglomerular structure characteristic for the mature calyx is established during metamorphosis. We show that synaptogenesis in the mushroom body calycal neuropile starts in early metamorphosis (stages P1-P3), before the microglomerular structure of the neuropile is established. The initial step of synaptogenesis is characterized by the rare occurrence of distinct synaptic contacts. A massive synaptogenesis starts at stage P5, which coincides with the formation of microglomeruli, structural units of the calyx that are composed of centrally located presynaptic boutons surrounded by spiny postsynaptic endings. Microglomeruli are assembled either via accumulation of fine postsynaptic processes around preexisting presynaptic boutons or via ingrowth of thin neurites of presynaptic neurons into premicroglomeruli, tightly packed groups of spiny endings. During late pupal stages (P8-P9), addition of new synapses and microglomeruli is likely to continue. Most of the synaptic appositions formed there are made by boutons (putative extrinsic mushroom body neurons) into small postsynaptic profiles that do not exhibit presynaptic specializations (putative intrinsic mushroom body neurons). Synapses between presynaptic boutons characteristic of the adult calyx first appear at stage P8 but remain rare toward the end of metamorphosis. Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that most of the synapses established during metamorphosis provide the structural basis for afferent information flow to calyces, whereas maturation of local synaptic circuitry is likely to occur after adult emergence.

Effects of invasive Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) on native stingless bee populations (Meliponinae) and traditional Mayan beekeeping in central Quintana Roo, Mexico

The Maya of the Yucatan region have a long history of keeping the native stingless bees (subfamily Meliponinae). However, market forces in the last few decades have driven the Maya to favor the use of invasive Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) for producing large quantities of high quality honey that has an international market. Furthermore, the native bees traditionally used by the Maya are now disappearing, along with the practice of keeping them. ^ An interdisciplinary approach was taken in order to determine the social factors behind the decrease in stingless beekeeping and the ecological driving forces behind their disappearance from the wild. Social research methods included participant observation with stingless beekeepers, Apis beekeepers, and marketing intermediaries. Ecological research methods included point observations of commonly known melliferous and polliniferous plants along transects in three communities with different degrees of human induced ecosystem disturbance. ^ The stingless bee species most important to the Maya, Melipona beecheii, has become extremely rare, and this has caused a breakdown of stingless beekeeping tradition, compounded with the pressure of the market economy, which fuels Apis beekeeping and has lessened the influence of traditional practices. The community with the heaviest amount of human induced ecosystem disturbance also had the highest degree of dominance of Apis mellifera, while the area with the most intact ecosystem had the highest diversity of stingless bees, though Apis mellifera was still the dominant species. Aggressive competitive behavior involving physical attacks by Apis mellifera against stingless bees was observed on several occasions, and this is a new observation previously unreported by science. ^

Estudio de mercado de miel de abeja (Apis mellifera) en el casco urbano del municipio de Boaco, 2014

La presente investigación tuvo el propósito de medir percepciones de oferta y demanda a través de un estudio de mercado de m iel natural en el casco urbano del municipio de Boaco 2014. Este estudio servirá como fuente de información para la formulación de propuestas de desarrollo para la act ividad apícola. La metodología utilizada para la población objeto de estudio fue mediante la aplicación de tres instrumento , el estudio es cuantitativo, no experimenta l de tipo descriptivo , fundamentándose en el análisis de una situación. Las variables de estudio fueron: demanda, oferta, balance oferta - demanda, canales de comercialización y ma rgen bruto de comercialización. El 73% de la población de estud io consumen miel natural, 58,295.87 Lts de miel es la demanda en las diferentes presentaciones (340ml , 375ml, 500ml, 735ml y 1000ml). Se identificó que en las distribuidoras de dicho municipio ninguna oferta miel no obstante si estaría n dispuesto s a ofertarlo en su establecimiento. La oferta total por parte de los apicultor es de la localidad es de 89,839.61 lts obteniendo una sobre oferta de 31,543.74 lts de miel, siendo ofertadas en los centros de acopio más cercanos. Los canales utilizados por los apicultores es el nivel cero y el nivel uno. Se calculó los márgenes de comercialización en cada una de las presentaciones y la de 1000 ml es la que muestra márgenes equitativos (50%) y la presentac ión en la que obtiene el menor margen de comercialización es la de 375 ml co n un (40%)

Producción y análisis financiero de la obtención de jalea real de abejas Apis mellifera por el método doolittle

Tesis (Zootecnista). -- Universidad de La Salle. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Programa de Zootecnia, 2014

Análise da carga polínica de Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) em três tipos de meloeiro na região de Mossoró-RN.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi coletar espécimes de Apis melífera em três tipos de meloeiro em diferentes horários, buscando identificar os horários de coleta de pólen.

Forrageamento de néctar por Apis mellifera Lineu, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) nas flores do meloeiro ao longo do ano.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o comportamento forrageador de A. mellifera para a coleta de néctar nas flores de meloeiro do tipo amarelo (Cucumis melo Lineu, 1753) ao longo do ano, sem adição de colmeias.

Tempo de visita e recurso floral forrageado por Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) em flores de meloeiro Cucumis melo L. (Cucurbitaceae), em Mossoró, RN.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o tempo de visita e o recurso forrageado por Apis mellifera nas flores do meloeiro.

BIOCHEMICAL VARIABILITY BETWEEN VENOMS FROM DIFFERENT HONEYBEE (APIS-MELLIFERA) RACES

1. The comparison of molecular exclusion cromatography profiles of venoms from sting apparatuses of Apis mellifera ligustica, Apis mellifera adansonii and Africanized honey-bees in Sephadex G-100 revealed both qualitative and quantitative differences.2. The venoms from A.m. ligustica and A.m. adansonii presented, respectively, three and two peaks characteristic of each sub-species, while Africanized honey-bee was characterized by the absence of eight peaks common to the former.3. The polypeptides with M(r) in the range from 100,000 to 7500 da correspond respectively to 62.0%, 66.6% and 68.7% of total proteins from the venon of A.m. ligustica, A.m. adansonii and Africanized honey-bees, while the peptidic fraction with M(r) range from 4100 to 2000 da corresponds to 11.4%, 32.4% and 10.2% of venom protein, respectively.

Preservation of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Semen

L’abeille domestique (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) joue un rôle crucial comme pollinisateur dans l’industrie de l’agriculture. Cependant, durant les dernières décennies, une mortalité des colonies d’abeilles a été observée partout à travers le monde. La conservation du sperme d’abeille est un outil efficace pour sauvegarder la diversité génétique. Sa conservation est possible à température pièce, mais la cryoconservation serait une meilleure méthode pour la conservation à long terme. Notre objectif général est de développer une méthode de cryoconservation de la semence d’abeille. L’hypothèse no.1 était que la cryoconservation de la semence d’abeille est plus efficace à long terme que les températures au-dessus de 0 °C. Nous avons évalué l’efficacité, basé sur la viabilité des spermatozoïdes, de deux températures de conservation: -196 °C et 16 °C. Après un an de conservation, la semence congelée avait une meilleure viabilité comparée à 16°C (76% ± 5% vs 0%; p < 0,05). Par la suite, la spermathèque des reines inséminées avec la semence cryoconservée a été évaluée par la migration des spermatozoïdes ainsi que la viabilité des spermatozoïdes. Il y avait beaucoup de variabilités dans nos résultats. Nous n’avons pas été en mesure de vérifier si l’ajout de la centrifugation après la conservation améliore la fertilité des reines après insémination. Toutefois, nos résultats confirment que la cryoconservation est une technique efficace pour conserver la semence d’abeille à long terme.