The Apis mellifera filamentous virus genome

A complete reference genome of the Apis mellifera Filamentous virus (AmFV) was determined using Illumina Hiseq sequencing. The AmFV genome is a double stranded DNA molecule of approximately 498,500 nucleotides with a GC content of 50.8%. It encompasses 247 non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs), equally distributed on both strands, which cover 65% of the genome. While most of the ORFs lacked threshold sequence alignments to reference protein databases, twenty-eight were found to display significant homologies with proteins present in other large double stranded DNA viruses. Remarkably, 13 ORFs had strong similarity with typical baculovirus domains such as PIFs (per os infectivity factor genes: pif-1, pif-2, pif-3 and p74) and BRO (Baculovirus Repeated Open Reading Frame). The putative AmFV DNA polymerase is of type B, but is only distantly related to those of the baculoviruses. The ORFs encoding proteins involved in nucleotide metabolism had the highest percent identity to viral proteins in GenBank. Other notable features include the presence of several collagen-like, chitin-binding, kinesin and pacifastin domains. Due to the large size of the AmFV genome and the inconsistent affiliation with other large double stranded DNA virus families infecting invertebrates, AmFV may belong to a new virus family.

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.

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%)

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.

Contributo para a caracterização morfométrica da raça de abelhas melíferas (Apis mellifera iberiensis) da região norte de Portugal

A necessidade de aprofundar o conhecimento sobre a morfologia da abelha melífera portuguesa (Apis mellifera iberiensis) originou o presente estudo. A amostragem definiu-se com base no banco de amostras existentes no Laboratório de Patologia Apícola da ESA-IPB, relativas ao ano de 2015. Cada amostra foi constituída por cinco obreiras adultas conservadas pelo frio (-18 °C). Foram analisadas 124 amostras distribuídas por 16 concelhos (aproximadamente oito por concelho) pertencentes aos distritos de Bragança e Vila Real. As medições efetuadas em cada uma das obreiras foram: peso (PA), comprimento (CA) e largura (LA) do corpo; comprimento (CAA) e largura (LAA) da asa anterior; comprimento (CAP) e largura da asa posterior (LAP); comprimento do fêmur (CF), da tíbia (CT), do basitarso (CBT), do tarso (CTA) e da probóscide (CP) e a largura do basitarso (LBT). Para avaliação destas medidas utilizou-se uma balança analítica de precisão (0,01g) e um paquímetro eletrónico digital (0-100mm±0,02mm). As diferentes variáveis estudadas compararam-se por análise de variância (ANOVA), sendo o teste de Tukey-Kramer HSD utilizado para a comparação múltipla de médias. O peso médio das obreiras do concelho de Vila Pouca de Aguiar (0,123±0,018 g) foi mais elevado (p<0,05) do que o das obreiras dos concelhos de Torre de Moncorvo e Ribeira de Pena (0,106±0,023 g em ambos os casos). Também, as obreiras do concelho de Vila Pouca de Aguiar apresentaram um comprimento médio do corpo (13,065±0,890 mm) superior (p<0,05) às obreiras do concelho de Boticas (12,228±0,958 mm) e uma largura média (4,565 ± 0,392 mm) superior às obreiras de Vila Flor (4,089 ±0,288 mm). Porém, o CAP (6,333±0,303 mm) e o CT (3,179±0,183mm) das obreiras de Vila Pouca de Aguiar foi mais baixo (p<0,05) ao observado nos concelhos de Torre de Moncorvo (6,616±0,361 mm) e Vila Flor (3,358±0,146 mm). As variáveis LAA, LAP, CF, CBT e CP não apresentaram diferenças significativas (p>0,05) entre os concelhos estudados.

Estado populacional e reservas de recurso em colmeias de Apis mellifera utilizadas em serviços de polinização de macieiras.

A macieira é uma frutífera, cujo sua frutificação é dependente da polinização realizada por insetos, especialmente por abelhas. O entendimento dos serviços de polinização prestados por abelhas, assim como dos fatores que influenciam sua dinâmica são de extrema importância para a sustentabilidade de organismos benéficos. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a dinâmica de reservas de recursos e de imaturos de Apis mellifera em colmeias utilizadas no serviço de polinização de pomares de macieiras em dois anos consecutivos.

Avaliação do cultivo de plantas apícolas como alternativa alimentar para colônias de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: apidae) no período de maturação da uva.

2012

Mehiläisten (Apis mellifera) kukkavierailut mansikalla (Fragaria x ananassa) ja vadelmalla (Rubus idaeus) sekä kukkavierailuihin vaikuttavat tekijät

Hyönteispölytys lisää monien ristipölytteisten viljelykasvien siemensatoa sekä parantaa sadon laatua. Marjakasveilla, kuten mansikalla ja vadelmalla marjojen koko suurenee sekä niiden laatu paranee onnistuneen pölytyksen seurauksena. Aiempien havaintojen mukaan mansikan kukat eivät pääsääntöisesti houkuttele mehiläisiä, kun taas vadelma on yksi mehiläisten pääsatokasveista. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, miten tehokkaasti mehiläiset vierailevat mansikalla sekä vadelmalla, keskittyen kukkakohtaisiin käynteihin tuntia kohti. Mehiläisiä voidaan käyttää Gliocladium catenulatum-vektoreina torjuttaessa mansikan ja vadelman harmaahometta (Botrytis cinerea). Kukkavierailujen perusteella arvioidaan, onko vektorilevitys riittävän tehokas torjumaan harmaahometta ja miten hyvin mehiläisiä voidaan käyttää pölytyspalveluihin, etenkin mansikalla. Havainnot kerättiin kuudelta eri tilalta Sisä-Savosta kesällä 2007. Kukkavierailuja laskettiin mansikan ja vadelman kukinnan aikana erilaisissa sääolosuhteissa, eri kellonaikoina ja eri etäisyyksillä mehiläispesistä. Kukat valittiin satunnaisesti, ja valintaperusteena oli kukan avonaisuus. Tarkkailuaika riippui mehiläisten lentoaktiivisuudesta. Mansikan koko havaintojakson keskiarvoksi tuli 1,75 käyntiä kukkaa kohti tunnissa. Vadelmalla vastaava luku oli 4,27, joten keskiarvojen perusteella vadelma oli houkuttelevampi kuin mansikka. Kasvukauden vaiheella ei ollut eroja vierailuihin kummallakaan kasvilla, mutta vuorokaudenajan suhteen vierailuja oli enemmän aamupäivällä kuin iltapäivällä. Lämpötila korreloi positiivisesti vierailutiheyden kanssa kummallakin kasvilla. Sääolosuhteet rajoittivat havaintojen keräämistä ja kesä oli erittäin sateinen. Mehiläiset vierailivat kukissa riittävästi haastavissakin sääolosuhteissa niin, että harmaahometorjunta onnistui. Vektorilevitystä suunnitellessa, etenkin mansikalla, tulee ottaa huomioon pesien sijoittelu sekä riittävä lukumäärä. Pesien ravinnontarpeen tulee olla suuri, jotta mehiläiset keräisivät ravintoa kukista mahdollisimman tehokkaasti. Pesiin voidaan lisätä tarvittaessa avosikiöitä tai poistaa siitepölyvarastoja ravinnonkeruuaktiivisuuden lisäämiseksi. Lisätutkimusta tarvitaan pesien sijoittelun, kilpailevien kasvien sekä mansikkalajikkeiden houkuttelevuuden vaikutuksesta vierailutiheyteen. Suomalaisten mansikkalajikkeiden meden sekä siitepölyneritystä olisi myös hyvä selvittää.

Grooming and hygienic behaviours of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) toward the parasitic mite Varroa destructor

Despite a multitude of environmental stressors, the Varroa mite is still regarded as the greatest cause of honey bee mortality in its invaded range. Breeding honey bees that are resistant to the mite is an important area of research. This thesis aimed to gain a better understanding of the grooming and hygienic behaviours of Russian honey bees (RHB). The effect of a break in the synchrony of a mite’s life cycle on reproductive success was tested through brood inoculation experiments. Mites released by hygienic behaviour and forced to enter a new cell are less likely to lay male offspring. Through laboratory cage assays it was found that daughter mites are more susceptible to grooming behaviour. A new method of marking Varroa mites was developed which would enable a single cohort of mites to be followed after inoculation. A strong brood removal trait was noticed in RHB colonies, therefore they were tested for Varroa sensitive hygienic (VSH) behaviour. RHB demonstrated levels of VSH as high as the USDA line bred specifically for this behaviour. In addition the same QTL found to be responsible for the trait in VSH bees, was associated with VSH in RHB stock. Previous work showed that the ratio of older mites to total trapped mites (O/T) in the debris of honey bee colonies demonstrated the strongest association with colony infestation. This research showed that O/T is associated with VSH and brood removal behaviour. In addition, bees that displayed high levels of VSH in this study were also more likely to spend a longer amount of time grooming in laboratory assays. This indicates that both grooming and hygienic behaviours play important roles in the resistance of RHB stock. Their likelihood to be expressed by other stocks is discussed and recommendations for further research are provided.

Nosema ceranae has infected Apis mellifera in Europe since at least 1998 and may be more virulent than Nosema apis

Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian formerly regarded as confined to its Asiatic host Apis cerana, has recently been shown to parasitise Apis mellifera and to have spread throughout most of the world in the past few years. Using a temporal sequence of N = 28 Nosema isolates from Finland from 1986-2006, we now find (i) that N. ceranae has been present in Europe since at least 1998 and (ii) that it has increased in frequency across this time period relative to Nosema apis, possibly leading to higher mean spore loads per bee. We then present results of a single laboratory infection experiment in which we directly compare the virulence of N. apis with N. ceranae. Though lacking replication, our results suggest (iii) that both parasites build up to equal numbers per bee by day 14 post infection but that (iv) N. ceranae induces significantly higher mortality relative to N. apis.