Showing papers on "Varroa sensitive hygiene published in 1991"

Reduction of tracheal mite parasitism of honey bees by swarming.

Abstract: Based on population dynamics, tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi) parasitism of colonies of honey bees (Apis mellifera) appears to be, potentially at least, regulatory and stable. Empirical and theoretical considerations suggest, however, that intracolony population dynamics of mite-honey bee worker seem to be unstable in managed situations where honey bee worker population is allowed to grow unchecked. Experimental studies showed that tracheal mite population levels increased in a managed honey bee colony but were impaired in one in which brood rearing was interrupted by loss of the queen. Mite densities but not prevalence were lowered in experimental swarms kept from rearing brood. We propose that swarming reduces mite density within a colony, therefore implicating modern techniques of hive management in the sudden historical appearance of the mite on the Isle of Wight.

An artificial membrane for in vitro feeding of Varroa jacobsoni and Acarapis woodi, mite parasites of honey bees*

Abstract: mdash; A synthetic membrane through which Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans, a mite parasite of honey bees, can be fed was modified in such a manner that seams could be made virtually leakproof and sacs designed to almost any configuration. These modifications thus eliminated problems encountered in previous feeding studies. In addition, another parasitic mite of honey bees, Acarapis woodi (Rennie), the tracheal mite, was also able to penetrate this membrane and ingest an artificial medium. Membrane modification and sac preparation are discussed in detail.