Varroa sensitive hygiene

About: Varroa sensitive hygiene is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 714 publications have been published within this topic receiving 24928 citations. The topic is also known as: VSH.

Honey bee lines selected for high propolis production also have superior hygienic behavior and increased honey and pollen stores.

Abstract: Honey bees use propolis to defend against invaders and disease organisms. As some colonies produce much more propolis than others, we investigated whether propolis collecting is associated with disease resistance traits, including hygienic behavior and resistance to the parasitic bee mite, Varroa destructor. The three highest (HP) and three lowest propolis-producing (LP) colonies among 36 Africanized honey bee colonies were initially selected. Queens and drones from these colonies were crossed through artificial insemination to produce five colonies of each of the following crosses: HP♀ X HP♂, LP♀ X HP♂, HP♀ X LP♂, and LP♀ X LP♂. Colonies headed by HP♀ X HP♂ queens produced significantly more propolis than those with HP♀ X LP♂ and LP♀ X HP♂ queens and these in turn produced significantly more propolis than those headed by LP♀ X LP♂ queens. The brood cell

Effects of honey bee virus prevalence, Varroa destructor load and queen condition on honey bee colony survival over the winter in Belgium

Abstract: SummarySince 1999, European beekeepers have reported increased mortality in overwintering honey bee, Apis mellifera L. colonies. Viral infections are often cited as the potential cause for increased mortality. Many honey bee viruses commonly occur within bee populations and in many cases infected colonies appear asymptomatic. There is increasing evidence that the global spread of Varroa destructor has resulted in a significant change in the prevalence, distribution and/or virulence of viruses causing mortality in honey bee colonies. We report here the first survey of the prevalence of five RNA bee viruses and their effect on overwintering survival of Belgian honey bee colonies. In the autumn of 2006, samples of adult bees were removed from 36 apiaries. Adult bee samples were analyzed by using RT-PCR for virus identification. Varroa mite prevalence in these samples was also quantified. A follow up visit of colonies in the spring permitted us to assess colony survivorship which permitted the effect, if any,...

Fine scale population genetic structure of Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite of the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Abstract: 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 apiaries, between colonies within an apiary, and even within colonies. This finding of within-colony parasite diversity provides empirical evidence that the spread of V. destructor is not accomplished solely by vertical transmission but that horizontal transmission (natural or human-mediated) must occur regularly.

Varroa (Varroa destructor) and tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi) incidence in the Republic of Turkey

Abstract: SUMMARYThis is the first extensive study of the incidence of varroa (Varroa destructor) and tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi) in Turkish honey bees (Apis mellifera). Samples were taken from 204 colonies in 39 apiaries spread over five regions of Turkey. Fifty bees from each colony were dissected in the laboratory and examined under stereo and compound microscopes using four different techniques to detect the presence of A. woodi. Presence of varroa was determined from samples of approximately 200 workers from each of the sampled colonies. Neither A. woodi nor other Acarapis spp. were found in any of the 10 200 bees examined. Conversely, varroa was found in 84 of the 204 colonies sampled. Varroa incidence per apiary was approximately Poisson distributed with a mean of 2.17 infested colonies per five sampled. The data suggest that for unknown reasons tracheal mites appear to be very rare in Turkey, but not varroa, which has endemic rather than epidemic disease distribution properties.

Challenges for developing pathogen-based biopesticides against Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae)

Abstract: Control of the major pest of apiculture, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor using pathogen-based biopesticides would resolve many of the problems experienced with other forms of control, such as chemical control, hive manipulation, or selection of resistant honeybee strains. Several research groups have developed and tested fungus-based biopesticides in laboratory and field experiments, with varying results. While biopesticides have many desirable qualities, including much lower risk of honey contamination and of pest resistance, future research needs to focus on: (1) identification of the sub-population(s) of V. destructor affected by biopesticides and the duration and impact of the application on mite population dynamics; (2) development of an effective, easily applied formulation, and (3) evaluation of possible side or sublethal effects on bees themselves. Biopesticides need to be evaluated on the field (colony) level in addition to the laboratory level. Researchers should consider providing data that can be easily used to evaluate effect, such as mite drop counts onto sticky boards coupled with assessments of phoretic mite density or brood cell mite density. Exploration for naturally occurring pathogens should be conducted in the native range of V. destructor in Asia.