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Several negative factors contribute to a decline in the number of insect pollinators. As a novel approach in therapy, we hypothesize that the EM® for bees could potentially have an important therapeutic and immunomodulatory effect on honey bee colonies. The aim of our study was to evaluate its impact on honey bees at the individual…

Abstract This article presents managed honey bee colony loss rates over winter 2018/19 resulting from using the standardised COLOSS questionnaire in 35 countries (31 in Europe). In total, 28,629 beekeepers supplying valid loss data wintered 738,233 colonies, and reported 29,912 (4.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.0–4.1%) colonies with unsolvable queen problems, 79,146 (10.7%, 95% CI…

Carl-Johan Junge a beekeeper in Denmark has made a beautiful video about the bees and the beeekeepers dedicated to their conservation on the island of Læsø. First a brief introduction to the bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) and their morphological characters. Honey on Læsø is mostly from heather (Calluna vulgaris). The bees are dark and a…

Abstract The honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) is an important pollinator and a model for pesticide effects on insect pollinators. The effects of agricultural pesticides on honeybee health have therefore raised concern. Bees can be exposed to multiple pesticides that may interact synergistically, amplifying their side effects. Attention has focused on neonicotinoid pesticides, but flupyradifurone (FPF)…

Dramatic losses of pollinating insects have become of global concern, as they threaten not only key ecosystem services but also human food production. Recent research provided evidence that interactions between ecological stressors are drivers of declining pollinator health and responsible for observed population collapses. We used the honeybee Apis mellifera and conducted a series of…

Melissococcus plutonius is the causative agent of European foulbrood (EFB), an important bacterial disease of honey bee larvae, and various methods have been developed for the detection of this disease. Adult bees are not affected but spread M. plutonius among beehives and serve as a diagnostic tool to detect EFB. Melissococcus plutonius detection based on…

Robert Brodschneider Kristina Gratzer, Elfriede Kalcher-Sommersguter, Helmut Heigl, Waltraud Auer, Rudolf Moosbeckhofer & Karl Crailsheim Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 16633 (2019) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53016-5 Austrian beekeepers participated in the “C.S.I. Pollen” study as citizen scientists and collected pollen from honey bee colonies in hive mounted traps every three weeks from April to September in 2014 and 2015 to…

Tesovnik Tanja, Zorc Minja, Ristanić Marko, Glavinić Uroš, Stevanović Jevrosima, Narat Mojca, Stanimirović Zoran (2019) Exposure of honey bee larvae to thiamethoxam and its interaction with Nosema ceranae infection in adult honey bees, Environmental Pollution, DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113443 Abstract During their lifetime honey bees (Apis mellifera) rarely experience optimal conditions. Sometimes, a simultaneous action of multiple…

Slobodan Dolasevic, Jevrosima Stevanovic, Nevenka Aleksic, Uros Glavinic, Nebojsa Deletic, Mica Mladenovic & Zoran Stanimirovic The influence of various diets on the quality of Apis mellifera queens was assessed. Colonies intended for queen cell production were assigned to four groups fed on (1) sugar-only, (2) mix of sugar, honey and fresh pollen, (3) sugar and pollen substitute…

Honey proteins are essential bee nutrients and antimicrobials that protect honey from microbial spoilage. The majority of the honey proteome includes bee-secreted peptides and proteins, produced in specialised glands; however, bees need to forage actively for nitrogen sources and other basic elements of protein synthesis. Nectar and pollen of dierent origins can vary significantly in…

The genome of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) harbors nine transcribed major royal jelly protein genes (mrjp1‐9) which originate from a single‐copy precursor via gene duplication. The first MRJP was identified in royal jelly, a secretion of the bees’ hypopharyngeal glands that is used by young worker bees, called nurses, to feed developing larvae. Thus,…

Gajić B, Muñoz I, De la Rúa P, Stevanović J, Lakić N, Kulišić Z, Stanimirović Z. Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Varroa destructor parasitizing Apis mellifera colonies and to test for possible host-parasite association at the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) level. Six A. mellifera haplotypes (including a novel C2aa) and five haplotypes of V.…

Colony losses, including those induced by the colony collapse disorder, are an urgent problem of contemporary apiculture which has been capturing the attention of both apiculturists and the research community. CCD is characterized by the absence of adult dead bees in the hive in which few workers and a queen remain, the ratio between the…

Among numerous factors that contribute to honey bee colony losses and problems in beekeeping, pesticides and Nosema ceranae have been often reported. In contrast to insecticides, whose effects on bees have been widely studied, fungicides did not attract considerable attention. Prochloraz, an imidazole fungicide widely used in agriculture, was detected in honey and pollen stored inside hives…

Several environmental factors (e.g. food source, pesticides, toxins, parasites and pathogens) influence development and maturation of honey bees (Apis mellifera). Therefore, controlled experimental conditions are mandatory when studying the impact of environmental factors: particularly food quality and nutrient consumption. In vitro larval rearing is a standard approach for monitoring food intake of larvae and the…

Honey bees directly affect and are influenced by their local environment, in terms of food sources, pollinator densities, pathogen and toxin exposure and climate. Currently, there is a lack of studies analyzing these data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate spatial relationships with the environment. Particularly for inter-colonial pathogen transmission, it is known that…

Honey bees are highly prone to infectious diseases, causing colony losses in the worst case. However, they combat diseases through a combination of their innate immune system and social defence behaviours like foraging for health-enhancing plant products (e.g. nectar, pollen and resin). Plant secondary metabolites are not only highly active against bacteria and fungi, they…

In Europe, approximately 84% of cultivated crop species depend on insect pollinators, mainly bees. Apis mellifera (the Western honey bee) is the most important commercial pollinator worldwide. The Gram-positive bacterium Melissococcus plutonius is the causative agent of European foulbrood (EFB), a global honey bee brood disease. In order to detect putative virulence factors, we sequenced…

Abstract: This work was aimed at the detection of the differences in the occurrence of seven bee pathogens between bee colonies kept in commercial and traditional ways. The research was conducted on 120 apparently healthy, commercially kept colonies in DB hives and 24 traditionally kept colonies in primitive, so-called trmka hives on the Pester Plateau.…

Abstract: Protection of honey bees is of great economic importance because of their role in pollination. Crucial steps towards this goal are epidemiological surveys of pathogens connected with honey bee losses. In this study deformed wing virus (DWV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and sacbrood virus (SBV) were investigated in…

Reference: Haddad, N. J., Adjlane, N., Saini, D., Menon, A., Krishnamurthy, V., Jonklaas, D., … & Horth, L. (2018). Whole

Reference: Haddad, N., Horth, L., Al-Shagour, B., Adjlane, N., & Loucif-Ayad, W. (2018). Next-generation sequence data demonstrate several pathogenic bee viruses in Middle East and African honey bee subspecies (Apis mellifera syriaca, Apis mellifera intermissa) as well as their cohabiting pathogenic mites (Varroa destructor). Virus genes, 1-12. RNA viruses are associated with honey bee (Apis…

The aim of this review is to compile what is known about beekeeping in Egypt, statistics on beehives in Egypt, non-Apis pollinators, crops in need of pollination, and the potential honey bee pollination gap in Egypt. This review was performed in an attempt to draw the attention of stakeholders and decision makers to the value…

Currently, there are four Varroa species identified worldwide, which present a high interspecific and intraspecific variability. The objective of this investigation was to identify the predominant species of Varroa and the effect of thymol on the plasticity of the mite. To determine the species and effect of thymol on the plasticity of the mite, 150…

Abstract Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) are voracious predators of bees, and are the latest emerging threat to managed and wild pollinator populations in Europe. To prevent establishment or reduce the rate of spread of V. velutina, early detection and destruction of nests is considered the only option. Detection is difficult as their nests are well…

Seven bee honey types identified botanically in terms of their floral origin (Clover, Cedrus, Citrus, Banana, Cotton, Brazilian pepper, and Sun flower), and their geographical regions during 2016 – 2017 have been characterized in comparison with artificial honey. Characterization of honeys was based on their physicochemical properties, antimicrobial activity, heavy metal contents and multi-pesticides residues…

European foulbrood is a globally distributed brood disease affecting honey bees. It may lead to lethal infections of larvae and, in severe cases, even to colony collapse. Lately, a profound genetic and phenotypic diversity was documented for the causative agent Melissococcus plutonius. However, experimental work on the impact of diverse M. plutonius strains on hosts with…

Reference: Brodschneider, Gray, Adjlane, Ballis, Brusbardis, Charrière, Chlebo, Coffey, Dahle, de Graaf, Dražić, Evans, Fedoriak, Forsythe, Gregorc, Grzęda, Hetzroni, Kauko, Kristiansen, Martikkala, Martín-Hernández, Medina-Flores, Mutinelli, Raudmets, Ryzhikov, Simon-Delso, Stevanovic, Uzunov, Vejsnæs, Woehl, Zammit-Mangion, Danihlík (2018) Multi-country loss rates of honey bee colonies during winter 2016/17 from the COLOSS survey. Journal of Apicultural Research, 57(3), 452-457.…

Royal jelly (RJ) is a beehive product with a complex composition, major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) being the most abundant proteins. Cell culture and animal studies suggest various biological activities for the full-length/native MRJPs. In the field of apitherapy, it is assumed that MRJPs can positively affect human health. However, whenever RJ is administered orally,…

The female sex in honeybees (Apis spp.) comprises a reproductive queen and a sterile worker caste. Nurse bees feed all larvae progressively with a caste-specific food jelly until the prepupal stage. Only those larvae that are exclusively fed a large amount of royal jelly (RJ) develop into queens. RJ is a composite secretion of two…

ABSTRACT This study was done to discover any beneficial effect of a medicinal mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis extract on the honey bee. Firstly, a laboratory experiment was conducted on 640 bees reared in 32 singleuse plastic rearing cups. A. brasiliensis extract proved safe in all doses tested (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg/ day) irrespective of feeding…

Abstract In this study we show that honey bee colonies placed in a greenhouse for pollination of strawberry can simultaneously be used to indicate the presence of the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia pyrifoliae. This was demonstrated by using two methods of qualitative sacrificial and non-sacrificial bio sampling of the honey bee colony. A novel method…

Abstract The Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, is an invasive pest of honey bee colonies that causes significant damage to the beekeeping sector. SHB was detected in southern Italy (EU) in 2014 and despite adopted eradication measures, is still present there. After three years of observations of SHB in Calabria (2014-2016), we provide here…

Abstract We verified the acaricide efficacy on Varroa destructor and the toxicity on honey bees of summer treatments carried out in three different apiaries in Central Italy with an evaporator filled with 290 ml of formic acid 60%. Acaricide efficacy was evaluated counting the number of mites killed by the application of formic acid in the…

We here describe the results of the investigation of a honeybee hive that exhibited symptoms of poisoning in the July 2013. During the summer, only a few pesticides such as desiccants, typically quaternary ammonium (quat) and glyphosate formulations, are applied. We therefore analysed samples of not only a wide range of pesticides, but also desiccants. Additionally,…

We describe the identification by a metagenomics approach of Apis rhabdovirus, ARV-1, in A. mellifera, Bombus impatiens and in V. destructor mites from populations collected in the US and in Israel.  By  RT-PCR we found that  ARV-1 can reach high titers of  107–108 viral genomic copies per individual in individual honey bees and mites . ARV-1…

Two new articles of our team: New article 1. Vejnovic Branislav, Stevanovic Jevrosima, Schwarz Ryan S, Aleksic Nevenka, Mirilovic Milorad, Jovanovic Nemanja M, Stanimirovic Zoran (2017) Quantitative PCR assessment of Lotmaria passim in Apis mellifera colonies co-infected naturally with Nosema ceranae. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.003. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022201117303245 New article 2. Glavinic Uros, Stankovic Biljana,…

Honeybee losses have been attributed to multiple stressors and factors including the neonicotinoid insecticides (NIs). Much of the study of hive contamination has been focused upon temperate regions such as Europe, Canada and the United States. This study looks for the first time at honey, pollen and bees collected from across the Nile Delta in…

In two recently published reports, hazards posed by dietary exposure to organophosphate and neonicotinoid plant protection products on the European honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) in Egypt were investigated. Using concentrations reported in those studies, an assessment of hazards posed by these two classes of insecticides to humans due to consumption of Egyptian honey from…

In this study we measured in vitro honey bee enzyme activities in presence of the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and some new benzodioxole and dihydrobenzofuran derivatives through absorbance and fluorescence spectrophotometric assays, to determine if and to what extent detoxification systems and acetylcholinesterases are affected by these compounds. Both Italian (Italy) and Carniolan (Czech Republic)…

Abstract Natural honey bee products, especially propolis are well known for their biological properties. However, less well known are the impact of propolis’ single phenolic substances and variation across different landscapes, geographic locations and botanical origins. Here, we determined the chemical composition of propolis samples collected in different geographic areas of Romania with a continental…

Abstract The microsporidium Nosema neumanni n. sp., a new parasite of the honeybee Apis mellifera is described based on its ultra-structural and molecular characteristics. Structures resembling microsporidian spores were found by microscopic examination of honeybees from Uganda. Molecular confirmation failed when PCR primers specific for Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae were used, but was successful…

Abstract The Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is the aetiological agent of chronic bee paralysis, a contagious disease associated with nervous disorders in adult honeybees leading to massive mortalities in front of the hives. Some of the clinical signs frequently reported, such as trembling, may be confused with intoxication syndromes. Therefore, laboratory diagnosis using real-time PCR to…

Abstract Reports of honey bee population decline has spurred many national efforts to understand the extent of the problem and to identify causative or associated factors. However, our collective understanding of the factors has been hampered by a lack of joined up trans-national effort. Moreover, the impacts of beekeeper knowledge and beekeeping management practices have…

Abstract In order to produce such ‘custom design’ colonies, it will however be necessary to reliably reproduce suitable sperm mixes to inseminate the queens. Using individual drones to inseminate a queen will be insufficient. Another queen will be inseminated with a set of semen from different drones. Hence, no single colony will have identical fathers…

Abstract Honeybees are prone to parasite and pathogen infestations/infections due to their social colony life. Bacterial pathogens in particular lead to destructive infections of the brood. European foulbrood is caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius in combination with several other Gram-positive bacteria (Achromobacter eurydice, Bacillus pumilus, Brevibacillus laterosporus, Enterococcus faecalis, Paenibacillus alvei, Paenibacillus dendritiformis) involved as secondary invaders following the initial infection.…

Abstract There are various chemicals available for the control of Varroa mites from honey bee colonies including amitraz and tau-fluvalinate. The optimum dose of these chemicals should give the highest Varroa control efficacy with minimal negative impacts on honey bees. The high doses are expected to have destructive impacts on honey bees. However, the impacts…

Abstract Western honey bees, Apis mellifera, live in highly eusocial colonies that are each typically headed by a single queen. The queen is the sole reproductive female in a healthy colony, and because long-term colony survival depends on her ability to produce a large number of offspring, queen health is essential for colony success. Honey bees…

Abstract Under normal conditions, each honey bee colony contains one queen. Queenless colonies are mostly supplied with new queens using commercial caged queens. In some countries, caged virgin queens are commonly sold for such purpose. Keeping virgin queens for a long period is essential for marketing and shipping purposes. In this study, a new cage…

Abstract In spring there is often a rise in honey bee mortality incidents. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential correlation, in the reported incidents, between exposure to pesticide treatments and virus infections. Here we summarize the situation in northeastern Italy during spring 2014, evaluated by monitoring 150 active ingredients and three honey bee…

Abstract Beekeepers usually supply their colonies with alternatives to nectar (i.e. sugar feeding) during dearth periods of the year, especially cold times of winter. The objective of the study was to determine the best substances to feed bees to enhance the tolerance and survival of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) to low temperatures. Seven feeding…

Abstract Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is the most destructive factor to western honey bee colonies worldwide. In 1904, Varroa was firstly recorded on honey bees, at the beginning it was hypothesized that Varroa is one species but recently this hypothesis has been considered to be incorrect. In 1983, Varroa mite was recorded in Egypt for…

Abstract The study was conducted t oinvestigate the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a commercial probiotic) and inulin (a prebiotic) on the survival rates of honeybees infected and uninfected with Nosema ceranae, the level of phenoloxidase (PO) activity, the course of nosemosis, and the effect on the prevention of nosemosis development in bees. The cells of…

Abstract Background Nosema ceranae infection not only damages honey bee (Apis melifera) intestines, but we believe it may also affect intestinal yeast development and its seasonal pattern. In order to check our hypothesis, infection intensity versus intestinal yeast colony forming units (CFU) both in field and cage experiments were studied. Methods/Findings Field tests were carried…

Abstract Bio-analysis of insects is increasingly dependent on highly sensitive methods that require high quality biological material, such as hemolymph. However, it is difficult to collect fresh and uncontaminated hemolymph from adult bees since they are very active and have the potential to sting, and because hemolymph is rapidly melanized. Here we aimed to develop…

Abstract During the 2000s, the problem of pesticide poisoning of honeybees seemed to be almost solved. The number of cases has decreased in comparison to the 1970s. The problem of acute honeybee poisoning, however, has not disappeared, but instead has transformed into a problem of poisoning from ‘traditional’ pesticides like organophosphorus pesticides or pyrethroids, to…

Abstract Study combines data about the exposure of honeybees to pesticides from plant protection products and veterinary medicinal products. Residues of 200 pesticide and pesticide metabolites in 343 live and 74 poisoned honeybee samples, obtained during the years of 2014–2015, were determined by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. In 44% of live honeybee 48 different pesticide residues…

Abstract The effect of sublethal doses of imidacloprid on protein content and activity of proteases on honey bees was analyzed. The study was conducted in three experimental groups: colonies from groups BE-5 and BE-200 were contaminated with 5 and 200 ppb of imidacloprid, respectively, via their food supply (syrup and pollen), while group BE was…

Abstract The presence of nanoparticles on the body of the honeybee Apis dorsata Fabricius, was investigated for the frst time to better understand the bee’s behaviour. These have been observed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and confrmed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Our study clearly denotes that the Indian rock honey bee Apis…

Abstract In this study, different context-dependent effects of imidacloprid exposure on the honey bee response were studied. Honey bees were exposed to different concentrations of imidacloprid during a time period of 40 days. Next to these variables, a laboratory-field comparison was conducted. The influence of the chronic exposure on gene expression levels was determined using…

Abstract Wax moth larvae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) are serious pests on wax combs outside and inside of beehives. Management of wax moths is particularly difficult inside hive bodies housing weak colonies. In this study, five traps were designed and evaluated for their efficacy to attract mature larvae inside beehives. These traps were: (1) mesh envelope trap…

Abstract The liquid form of honey is relatively undesirable because honey could be crystallized and then spoilage under certain conditions. In this study, producing honey jelly from liquid citrus, clover and cotton honey using gelatin was investigated. Only gelatin and water were used to produce the honey jelly without other additives. Some chemical components were…

Abstract Various treatments are currently available for the control of Varroa mites. Some of these treatments depend on using natural and nonchemical compounds. In this study, the impacts of some materials (oxalic acid, thymol, and potassium citrate) on the survival of honey bees and some quality parameters were investigated under laboratory conditions. The potential impacts…

Abstract We measured the distribution of sugar solution within groups of caged honey bees (Apis mellifera) under standard in vitro laboratory conditions using 14C polyethylene glycol as a radioactive marker to analyze ingestion by individual bees after group feeding. We studied the impact of different experimental setups by varying the number of bees, age of bees, origin of…

Abstract The western honeybee, Apis mellifera is a prominent model organism in the field of sociogenomics and a recent upgrade substantially improved annotations of the reference genome. Nevertheless, genome assemblies based on short-sequencing reads suffer from problems in regions comprising e.g. multi-copy genes. We used single-molecule nanopore-based sequencing with extensive read-lengths to reconstruct the organization of the major…

Abstract The honeybee (Apis mellifera) has been threatened by multiple factors including pests and pathogens, pesticides and loss of locally adapted gene complexes due to replacement and introgression. In western Europe, the genetic integrity of the native A. m. mellifera (M-lineage) is endangered due to trading and intensive queen breeding with commercial subspecies of eastern…

Abstract In global industry, the steady pursuance of miniaturization has led to the creation of minute particles, the nanoparticles (NPs; 0.1– 100 nm).The industrial division that deals with NPs is defined as nanotechnology, which is still young and promising and has been developing quickly for the last 20 years. Unluckily, very limited information is available…

Abstract Insect pollinators are essential to global food production. For this reason, it is alarming that honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations across the world have recently seen increased rates of mortality. These changes in colony mortality are often ascribed to one or more factors including parasites, diseases, pesticides, nutrition, habitat dynamics, weather and/or climate. However,…

Abstract In this short note we present comparable loss rates of honey bee colonies during winter 2015/16 from 29 countries, obtained with the COLOSS questionnaire. Altogether, we received valid answers from 19,952 beekeepers. These beekeepers collectively wintered 421,238 colonies, and reported 18,587 colonies with unsolvable queen problems and 32,048 dead colonies after winter. This gives…

Abstract Authors: Sofia Levin1,2, Noa Sela3 & Nor Chejanovsky1 1 Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7528809, Israel. 2 Institute of Agroecology and Plant Health, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel. 3 Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Institute of Plant Protection,…

Abstract Propolis is a multifunctional material collected and used by honey bees in the construction and maintenance of their hives. It has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Concentrations of major constituents and antioxidant characteristicsof ethanolic extracts of three samples of propolis (EEPs) collected from different geographical locations in Canada (Saskatchewan, Ontario and British…

Abstract Honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera) serve as attractive hosts for a variety of pathogens providing optimal temperatures, humidity, and an abundance of food. Thus, honeybees have to deal with pathogens throughout their lives and, even as larvae they are affected by severe brood diseases like the European Foulbrood caused by Melissococcus plutonius. Accordingly, it is highly…

Abstract In this study, the possibility to produce creamed honey from liquid clover and cotton honey using glucose powder and temperature of 5°C was investigated. Various glucose powder amounts were added to the liquid honey as 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4% (w/w). Then, some parameters as well as the potential use of creamed…

Abstract One of the safest methods to reduce Varroa infestation in honey bee colonies is the use of mechanical methods. Dusting or spraying honey bees with some materials (e.g. powdered sugar or oxalic acid solution) can be considered as safe mechanical methods. In this study, the effects of dusting or spraying on the survival rate…

Abstract Honeybee (Apis mellifera) females occur in two castes: workers and one reproductive queen. Caste is nutritionally regulated and only larvae exclusively fed on royal jelly (RJ) develop into queens. Decades of search for a queen ‘determinator’ in RJ found no specific compound, concluding that the discrete feeding regime throughout larval development controlled caste fate.…

Abstract Objectives: To evaluate administration of bee stings at sites of acupuncture on the hormonal profile of patients with idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF).Study design: A pilot study carried at Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Tanta University Hospital, and at the Entomology Unit, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University from June 2015 to December 2015. Patients…

Abstract Deformed wing virus is an important contributor to honey bee colony losses. Frequently queen failure is reported as a cause for colony loss. Here we examine whether sexual transmission during multiple matings of queens is a possible way of virus infection in queens. In an environment with high prevalence of deformed wing virus, queens…

Abstract In this study, honey bees collected in Serbia over 9 consecutive years (2007-2015) were retrospectively surveyed to determine the prevalence of eukaryotic gut parasites by molecular screening of archival DNA samples. We developed species-specific primers for PCR to detect the two known honey bee trypanosomatid species, Crithidia mellificae and the recently described Lotmaria passim. These primers were…

Abstract Honeybee collected pollen exhibits high nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits for the human diet and medicine. Pollen’s antioxidant, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerosis, and cardioprotective activity, depending on the floral origin, are well known. Recent studies proposed that pollen may also be an excellent cancer-fighting candidate, as pollen harbours high amounts of phenolic substances. In our study,…

Abstract Efficacies of two miticides, Apivar
and Thymovar
, were evaluated as a fall treatment against V. destructor. The effect of treatment with miticides was further evaluated by monitoring both viral load and rate of indoor overwintering survival of colonies of European honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in the vicinity of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Forty-five colonies…

Abstract Viral diseases are one of the multiple factors associated with honeybee colony losses. Apart from their innate immune system, including the RNAi machinery, honeybees can use secondary plant metabolites to reduce or fully cure pathogen infections. Here, we tested the antiviral potential of Laurus nobilis leaf ethanolic extracts on forager honeybees naturally infected with BQCV (Black…

Abstract The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is a major pest of the western honeybee, Apis mellifera. The development of acaricide resistance in Varroa populations is a global issue. Discriminating concentrations of acaricides are widely used to detect pest resistance. Two methods, using either glass vials or paraffin capsules, are used to screen for Varroaresistance to various acaricides. We found the glass vial…

Abstract A method for the determination of 200 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in honeybee samples has been developed and validated. Almost 98% of compounds included in this method are approved to use within European Union, as active substances of plant protection products or veterinary medicinal products used by beekeepers to control mites Varroa destructor in…

Abstract Recent losses of honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies have been linked to several non-exclusive factors; such as pests, parasites, pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoids) and other toxins. Whereas these losses pose a threat to apiculture, the number of globally managed colonies appeared to be less affected because beekeepers replace lost colonies. From a socioeconomic and ecological perspective…

Abstract Honey bee virus prevalence data are an essential prerequisite for managing epidemic events in a population. A survey study was carried out for seven viruses in colonies representing a healthy Danish honey bee population. In addition, colonies from apiaries with high level Varroainfestation or high level of winter mortality were also surveyed. Results from RT-qPCR…

Abstract There are several reports of honey bee populations in Europe which survive without treatment for Varroa. However, when evaluated outside their native area, higher survival and resistance traits were not observed in colonies of a survivor population. Varroainfestation is strongly influenced by environmental factors, probably affecting threshold levels on a European scale. In a Europe-wide experiment…

Abstract We assessed whether exposure to environmentally-relevant mixtures of four organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) exerted adverse effects on honey bees. Adult and worker bees were orally exposed for five days under laboratory conditions to mixtures of four insecticides, diazinon, malathion, profenofos and chlorpyrifos at two concentrations. Concentration in the mixtures tested were equivalent to the median…

Abstract We investigated pathogens in the parasitic honeybee mite Varroa destructor using nanoLC-MS/MS (TripleTOF) and 2D-E-MS/MS proteomics approaches supplemented with affinity-chromatography to concentrate trace target proteins. Peptides were detected from the currently uncharacterized Varroa destructor Macula-like virus (VdMLV), the deformed wing virus (DWV)-complex and the acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV). Peptide alignments revealed detection of complete structural DWV-complex block…

Abstract Nosema ceranae is a honey bee pathogen parasitizing the ventricular epithelium and potentially causing colony death. The effect of 0.25 M oxalic acid solution administered to the bees in the form of sugar syrup was determined in laboratory and field trials. The spore numbers in an 8-day laboratory experiment were significantly lower when AO was administered…

Abstract Background The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will…

Abstract The widespread losses of honeybee colonies recorded over the past number of years in the northern hemisphere represent a major concern for the beekeeping industry and, more importantly, may have a severe impact on ecological services and biodiversity. There is now a general consensus about the multifactorial origin of colony losses, but the mechanistic…

Abstract The present study was conducted at Mekelle Agricultural Research Center with the objective of determining the foraging behavior of local honeybees in relation to climatic factors. This was done during the blooming time of Guzotia abyssinica (LF). The data were collected during five observations at time intervals of: 8:30-3:30 AM, 10:30-11:30AM, 12:30-13:30PM, 14:30-15:30 PM…

Abstract The determinants of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a particular case of collapse of honey bee colonies, are still unresolved. Viruses including the Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) were associated with CCD. We found an apiary with colonies showing typical CCD characteristics that bore high loads of IAPV, recovered some colonies from collapse and tested…

Abstract Microsporidiosis caused by Nosema species is one of the factors threatening the health of the honeybee(Apis mellifera), which is an essential element in agriculture mainly due to its pollination function. Thedispersion of this pathogen may be influenced by many factors, including various aspects of beekeepingmanagement such as introduction of queens with different origin. Herein…